innismir.net

Jeff, KE9V linked this little… uhmmm… gem on Twitter a few days ago:

Wow. Just Wow. Sorry kids, if you got your license or upgraded after December 2006, you’re not worthy to be here. Might as well turn your ticket in to your local FCC office. I’ll be joining you. Does anyone want all my equipment?

What a load of tripe.

I know Morse code. I learned it after I upgraded to General last November. It’s a good skill to have. I have no problem with people extolling the virtues of CW operation. Operate it exclusively for all I care. I know more then a few Hams who love their CW and I have no problem with them. However, certain CW fans go a little over the top. Suggesting that I am dumbing down the hobby because I didn’t pass a Morse Code Test? Please.

Attitudes like these do nothing but hurt the hobby. YouTube videos, flames on forums, and rants on mailing lists have left many a newcomer to the hobby annoyed and insulted. What does this accomplish? It doesn’t advance the hobby, it certainly doesn’t advance CW’s reputation, and it turns off throngs of people from the hobby. But, it continues: We’re dumbing down the hobby; CW is the one true operating mode; FCC is allowing the riff raff in by lowering the bar; etc, etc, etc.

If you have opinions, add to the discussion. Don’t insult the other side wholesale.

UPDATE: Apparently rjkd732 has seen fit to remove the video, again. Thankfully, this time I mirrored it. I’ll repost it tommorow.