"Lew Hodgett" wrote in message
k.net...
jds wrote:
well, call me an old fart then. if someone is too damn lazy to learn
code, let em be limited to a technician. i use cw 99% of the time. try
talking to some guy in italy that doesnt speak english any better than i
speak italian, add accent= wtf did he say??? an "a" is .- in any
language. jeez , 5wpm is a real obsticle?? i could copy 10 before i even
attempted my novice test.
j.d. kc7mpd

Sounds like a merit badge you have to learn to enter the club.

Bet you still have your Capt'n Midnight decoder ring.

Seriously, if you choose to use code, so be it.

I have better things to do with my time than learning to use a totally
dead language.

I'm not interested in ham radio as a hobby, I already have too many.

For me is it strictly a communication tool when I'm on then water.

Nothing more, nothing less.

If you aren't interested in HAM radio as a hobby, then why should the hobby
have to change to accommodate you? Why not expect the licensing test to
drop all the electronics requirements since you don't expect to build /
design / modify any radios. If you plan on having a marine installer hook
up your radio to a backstay, knowing about antenna design seems like a
waste of time. Even if you do, you should probably need to prove you know
something about rigging too. Well Lew, if you want to communicate, use
marine SSB, or Marine VHF, or CB, or FRS, or GMRS, or your cell phone. Want
to talk to HAMS? Get a HAM license.

Want another potentially usefull communications option? If you do much
offshore work, you should consider getting a hand held Aviation VHF radio
with a AA battery pack to put in your "ditch bag". Legal to own? yes.
Legal to operate? Not with out an appropriate license. But, if you just
stepped up from your boat into your life raft, it might be nice to talk with
commercial airline pilots overhead while the rescue people figure out who
the unregistred EPIRB you activated belongs to. --- ILLEGAL ??? COME ARREST
ME --- PLEASE ---- NOW!!!!

Then there is that damn USCG Master License test. You need to know inland
river rules when you only operate in the atlantic coast. You need to know
how many bolts on a 6 inch fire hose coupling when you only operate a 50
foot motor vessel. They actually expect you to know how to navigate with a
chart, dividers, parallel ruler and a pencil --- how archaic is that?
Everyone uses GPSs now. .They really need to dumb that test down too to
accomodate those too dumb, lazy or uninterested enough to be bothered to
learn.


Lew


Jerry
USCG Near Coastal Master / with towing and sailing endorsements
Amateur Advanced