You ask me "what is wrong with cw?" I ask you, "Why is amateur radio
dying?"--I think the answer to both is a single one--there was a time when
dropping code would have saved ham radio--I fear that time has come and
gone... cw has no real use to anyone, anymore... it is like having to
learn to type to use the internet... no such requirement... however,
because typing DOES have a use--you will find many learning to type after
they realize the need...

.... the "anateur exams" are certainly no hinderence, they always have been
as simple as pie--a college grad trained in the art of "test taking" could
study for a day and pass the most challenging... they have been made even
simplier still... yet amateur radio declined and continues to do so--

.... now "critical mass" has been reached, so many other forms of
communication exist that amateur radio is on its' death march... radios are
so far and few between... and so little demand... they are too expensive
with most to bother with... you could give ham licences away in the streets
and not improve that...

.... no, the OMs' alzheimers and lack of ability to see the future has killed
ham radio--you'd think the old guys must have hated it--to have stood by and
watched it die--if what you say is correct--and they DID have all their
mental facilities about them and still allowed it...

Warmest regards,
John

"Jim Hampton" wrote in message
...
Nice try, John

In the original post I stated "just for grins".

As far as Alzheimer's disease, I know the change I am due before the kid
punches the cash tendered into the register. I had to chuckle one day
when
the gal punched in as though I had made exact change and had to figure out
what my change was. She had to call a manager!

I am familiar with how great the Internet is and surf a bit plus am active
in several Yahoo groups. Do you remember 911? I lost my AT&T service for
a
week as they had some central switching station in there. I had to use my
Juno account as a backup. The radios, however, work - even without mains.
Come to think of it, some of the repeaters work without mains. There are
two of them around here that aren't even connected to the mains!

I have no axe to grind. Oh, it bothers me when a couple of high power
stations are talking across town on 20 meters, however there is no sanity
test for an amateur license. Come to think of it, the same applies to
high
power CBs. It causes interference thousands of miles away.

What I cannot understand is why so many folks get their panties in a knot
over CW. If you enjoy it, use it; if not, don't. No big deal there.

As far as the folks who love to condemn those who enjoy Morse, I suspect
that many of them are also lacking in theory and really want a no test
ticket. Perhaps we could also do away with a test for a driver's license
as
well ....

Granted, folks will point out there is a big difference. There is, but
the
underlying problem is trying to make the airwaves available for
*everyone*.
This includes cell-phones (think duplex walk-talkie connected to a
repeater
which is connected to the telephone company), radio, television, aircraft
guidance systems, satellite tv, satellite radio, gps, and so much more.
Originally, there were no driver's licenses, but as more automobiles came
about, there was a need for regulation. Should we get rid of traffic
lights? How about the flashing red lights on school busses? Think there
might be a need for regulation? The same applies to radio. Originally,
there were no regulations for radio. If you have 100 stations in the
world,
total, there is really no need for regulation. As technology progressed,
there were more demands made for radio spectrum (I say radio, but mean
everything using the electro-magnetic spectrum from perhaps 3 kHz to 300
gHz). Regulations came into being and have been revisited and changed
many
times since.

At least we can discuss this problem with regulating the airwaves; I have
another problem that I am going to have to "discuss" a different way.

Our new chief of police is claiming he is going to start cracking down on
the loud stereos. One guy wrote an editorial stating "you just don't like
my music". Well, I finally got one guy fined and he is staying quiet. It
is disconcerting, to say the least, when someone has their boom box turned
up 10 dB above distort at midnight and I have to get up in the morning.
Some of us actually have jobs. I have some "tunes" that I will share
should
this start again. I'm not going to bother burning a cd as I've got the
mp3
cuts on the computer. Just plug an audio line from the headphone jack on
the computer speakers to the 700 stereo system I have for satellite tv. I
hope they enjoy my tunes:

1) Washington Post March
2) Anchors aweigh
3) The Thunderer
4) The Stars and Stripes Forever (my favorite)

I've got others on CDs. From all of the services. Funny, but I have a
feeling that they will be clamoring for "regulation" all of a sudden )


With all due regards from Rochester, NY
Jim AA2QA



"John Smith" wrote in message
...
It is a shame that hams are riding a sinking ship to the bottom... just
so
others can't ride... weird really... those old guys really have a axe to
grind with someone... but, maybe it is as they claim--their minds are
gone
to alzheimers and they simply await for the need for morse to return...
however, long before then--amateur radio will be dead...

Regards,
John

"Jim Hampton" wrote in message
...
Hi gang!


Just for some grins, check this out:
http://www.lildobe.net/video/

It will take a bit of time for the folks on dial-up, but it is worth
remembering that those two guys were not setting any speed records. It
sounded about like the commercial CW circuits on the marine bands I
listened
to about 37 years ago ....

The more things change, the more they stay the same.


73 from Rochester, NY
Jim AA2QA