its really too bad things aren't like that these days.
People always do better learning or progressing in groups...the idea of
competition and peer pressure and wanting to be like your friends all
contributes to the process...
If i had 10 friends on the air locally that were all going for their
advanced licenses, i would do it in a second, because i know i would have
the peer support, and be able to discuss concepts that we were having
difficulty with on the air....but, unfortunately, most people around here
either have their advanced already, or have no intention of getting
it...even if there was 10 people in one group that is.

73
Colin, V A6BKX
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Bob Heiser" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Sunday, April 02, 2006 11:21 AM
Subject: Re: CW Requirements


> Hello list,
> I agree Phil, My novice days back in 1966 were some of my best times in
ham
> radio.
> We had about 10 novices and recent generals in our high school and junior
> high.
> We also had a lot of teens around the state of Wisconsin who were novices
> and generals who we got to know as we would get on every day after school.
> We would work each other as novices and later on 75 meter A M as side band
> was out of our budget..
> I suppose cell phones, email and the internet give ham radio a back seat
> where it requires too much study and work.
> Seems everything is now days instant gratification.
> When I was a novice and had friends who were generals I wanted to be there
> but knew I had to study and actually had a lot of fun getting my code
speed
> up there.
> Bob
> K9BOB
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Phil Scovell" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Saturday, April 01, 2006 9:38 PM
> Subject: CW Requirements
>
>
> >I used to think they shouldn't drop the code for any reason but I have
> > pretty much changed my opinion about that over the years.  Frankly, the
> > digital modes are practically taking over the CW bands anyhow.  If HF
> > really
> > picks up during this next sun cycle peak, and it always does during
those
> > years, the phone bands are going to be super crowded so the whole issue
of
> > more phone band space is going to be coming up.  that normally means
> > cutting
> > off some of the CW bands again.  I think they should give the digital
> > folks
> > 100 KHz and the CW gang at least 50 KHz of their own on all the major
> > bands.
> > If a person isn't required to learn the code and if he isn't tested on
it,
> > he won't be wanting to work CW anyhow.  It certainly doesn't make a
person
> > a
> > better ham, or smarter, or anything else but I wouldn't want to go
without
> > it.  I haven't made an HF side band contact for years now.  In fact, I
> > think
> > Butch on here was my last phone contact.  I always work CW for some
> > reason.
> > To tell the truth, though, I sure had a blast during my novice days.  I
> > made
> > lots of friends because I worked 80 CW most of the time as a novice.  Of
> > course, we only had one year to upgrade to general class so in six
months,
> > I
> > took the general test and passed it by the skin of my teeth.  I was 14
> > years
> > young at the time.  But, like I said, I really enjoyed my novice days
with
> > the old gear, hot tubes, crystals to plug in, low power, and World War
Two
> > receivers.  Now there is the name of a good ham magazine.  Hot Tubes.
> > Grin.
> >
> > Phil.
> > K0NX
> >
> >
> > -- 
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> >
>