Every percieved set-back is really an opportunity waiting to be recognized.
One door closes but three others open. The only given in this world is that
everything changes with time. We may not like what is happening but we can
choose to have fun while it is happening.
My fondest memories of being a teenager are related to amateur radio cw, and
the way amateur radio was for me in the early 1980's. Would I really want
radio to be the same now as then. No. Because I would have to give up 1).
my computer and use hand dupe sheets, 2). e-mail reflectors, 3). new and
better radios, 4). and the list goes on and on.
The art and science of amateur radio will continue to evolve. So will the
rules and regs. Despite that we will be able to recruit and train more new
and very good cw ops, especially if the ARRL Big Project is successful at
the middle and high school level.
I believe that we as a hobby are set in our old ways... spending too much
marketing time, money and effort trying to entice new strangers into amateur
radio. Think how much easier it would be to grow our "quality numbers", and
how much "family fun" we could all have along the way, if each of us focused
some energy on bringing our children or grandchildren into amateur radio
making it a TRADITION and a hobby. This could make our hobby and families
stronger. Looks like a winner to me! Personally, my two year old son just
loves looking at Big Antennas in my radio books or driving around town
looking at other ham's antennas. He's even found some yagis I didn't see! I
can't wait until the day he and I calculate and cut our first dipole
together...or the day that we go mountaintopping with qrp radios. It's time
to start making amateur radio a trendy and fun family tradition!! I've even
been thinking about writing a book about "Amateur Radio Family Fun!"
CW will become more and more of a niche than it is now with this rule
change. CW is really, really neat and I believe it will thrive as a niche.
If you don't believe me just look at the great things that the QRP and
kit-building (ie. Elecraft et al) movement have done for cw contesting and
ragchewing. Frankly, I think the cw bands are busier now than when I was a
teen in the 80's.
I propose that rather than worry about the change lets make the most of the
change! Managed properly this rule change will generate one of the best
opportunities ever for cw fans to gain front page publicity launching a new
wave of clubs deciated to the art of cw.
If there is anyone out there who wants to write a few chapters for that
family book or start brainstorming how CW clubs can benefit amateur radio
100 years down the raod please contact me off list so we can start planning
and doing!
73, Scott W3TX
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