[TenTec] wither CW?

[Jim Brown K9YC]

Anyone who thinks CW is dying ought to turn on their radio during 
a contest. Some easily available statistics:

Contest         Logs   QSOs by Leader
ARRL SS CW 09   1553    1597
ARRL SS CW 08   1420    1529
ARRL 160M 09    1366    2046
ARRL 160M 08    1280    1753
ARRL DX CW 09   3131    5928
ARRL DX CW 08   2686    4797

Note that these numbers all show increased participation year to 
year. In ARRL SS and ARRL 160M, you can work a station only once, 
so that means at least 1597 stations were on the air in SS09, and 
2046 in ARRL 160 09 (and thats a single band contest that many 
hams cant work at all)! In ARRL DX, you can work each station on 
multiple bands. 

BTW -- Im not slighting CQ contests, which I enjoy a lot, but I 
couldnt find numbers for participation on their contest website. 

In most contests that run both CW and SSB simultaneously, theres 
more activity on CW than SSB. 

Our contest club, NCCC (Northern California Contest Club) has 
welcomed many new members in the four years Ive been a member. A 
surprising number of the hot young guys who are new hams have 
learned enough CW to be competitive, even though theres no FCC 
requirement.  

Another data point -- a new international organization of CW 
Operators was recently formed. In less than six months, more than 
710 members have been signed up and paid dues.  You have to be 
sponsored by another members who has worked you at least twice on 
CW. See http://www.cwops.org/

73,

Jim K9YC
CWOps #69