From: utzoo!decvax!harpo!npoiv!alice!mhtsa!eagle!karn
Newsgroups: net.ham-radio
Title: Code Free
Article-I.D.: eagle.673
Posted: Wed Dec  8 20:10:39 1982
Received: Thu Dec  9 06:30:56 1982

To Joe, N2XS ("spark forever"):

I am not going to answer all of your arguments, since I already
addressed most of them in my previous message, and that Jeff
Duntemann adequately addresses the Japanese code-free license.

However, I do have a reply to an assertion you made:

"All Navy opoerators are still trained in CW and there will be no
change in the future despite satellites and backscatter."

This is untrue.  The wife of a good friend of mine was a radio operator
in the Navy until several years ago.  Here is the reply I got from
I asked about the Navy requirements:

"You were right about the Navy radio operators.  Only the submarine
operators go to code school, Judy says -- it's a special school distinct
from the ordinary radio operator's school.  Whoever told you otherwise was
probably in the Navy many years ago; they might have done it that way then."

Again, I am not denying the usefulness of CW in many situations; I am
only pointing out the opportunity costs involved in making it a forced
requirement for an amateur ticket.

Phil Karn, KA9Q