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From: NOURSE%DEC-MARLBORO@sri-unix.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.ham-radio
Subject: Morse Code?
Message-ID: <1454@sri-arpa.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 29-Jun-84 14:01:00 EDT
Article-I.D.: sri-arpa.1454
Posted: Fri Jun 29 14:01:00 1984
Date-Received: Sat, 14-Jul-84 13:25:18 EDT
Lines: 18

The main effect of the morse code is to keep most of the new blood out
of Amateur  Radio.  This  is most  evident when  I demonstrate  packet
radio to  my  non-ham  friends.   Most  of  them  have  the  technical
expertise to be a credit to our hobby, but will NEVER be a part of it,
as long as they have to spend a  lot of time that they do not have  on
this antique requirement.

The fact that it is possible for a 12-year-old to learn morse code  is
irrelevant.  That's when most of us learned it.  IT IS FAR EASIER  FOR
A TWELVE-YEAR-OLD TO LEARN MORSE CODE THAN FOR AN ADULT TO DO SO.  The
result is that most people who did not learn it when they were growing
up are locked out of ham radio.

The Japanese have a code-free license, and this has greatly  increased
the interest in Amateur Radio there.   To the extent that we shut  off
such interest  here  with the  code  requirement, we  put  our  entire
electronics industry at a disadvantage.
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