[SECC] Fwd: ARLB044 IARU Administrative Council Calls for End to Morse Requirement

[David L. Thompson]

Sherman W4ATL said:

> I don't know...seems to me I heard a bunch of jerks on 20M SSB and 75M SSB
> many years ago when we still had a 20 WPM requirement.  And I bet the 75M
> jerks that QRM contesters passed the 13/20 WPM requirement.
>
> What we should do now is stengthen the technical exam.  It has gotten
easier
> over the years.  Remember when you had to draw and explain how a
transmitter
> works as part of the test?  Now the questions and answers are given to you
> before the test.  College would have been a lot easier had I known the
> questions and answers before taking the exams!
>
>
I agree.  Back in the early 6-'s there was a bunch on the low end of 75
(3805 in those days) and that was in the middle of the Dx listening area
then.  One gent  (W4SQV) was an extra and the leader of a group who
complained loudly if you even came close. On 20 there have always been
groups or retirees who carried on QSOs between say New Jersey and Florida
during prime DX hours of 12 to 1400Z.  In the late 70's DX nets (still there
unfortunately) contained worms such as the WA2 who followed me around for a
day during the ARRL DX contest telling me that I had qrmed his "net". Funny
but one could work twice the Dx just by S&Ping up and down the band.

K1ZZ and others tell me there is an increase in CW operation.  This can be
proven by the amount of EU DX available in contests.  Back in the early 60's
we could call CQ Contest all day (even W3AU etc) and get meager results.
Over 50% of our time was S&Ping.  In 1988 I worked more stations in 5 hours
from N4HOH M/S on 10 SSB then I did in nearly 73 hours 20 years before.

The FCC has no plans to eliminate the CW bands.  Its up to hams to keep
their CW skills.  And to cultivate new CW Ops.

73 Dave K4JRB



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