Who says the quality of operating has gone down hill as you put it.  That
is why I keep making the point that back when I first was licensed, I saw
just as much bad operating as I see now.  The bottom line is that most
think that because I had to learn the code, everyone else should have to.
Just doesn't make sense to me.  You find the code easy, I find theory
easy.  I could say a difficult theory test is just as much to make a
person proud as learning the code.  When we had this discussion years ago
on 80 one night I made the comment that if we don't get more people into
this hobby or whatever you want to call it, we're doomed.  When it is
gone, the headstone will read, "here lies ham radio, but we never gave up
c w."

I'll post no more on this as I didn't want it to turn into a debate.
We'll just have to agree to disagree, or not.
73s
Butch Bussen
wa0vjr