[BC] More on "Morse" Code

[Charles Lewis]

        Just because CW has ceased to be used by most governments and
        commercial interests doesn't mean that it is a dead and useless
        mode.  I know from first hand experience that it has many
        thousands of fine devotees among amateur radio operators around
        the globe.  I have communicated with literally tens of thousands
        of them by CW.

        Though, regretfully,  I have never become a really accomplished
        CW operator myself due to innate shortcomings, I enjoy it very
        much.  The greater portion of the 1,000 plus radio contacts 
        that I average per month are CW contacts.  As the only regularly
        active ham in the country of Sao Tome e Principe, I usually wind
        up in  the "pileup" mode when I operate, unless propagation is
        very poor. (I made about 250 CW contacts on 7 mHz just last
        night.)   I find CW pileups much more stimulating to work than
        SSB pileups.  It would be too time consuming (maybe even
        impossible) to try to explain to the uninitiated exactly why
        that is so. 

        It is my observation that being a successful CW DX'er is more
        about skill and good strategy than is true with SSB.  On SSB,
        usually the "big guns" have a huge advantage over those with
        only a modest station.  On CW, at least in my case as a DX
        operator, the playing field is more level for the callers.  The
        CW operator with only a weak signal has a very good chance of
        getting his contact with me if he is observant and skilled
        enough.  It has a lot to do with proper timing and, especially,
        sensible transmit frequency placement when calling.  Effective
        timing and placement is based on intelligent observation and
        analysis of my operating pattern at the given time.  I often
        work skilled QRP (purposefully low power, like 5 watts or less)
        operators at the same time while there are hundreds of high
        power stations slugging it out trying to work me by brute force
        with their potent signals. 

        Becoming a very skilled CW operator is an accomplishment that
        one can take pride in, because, at least for some like me, it is
        not at all easy.  It is an uncommon skill these days.

        I'll probably get flamed for saying it, but the hams I regard
        most highly are the skilled CW operators, especially the CW
        DX'ers.  Being an obsolescent old codger myself who has been a
        ham for nearly half a century, I have a hard time finding much
        in common with hams who know nothing about HF radio or CW.  To
        me, ham radio just wouldn't be the same without the continued
        existence of the very elegant CW mode.  Fortunately, there are
        enough of us around the world who love CW, not all of whom are
        old like me, that I expect it will be around for a long time yet.

        I do concede that the code should no longer be a requirement for
        the persons who would like to work the HF amateur bands but have
        no interest in CW.  I hope, however, that  we can still retain
        some CW sub bands after the code requirement is dropped.

        BTW, to say that CW is no longer used by anyone except hams is
        not really true.  I still hear a considerable amount of CW
        communications outside the amateur bands here in Afica. 

        CW FOREVER!


        Charles Lewis - S9SS

        (KY4P in the USA)