> of hams that really don't know or understand the technical aspects of
> the hobby at all. How many people out there can fix their own TEN TECs
> or whatever? Technical competence is supposed to be a major part of
> what makes up a ham. For those who don't think so I believe 11 meters
Well....fixing ham equipment has become a thing of the past mostly due to
the complexity of modern equipment. TenTec gear is by far the easiest to
repair but this is coming to a hault with the influx of SMT components in
their newer products.
As for this cw thing. CW has been obsolete since the advent of voice
communications in the early 20's. However being obsolete doens't mean it
has no place. For instance, we have automobiles but can still walk, guns
but still knives, boats and swim, planes and still trucks. The list is
endless. The "obsolete" argument holds no water. CW being the simplest
form or transmission makes it the most basic. No one has any business
calling themselves a "radio operator" who cannot assemble and operate a
simple cw transmitter. No skill is required to plug in a radio and speak
into a microphone therefore, this doesn't qualify them as an "Amateur
Radio Operator" since part of the qualification states that a
demonstration of skills is necessary.
Steve Ellington N4LQ@IGLOU.COM Louisville, Ky
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