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From: jhs%Mitre-Bedford@sri-unix.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.ham-radio
Subject: Re: No-code reprise (yet another longish diatribe)
Message-ID: <2044@sri-arpa.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 16-Jul-84 09:42:00 EDT
Article-I.D.: sri-arpa.2044
Posted: Mon Jul 16 09:42:00 1984
Date-Received: Fri, 20-Jul-84 03:19:05 EDT
Lines: 28

"I'm still all ears. - N6JLJ"

Judging from the total verbiage generated thus far, this fellow has very
prolific ears!  Maybe that's why he can't hear the several good arguments
that have passed him by.

To repeat an earlier statement, the Government wants us to know code for
THEIR benefit.  (Sorry, not all terminals support underline, so I use caps
for emphasis.)  The fact that it might be to our benefit, as in the case of
the two motorists down in Connecticut a couple of years ago, is just icing on
the cake.  This is NOT just a hobby, it's a National emergency communications
resource.  For the public benefit, not the hams'.  That's why we keep getting
spectrum allocations, at least one of the major reasons.  Current policy of
the FCC is to deny new HF allocations unless there is a demonstrable emergency
backup communications capability to be had.  Yet we got several whole new
BANDS at WARC.

As for talented people who "can't" learn the code, I can't help wondering
how anyone who is unable to learn the code is able to learn to tie their own
shoelaces, let alone contribute to technology.  After all, guys, we're talking
about 5 WPM, you Turkeys!  Once you've memorized the alphabet in Morse, you've
practically got it made.  For any packet-capable individual who is not
(physically or mentally) handicapped (and frankly, I'm beginning to wonder),
it shouldn't take more than a month of serious spare-time effort.

						73,
						John H. Sangster, W3IKG
						jhs at mitre-bedford