On 2/26/07, Luc Leblanc lucleblanc6@videotron.ca wrote:
As of February 23, 2007, Our Old Friend "morse code" has now slipped into history as a requirement for a U.S. Amateur License. The tones and burps in the lower portions of the HF bands will become more and more silent as those that remember CW start to become silent keys themselves. "Silent Key" will go by the wayside as well. As a longtime Extra, I can honestly say that getting up to speed was an excitement all its own.
Then CW enthusiasts need to work at conveying that excitement to forthcoming generations of hams, now that the artificial "affirmative action" preferences for the mode have been removed from the licensing requirements in the US.
If CW dies off in a world where the likes of Hellschriber are still used, then something is very wrong indeed. If that happens, we can reasonably conclude the licencing requirement kept CW on life support long after it was brain-dead.
But personally, I doubt that's the case...and I'm not alone in this:
read: http://www.saffo.com/journal/entry.php?id=586
-- 73 de Maggie K3XS Editor, Phil-Mont Mobile Radio Club Blurb - http://www.phil-mont.org Elecraft K2 #1641 -- AOPA 925383 -- ARRL 39280