[BC] CW's value...

[Burt I. Weiner]

A family friend has a son who was in a serious car accident many years 
ago.  His only way to communicate is by code.  He is only able to move his 
fingers slightly and most of his family has become quite proficient in 
International Continental code but has absolutely no interest in 
radio.  They communicate by holding hands.  I wanted to get him a Heath 
HG-1410 key but he can't operate it.

By the way, Morse code is not what is commonly used for radio purposes, the 
International Continental code is.  Morse and the international Continental 
Code are quite different.

Burt

At 11:24 AM 7/24/2005 -0400, you wrote:
>From: Rich Wood <richwood at pobox.com>
>Subject: RE: [BC] No-code Amateur license
>To: Broadcast Radio Mailing List <broadcast at radiolists.net>
>Message-ID: <6.2.3.4.2.20050724102917.05e13b68 at pop.mail.yahoo.com>
>Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed
>
>------ At 12:41 AM 7/24/2005, Jerry Mathis wrote: -------
>
> >Does ANYONE use Morse code for anything anymore? We have far more
> >efficient means of communications now. Aside from making someone
> >PROVE they are interested enough in obtaining an Amateur license to
> >learn it, what value is it?
>
>Repeaters use it, though it's automated and doesn't qualify as REAL
>CW because there's no exalted human with a key. Same with marine
>buoys. I think bird tracking devices use data, so they don't qualify.
>Since CW is so terribly important as emergency communication when the
>big one drops I believe Homeland Security should require all Hams
>with coded licenses to be retested every 5 years so we have a few
>people who haven't been wiped out who can communicate. Also, if your
>building collapses and traps you you'll be able to tap out an SOS so
>rescue teams can find you. They might find you if you randomly bang
>on a pipe, too, so it might not be the strongest argument.

Burt I. Weiner Associates
Broadcast Technical Services
Glendale, California  U.S.A.
biwa at earthlink.net
K6OQK