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SLOW CW PLEASE - Those who fought for the survival of CW must not discourage people from coming on Morse code. Many new comers all over the world are not expert. When coming on the band they heard almost all CW stations were sending fast Morse codes. Majority were scared and turned to SSB. Eventually only the old hams would stuck to CW and the newer generations will run away. It not surprising therefore that CW has been looked down with disdain and the new comers in CW would think the old timers are unapproachable and unfriendly.

CW is not a show off of skills. Though high speed is used between two stations for chi chatting, it should not give the impression that CW are only for skilled people. Many new hams could not copy many of the CQ call. It is very hard to find a CQ call at a speed below 12 wpm. We have been hearing 25 wpm and above.

Some new hams did brave themselves to reply to fast CW at a slow speed. So far those stations would synchronize their speed to match the others. This is of course a good practice. But many dare not. I don't think it is wrong to call CQ at different speed to give chance to any slow station to reply. And I think those high speed champions would not ignore the new comers with speed of below 12 wpm.

The characteristic of amateur radio has changed from the yesteryears. The polarization of the new and old hams began to emerge in most part of the globe, even in the United States. We need to study the situations in countries with the mandatory CW and the No-CW, and before and after. The research should be un-bias and the findings should be published.

It is highly probable that in  the No-CW countries the CWers choose to go fast rather than the dragging speed. Leaving the old hams who are the enthusiasts they might as well enhance the speed. What will happen in the future is that there will be an exclusive group of hams who have special skill, separated from the normal hams who will be considered as inferior. While the number of the exclusive group decreases, the quality of ham radio would be deteriorate slowly.

Such an attitude if exist will slowly kill the traditional ham radio. The fate and quality of amateur radio in countries like USA and GB is yet to be seen.

One CWer should help another CWer especially the beginner who needs guidance and practice. It is time for them to train themselves in real live, thru the airwave, sending and receiving reports with the distance stations. A high degree of tolerance and patience is required from the high speed CWers to entertain the new comers from those countries who still maintain the dignity of the ham radio. I would like to say sorry to those nations who insult the tradition of ham radio and the forefathers of the hobby.

The few respectable hams should help those who have just surfaced wherever they are by slowing down a little to accommodate the new comers to CW.