Each winter, just after the Christmas holiday, the airwaves become cluttered with lids/morons who got a ham radio but don't have a license. Because of the license requirement, the airwaves are used by folks who have all read the same rule book.
Is learning code a necessary thing?
The code test (aka Element 1) is at 5 wpm. Think about that. FIVE words per MINUTE. That's not a test of skill, that's a test of patience.
Will the removal open the airwaves to all the lids/morons who otherwise wouldn't take the tests? Maybe, but I doubt few of them will get past the Tech. The 2m repeaters are plentiful as are other bands. The General test isn't too difficult, if you read the book.
I have my General Class license and am studying for the Extra. I have been for a while. The amount of information needed to learn from Tech to General is not too bad. But to me and my Southern Blonde Brain, the leap from General to Extra is a stretch.
You must remember that no everyone lives in NYC or Philly or Toronto or Sydney.
I know of folks who can't get cable tv.
I know folks where the only internet is satellite IF their location allows it.
I know folks who still use rotary phones.
Many places have their land lines and power lines still hanging from poles, not buried underground. Come a blizzard, ice storm, hurricane, or just plain wind, they lose one or both.
There are plenty of places around here (western NC USA) where they'd have to put a cell tower on every ridge before the coverage was reliable.
Amateur Radio is not limited to towers or power grids or whether or not you paid your ISP. HF bands can reach around the world. Most repeaters for VHF have battery backup.
If someone you know is in a disaster area, good look trying to find them on the internet, by cell or by landline. But you can contact the Salvation Army and their teams of hams (aka SATERN) can get the information for you (called Health and Welfare)
I like being able to at least listen in during an emergency, letting them know I am there if needed. I have been able to warn folks of events long before the commercial radio or TV announced it.
KG4VPY
Slashdot Mirror
Each winter, just after the Christmas holiday, the airwaves become cluttered with lids/morons who got a ham radio but don't have a license. Because of the license requirement, the airwaves are used by folks who have all read the same rule book. Is learning code a necessary thing? The code test (aka Element 1) is at 5 wpm. Think about that. FIVE words per MINUTE. That's not a test of skill, that's a test of patience. Will the removal open the airwaves to all the lids/morons who otherwise wouldn't take the tests? Maybe, but I doubt few of them will get past the Tech. The 2m repeaters are plentiful as are other bands. The General test isn't too difficult, if you read the book. I have my General Class license and am studying for the Extra. I have been for a while. The amount of information needed to learn from Tech to General is not too bad. But to me and my Southern Blonde Brain, the leap from General to Extra is a stretch.
You must remember that no everyone lives in NYC or Philly or Toronto or Sydney. I know of folks who can't get cable tv. I know folks where the only internet is satellite IF their location allows it. I know folks who still use rotary phones. Many places have their land lines and power lines still hanging from poles, not buried underground. Come a blizzard, ice storm, hurricane, or just plain wind, they lose one or both. There are plenty of places around here (western NC USA) where they'd have to put a cell tower on every ridge before the coverage was reliable. Amateur Radio is not limited to towers or power grids or whether or not you paid your ISP. HF bands can reach around the world. Most repeaters for VHF have battery backup. If someone you know is in a disaster area, good look trying to find them on the internet, by cell or by landline. But you can contact the Salvation Army and their teams of hams (aka SATERN) can get the information for you (called Health and Welfare) I like being able to at least listen in during an emergency, letting them know I am there if needed. I have been able to warn folks of events long before the commercial radio or TV announced it. KG4VPY