GB> FCC NPRM

[Ed Tanton]

 >> "///snip ...But as an Advanced class ham because I could not copy 
20 wpm. ..."

"... could not..." or WOULD NOT Stu? My late friend Paul Furman 
(N4YD) hated the code with a passion. But he wanted the Extra 
privileges. He learned the code. If Paul could do it, ANYBODY could 
do it. You had to want it.

Like a lot of things, it usually boils down to ones willingness to 
work for something; requiring a simple cost-benefit analysis by the 
would-be user. Personally I always favored two things rejected by 
most hams (at the time):
1) A NO-CODE Novice license with ONLY-CODE privileges.
2) I don't care if you call it an entrance exam, a riff-raff screen, 
whatever. SOME sort of code test helps discern who wants it, and who 
would merely 'like' to have it.

None of that matters much now, and you are correct: it WAS coming; so 
I can't say I'm surprised. Personally, I have always operated 95-99% 
CW and always will. SSB just doesn't hold that much for me. Of 
course, for me that 'always' is a bit shorter these days than it once 
was (I'm 58.) But unless we manage to kill it off somehow, I expect 
both CW and Ham Radio will be around for a good while yet. I enjoy 
the Internet, think it's incredibly useful, and frequently fun-but 
it'll never take the place of HR for me. Apples and oranges.

And finally, perhaps EME and Phased Verticals aren't relevant to YOUR 
ideas about Ham Radio, but there are plenty of folks who would 
disagree with you about them being all that irrelevant, me included. 
Somewhat esoteric perhaps, but hardly as irrelevant as you make them 
sound. That's always been one of HR's attractions for me: interests 
can change-yet there's always something else interesting to occupy your mind.

These steps are not going to save HR. They're probably not going to 
ruin it either. It's always been up to us what we make of it, or not, 
and I expect it will remain that way. There may-or may not-be enough 
interest in the hobby for it to survive in any recognizable 
format-and that too is up to us.


72/73 Ed Tanton N4XY <n4xy at earthlink.net>
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Reflector Manager For:

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Ed Tanton N4XY
189 Pioneer Trail
Marietta, GA 30068-3466

website: http://www.n4xy.com

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OK-QRP QRP-L #758 K2 (FT) #00057

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