Is this actually true? I'm not clear on what happened in the US with
no longer requiring a Morse cert. and would like someone to set me
straight (I really mean that, I'd like to understand the real story).
My understanding is:
1) the requirement for a morse cert was removed from the license
2) this allows you to get a license and operate without morse
3) the FCC did not 'throw away Morse', just removed the requirement to
have it
In the UK, this same action in 2003 has resulted in more newcomers
(since Morse is no longer an obstacle) and in fact, more people
wishing to learn Morse (myself included) since on using HF, it becomes
clear just how significant CW is to making contacts, especially DX.
So, by no longer forcing people to learn Morse, we have encouraged
more to do so.
In my limited experience, courtesy not slowing slipping away, lack of
it is in the minority. And mostly the usage of that term is used when
describing large contests where band plans get ignored. I don't wish
to get into the Contest verses DX type issues. There does seem to be a
concern that SSB contests wipe out the CW parts of the band during the
contest.
I would have thought that applied far more here than in the US where
my understanding is the band plan is mandator - in the UK is advisory
(provided you stick within the spectrum allocation).
Contests are on the rise yes, but I don't think that can be blamed on
the removal of the Morse requirement - surly if anything, this
indicates a greater usage of CW (assuming we are talking CWE contests).
In fact, are contests on the increase or is it just poor DX conditions
making it appear that way?
On the question of where to go to use Morse, what about the freq. used
by FIST members. Just because they are used by FISTS, does not prevent
anyone from using them (no-one owns a freq.) and if you hear someone
calling CQ FISTS, work them. FISTS members are happy to work anyone
and are not exclusively FISTS - and if you find someone is, then they
should not be a member of FISTS, IMHO.
There freq. are found at http://www.fists.co.uk/index_files/FREQS.htm
73 de M0XDF / FISTS #12575, K3 #174, HexKey #375
--
One can pay back the loan of gold, but one dies forever in debt to those
who are kind. -Malayan Proverb
On 19 Mar 2008, at 11:05, Charlotte & Bob Higgins wrote:
Since the FCC decided to throw away Morse code, courtesy has all
but disappeared, and contests have almost totally taken over.
There is little places to go and have a CW QSO anymore. Most of
the CW ops nowadays seem to be contesters so you either join them
or stay off the air. There seems to be no place to go anymore on HF.
WARC bands?
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