McAfee.es@PARC-MAXC@sri-unix (11/22/82)
Thought I would pass this on to Arpanet. Pete KD6HR --------------------------- Date: 22 Nov. 1982 2:26 pm EST (Monday) From: Stephany.WBST Subject: Re: No code license To: Hamradio^.ES CW is not old fashioned and is an essential requirement to be considered a real radio operator. Any dope can yack into a mike. The reason for CW in the HF bands is (1) it is highly effective with simple equipment, (2) it is much easier to "talk" to people that do not know English, (3) the bandwidth is very small (usually less than 100 Hz as compared with 2000 Hz for sideband) which allows more stations to be on the air (4) it acts as a barrier to getting a licese so the people that become Hams are the ones that really want to be Hams. The people that "cant" or wont learn CW are the ones that want everything easy By leaning the code, at least once in your life, you get something by really earing it. Without the code the HF bands would become something like the CB bands with no one communicating with anyone. Despit what is said about the effectiveness of CW vs Sideband, CW is much more effective means of communication under emergency conditions. Note that almost all Moonbounce is done with CW. CW has the advantage of narrow bandwidth giving more effective penetration as well as a good hardcopy (I have heard sidebanders on numerous occations go to CW when they wand to send written text. Phone is comparable with telephoning another person. CW is comparable with writting a letter. The telephone did not stop people from writting letters and Phone should not stop people from using CW. Many people cite the Canadian Packet licese as an example, ;but it is a poor example. Only less than 200 have been insued and it may die from lack of interest. The Technician licese was started in this country to bring in all those millions of geniuses that don't want to learn 13 WPM code. They never materialized. Similarly, a code free UHF licese will not bring in many: the people that are motivated and have the technical training have already learned the code. For the others, the removal of the code barrier will not make them produce anything, and it is best to leave them on CB radio. Joe N2XS (29 Years a Ham ... Spark forever !!!) ------------------------------------------------------------
kk9w (11/24/82)
A few of my thoughts on the no code license:
1. It probably does deter people who are not serious about the
hobby, even if they are interested in electronics, or digital
or cs or whatever.
2. It's a well known fact that the only people who get anything useful
done are ones who are serious about accomplishing the task they set
out to do.
3. People who are on the outside of our hobby looking in promise
great things if the code restrictions were lifted, such as lots
of experimentation on packet systems, sattellite communications,
etc.
4. The code (at 5wpm) is not tough at all if a person is serious and
puts a few hours a week for 3-4 weeks. This is all that is currently
required to obtain the privileges that these people so desire.
5. If alleged experimenters won't put forth that small amount of
effort, what makes anyone think that they would do anything useful
if given the privileges they want.
6. My own personal opinion is that we would just open the doors to
a bunch of poor operators who would contribute a negligible
amount of research to the hobby. If they havent't got the gumption
to learn the code at 5wpm, then they don't have the drive to do
any experimenting either.
thanks for letting me get that off my chest. Now watch out
as maybe the folkIve aimed this at will prove me wrong.
--... ...-- -.. . dave andersen pur-ee!kk9w