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Old July 22nd 03, 11:02 PM
Dee D. Flint
 
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"Radio Amateur KC2HMZ" wrote in message
...
On 20 Jul 2003 02:35:45 GMT, ospam (Larry Roll K3LT)
wrote:

My statement about future hams having no experience with Morse/CW
is plain FACT, not opinion, Bill.


There seem to be quite a few hams now who have no experience with
Morse/CW. There are 257,319 Technicians in the ARS, according to the
most recently posted figures from N2EY, some of which are undoubtedly
former Tech-Plus licensees renewed as Technician, but most of whom are
undoubtedly of the no-code variety. Even if 20% are renewed Tech+ then
that's still over 200,000 hams with no Morse/CW experience. And that
is a lotta hams - two or three football stadiums full, in fact.

It is also a fact that because of their
lack of experience, they are self-disqualified from having an "opinion"
about the subject.


I disagree - it's not a fact, it's your opinion. I also happen to
disagree with that opinion.

Larry, no disrespect intended here, but what's your current opinion of
eating...oh...how about...elephant dung, for example?

Most of us would say that the idea sounds quite disgusting, no thanks,
I'll pass. Same goes for cat dung, rat dung, bat dung, or any other
kind of dung for that matter. I don't need to have tasted 'em all in
order to form that opinion. Similarly, one does not need to have
learned to send and receive CW at 50 WPM in order to decide that one
is not interested in that particular mode.


That's a specious argument and you know it.

You do have to actually eat an apple to determine if you will like it. It's
not possible to determine what a cake or whatever will taste like by reading
the ingredients of the mix. You have to eat it. For example, I hate
tomatoes, cheeses, and garlic. Yet I could not predetermine what pizza
tasted like. I had to try it. And you know what, I love pizza.

Note that it is not my intention to equate CW skills with animal dung,
the skill remains a useful one to have and I don't begrudge those who
enjoy CW their pleasure at using the mode - not for a single minute.


Yes it was and yes you do or you would not have used the dung comparison.

I'm merely pointing out that expertise at a particular activity is not
a prerequisite for deciding whether or not one wishes to pursue said
activity. Do I need to be able to deadlift 600 pounds in order to
decide I don't wish to be an olympic weightlifter? Nope. Can I
currently deadlift 600 pounds? Nope. Does that render my decision to
not try to deadlift 600 pounds invalid? Nope.


CW skills are more like music. You have to acquire a BASIC level of skill
to determine if you will like it. Almost every adult that I know wishes
they had learned to play an instrument and wishes their parents had made
them take lessons.


Dee D. Flint, N8UZE