I agree, and agree again.

As the editor of the French edition of CQ, and I guess my American
collegues will agree, the latest results of our CW contests confirm that
CW has never been so popular.

On a more personal basis, outside-contest CW is also well and alive.

However, one must not discard all those digital modes which are
obviously very useful when it comes to narrow band reception.

I think it's just different, and maybe complementary.

73, Mark, F6JSZ

Dave Sergeant a *crit :

>From Dave G3YMC

There has been some stinging comment on here in recent days on 'dyed in the
wood' CW operators, which perhaps I have to admit to being.  The implication
is that if you persue such modes you are a little dated and should be using
fancy digital thingemy modes these days.  Having spent a most enjoyable
weekend in HF NFD on Top Band it is very apparent that CW is very far from a
dead mode, and anybody who cares to listen to the CW parts of the HF bands
during a major contest will see that it is very much still alive.  In spite
of high static levels there was no shortage of stations able to have quick
exchanges at the normal speeds of 25-30 wpm.

It was commented on here recently that users of the band should use the
modes they wish to use, and any method of having a QSO is equally valid.
Let us stop the bickering - if you want to develop high tech DSP algorithms
etc that is fine, however please accept that some wish to use normal amateur
techniques as well.

Cheers Dave
[email protected]
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/sergeantd