An insidious attack on CW is underway

Dear QTT – Quality True Telegraphists!

We are all enjoying more QTT – Quality Telegraphy Time – and we must try to keep doing so and making more people aware of it because there is seriously an insidious erosion of our CW bands under-way, already started in USA, and on the map in Australia and some other places — to do away with the EXCLUSIVE CW bands.

The reason that CW is the ONLY mode to have exclusive bands until now is because unlike other modes, we suffer the most from incompatible QRM. The reason why CW is the only mode to be allowed across the entire amateur bands is because other modes are not disabled, generally speaking, by CW. I will explain these two points in a little further detail:

CW by its very nature is a very narrow mode, on off keying, and it is however not a digital mode but an AURAL mode. That means, we decode it by EAR. Which means, we have to listen. Our human brain can easily separate out multiple CW signals at different pitches, and our narrow filters can cut out other CW signals that are off frequency, should we wish.

 However, an SSB signal, even in a narrow filter, will still cause interference to CW, as it is broad banded. However as the power of the SSB transmission is dissipated across a broader bandwidth, the power per hertz will be less, but this is generally compensated by higher power allowance for SSB. But still the voice is not constant, and it is be possible to copy CW through SSB QRM, but it is very taxing upon the brain and frustrating, because off-frequency SSB is a nasty sound. Our hobby isn’t about being tortured, its about enjoying, hence SSB isn’t allowed on the CW bands.

Even worse however, are data modes: because a data mode can very often be constant, and narrow in frequency, if zero beat with a CW signal, this will render the CW signal unreadable, or only partly readable. Therefore, although SSB is incompatible to share frequency with CW without causing the CW interference, a data signal is generally far, far worse in its harmful interference to CW.

The reverse is not true, and this is why CW is allowed anywhere on the band: if an SSB station is on a frequency and there is a CW signal, the CW signal can be quite effectively notched out – still leaving the SSB signal intelligible. If the CW is off frequency the pass band tuning may also be adjusted to filter it out and not one sound of it will remain. For data modes, especially those that are efficient and have error-correction and are thus robust, a CW signal on the exact same frequency will at worst slow down the data throughput, but no operators ears will be harmed. Digital mode users generally are looking at their monitor screens, not listening to the data signal!

Another problem and reason that no other modes have ever been allowed into the exclusive CW bands, and the very reason also for their necessary exclusivity, is because if you are experiencing QRM from another radio station, you should have a right to know who that station is and to report them or complain to them. SSB, easy to tune in. CW, easy to tune in. Data modes, cannot be listened in without extra equipment, and even then, not necessarily immediately. This is why originally data modes had to send a CW identification. Now this is not required.

So if a data signal causes QRM to a CW operator, the CW operator can NOT contact the data operator and tell them, a) he does not know who they are and b) they won’t be listening anyway and c) they probably can’t decode CW without switching to digital CW mode and even that won’t be reliable — why should they — they’d have no idea the station is complaining. If a CW operator causes QRM to another CW operator, even if off frequency, a “QSY” can easily be understood.

The above are the main reasons, from a simple logical reality check, as to why CW bands are EXCLUSIVE, and why CW is however allowed across the entire HF frequency bands.

Now however, the ARRL/FCC and WIA/ACMA have, and/or wish to, simply violate the rights of all human manual true aural CW operators by lumping CW in as a “data mode” and/or extending the entire CW bands to Data. There is absolutely no reason for this and no good of it can come at all. It can ONLY be perceived as at best ignorance of the above mentioned facts, and at worst an attempt to push out the pleasure of CW and attempt to do the impossible: kill off the mode, so that more expensive radios can be sold, and to allow Amateur Radio to be used the way facebook is on the internet — allow anyone passing the simplest of exams to get onto HF with a computer and use the limited HF resources, more money for ARRL/WIA, radio manufacturers etc but at OUR expense — denying us the historic right to operate CW without interference from other modes.

It is understandable that over the years, the exclusive CW bands have been reduced, however, the current situation, e.g. 14070 and upwards being data modes, is still more than enough for data modes. Not during data mode contests but then neither is the CW band enough during CW contests, or the SSB band enough during SSB contests. It can be understood to share above 14060 with data modes, but not below. We are already struggling for space and CW is after all undergoing a revival for several reasons not least the reason that techno and electronic music will never eradicate or replace human music generated by live singing, playing musical instruments, and all the benefits that brings to both the musician and the listeners.

 It is now high time for CW Unions to defend our rights against these insidious encroachments and the erosion of our rights and freedoms. Meanwhile we hope that we don’t have to migrate from the bottom 50kHz of every band to the top 50kHz of every band to avoid Digital modes including Digital CW which is very often incompatible with human CW.

 QTT Hours

A reminder of a fun one hour event called “QTT Hour” which details are at: http://www.vkcw.net/qtt-hour

Also those who like to use bug keys, or engage in QTT QSO, rather than just “5NN TU”, it is suggested can gather around those frequencies at any time on any day, e.g. if it is the 30th of the month, 30kHz from the bottom band edge, if it is the 21st of the month, 21kHz up from band edge. This way, QTT activities, and human CW operators looking for more than just “5NN” and possible rag chew QSOs, can call CQ or QTT at any time on any day on any band, and more easily find each other – simple check the UTC date and look for a free QRG near that same amount of kHz from the band edge. What say, shall we popularise the idea?