9/24/2014

Two categories of enjoyment of CW

The true or original W1AW is being heard on 21067.5KHz. 589. It seems to send the message of some QST article for CW reception practice. But otherwise nothing heard on the band. I have repeated calling CQ for over 10 times without any caller. The band sounds as if dead though ionosphere wise it is alive, or rather most active in the last phase of height in solar cycle.

I have experienced the plateau of the solar cycles for 5 times since '60s except in "70s. Unfortunately, the overall activity is steadily dropping so far as the ordinary QSO on CW is concerned. In the next cycle, those enjoying the ordinary QSOs must be the endangered species in the world. No, possibly, they won't survive until the next plateau.

I believe enjoyment of CW is divided into two categories. One is that they enjoy it as a tool of communication. Merely a tool replaceable to any other mode. They would use this mode for its simplicity and handiness. They are concerned about how many QSOs or how many entities they would work. All they do is just exchanging call signs and numbers like report or contest number. It is only exchanges of symbols. No other meaning in their communication.

The other is those enjoying CW for its intrinsic logic or process. Reception of meaning of the message sent on this mode is involved with highly intellectual process if it may be being aware of or not. Ragchewing or reading mails on this mode could give us pleasure so far as this process is concerned with it. It is not related with the attitude to CW stated above. It might be rather contrary to this enjoyment. Those who know this process are inclined to know the other people through the QSOs. They don't care for how many they work. It is the depth of qualitative aspects of QSOs they are concerned about.

The overall decrease in the ordinary QSO activity might be only due to the less number of CW operators. However, I am afraid those belonging to the first category may be overwhelming the latter. The first would never live long in ham radio. They would get bored with it or would face to the limit as any other quantitative extension does in human society. It may result in the overall decrease in CW activity.

And so what? Maybe, there is little room for me to do with this trend. Just enjoying it as I have done with it for decades. The last brilliance before it is lost in the darkness of the history. 

10 comments:

  1. It probably is inexorable that the historical CW operators are aging. However the contests bring out unbelievably large numbers of stations and activity. To me, one key indication of reduced CW activity (which I regret very much) is that the aging process also brings more demands on one's time. At least that is the case for me. I've been retired 12 years now, am age 72, but it seems I have less free time than ever. This is strange! In my case, it involves health problems with my wife, and since I am her caregiver, that means I drive her everywhere. She used to be independent, do her own shopping for groceries and clothes, etc. Now I must do it or usually we go together since I'm the driver and help her in stores. Over and above that, for some weird reason, my ham radio station has suffered three devastating storm damages over the past 11 months. It still is not repaired. Between the health demands on my time (see above), the loss of one tower/antennas, and terrible lightning damages to the interior, it just seems that I am unable to get on the air. I miss it a great deal. Oh yes, in my second career as a writer, I must spend prime morning radio time (if I were able to get on, which I am not), writing since the current contract to do a book about the 2014 WRTC in Boston is on a challenging schedule. Oh well, it's probably good to be busier than to have nothing to do! But Shin, I miss our QSOs and will be back on soon, since the work to finalize the repairs, at least on the inside, are nearly over. Jim N3BB

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    1. Jim,

      I fully understand your situation. It might be a precious time for both of you. I am also doing house chores for my wife though it won't be a so big burden as yours. I believe spending such a time won't be regretted by each of us.

      Yes, I know there is decreased number of CW operators now. It is an inexorable phenomenon. But I would question of the disdparity between those in contest and/or DXing and those involved in the ordinary QSOs. There must be something which drives CW operators toward the former style of operation. I think we should consider of that or we just see the CW world vanishing.

      I hope you could enjoy operating radio as before soon. See you, my friend.

      Shin

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    2. Interesting comment you make in your second paragraph above, Shin-san. I meant to say more about that but failed to elaborate. I was going to say that the contests are exciting, and they are one thing that does make me take the time to get on. I suppose that I am priortizing them above casual ragchewing time, which I like also. But somehow the ragchewing time gets trampled over with our daily and weekly schedules of shopping for groceries and (mainly) medical and therapy appointments. So I have, consciously or unconsciously, made a choice to "contest" over "ragchewing." Hmmm. Others chase DX in crazy and huge pileups. I am pretty much over that now. Others chase certificates such as working W1AW on every band-mode and from every state. For me that is as interesting as watching paint dry, but clearly many people like it a lot. Hmmmm, again. Okay. There is that famous French (or is it Italian) comment, which I won't look up, but more or less it goes "for each, his/her own." I'll leave it at that. But overall, the root cause is that we have fewer CW activity. THAT is unfortunate and to me, sad. Weall agree on that. Jim.

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  2. Here's an interesting statistic. CWops is a very popular CW club. I am a member. There are about 1,350 members of CWops. CWops sponsors the CWT and the mini-cwt weekly contest. They also sponsor a challenge they call QTX. It's a listing (contest in a fashion) of ragchewers that have contacts in excess of 20 minute duration. In the last monthly newsletter, 29 members reported the QTX scores. The math would tell you that is about 2 percent of the membership of CWops report their ragchewing score. I know for a fact, this is quite understated. If Shin reported his scores, which he doesn't, he would probably win for the year. But, double it, triple it, multiply it by ten, it's still a pretty small number of the CWops members that have conversations on CW. From my point of view, I enjoy chasing a new country. On some occasions, like the FOC BWQP, I spend some time working some stations. But, my most joy comes from having a conversation with someone about something. It takes a bit different kind of skill on CW to have a conversation. It's not capturing call signs in a rush and having your computer program do half the work. It's just two stations, talking about their lives, their events, their environment, whatever. That, to me, is the ultimate joy of CW.

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    1. Don,

      I didn't know so few members of CWops were involved in QTX program. There might be other members who won't apply for QTX but enjoy conversation on CW. But it seems to be too few. I hope it won't mean CWops is oriented to contests only. In the end of this month, I am going to see Jim N3JT in Tokyo and would ask him if he has forgot the old days when he was a real keen ragchewer.

      Shin

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  3. "Happiness is the absence of the striving for happiness" Chuang-tzu

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    1. Bill,

      Um, is this a comment to this post? This proverb sounds right to me. I would consider what you meant with this comment.

      Shin

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    2. It actually agrees with your post Shin. Change is inevitable, all we can do is respond to the present and enjoy that
      73
      Bill

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  4. Your article is very helpful thank you very much for sharing .

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