>CW is much more popular since the FCC removed the requirement for the code....
I'm calling BS on that one. Tune across the CW bands at night. Very little activity compared to 30 or 40 years ago. Of course, I define CW activity as being real CW operating, i.e. ragchewing, handling traffic...certainly not the programmed "ur 599 TU 73" junk that many consider to be a QSO. Sorry but that doesn't make the nut. Neither do contests and DX QSOs. Those aren't the real deal, when it comes to CW operating. Anyone can program a gadget or computer to handle that. Count the number of ops working each other with bugs -- you can tell they aren't fakers that way -- then you'll have a better idea of how "popular" CW is. Answer--it's dying away, probably why Scott Robbins at Vibroplex is getting into other product lines and Ten Tec now calls itself "The SSB Company." The handwriting is on the wall. But the real tragedy in eliminating the CW test is that if took away the ability for a beginner to assemble a basic transmitter and use it to communicate on HF. You can certainly still build such a rig, but without the requirement to learn the code to get a license, many won't bother to do either, starting out on 2 m. FM, getting bored and dropping out. Eliminating CW was a big big mistake, but if your bread and butter is fresh meat--new members, new subscriptions, people with money buying new stuff--you probably don't see it that way. 73 Rob K5UJ _________________ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
