brucec@iddic.UUCP (07/18/84)
Richard Loken hit one of my 'hot' (no pun intended) buttons in his posting on CW. "We will all die in the year long winter anyway." I've spent some time researching the effects of nuclear war, both for my own interest and professionally (I designed radiation hard VLSI computer chips at TI). After surveying all the TECHNICAL literature that I could find, I have come the conclusion that even all-out nuclear is SURVIVABLE. That doesn't mean its morally right and I reserve the right to dispute any other 'conclusions' drawn from this FACT. But civil defense measures in this direction are not a waste of effort (if done correctly). This nuclear winter business is interesting and deserves more study. My SPECULATION is that it, too, is survivable. My rational for this opinion is that the human race has already survived a similar phenomena: The year without a summer - 1816. This was caused by the eruption of a volcano, Tambora (sp?). Folks survived then (obviously), and with todays technology and knowledge , I should think we could do as well or better. Now about CW. My only objection is requiring escalating CW proficiency for VOICE privileges. Everyone should learn 5 (maybe even 10) wpm, but its hard to explain why you have to learn more CW to get away from it! The rewards of greater band privleges should depend on a demonstration of skills required for those bands and modes!! NI7M Bruce Cheney Tektronix, Wilsonville OR. UUCP ...!tektronix!iddic!brucec