EV>Howdy! Daryl,   
      
   Hi, Ed...   
      
   EV>Licensed Hams in those three Classes can still Renew their License when the   
   EV>time comes.   
   EV>I just did that in August 2017 for my Advanced Ticket.   
      
     If they did that though, it might discourage folks from putting forth   
   the effort to upgrading. Admittedly, I had planned to be a Technician   
   Class ham originally. But, when there was a shortage of Volunteer   
   Examiners at a local hamfest several years ago, I decided to go ahead   
   and upgrade, to become a Volunteer Examiner.   
      
     As I noted in an earlier message, I am exercising the Extra Class   
   privileges ONLY when I conduct, or help with, a license exam session.   
   Otherwise, I'm EXCLUSIVELY in the Technician Class bands, as I enjoy   
   them. I know one local ham, who is a General Class licensee...but he has   
   absolutely no interest in HF. He works with emergency communications and   
   runs local nets...where most of the checkins are Technician Class hams.   
      
   EV>Those who fit in that last catagory can't prevent the reason that keeps   
   EV>them from Renewing their License.   
      
     I am amazed at the number of hams who have no clue as to when their   
   license expires. Years ago, when there was still 3 CW exams, and 5   
   classes of licenses...one ham realized 2 days after his license had   
   lapsed (over 2 years since expiration). He called the VEC, trying to get   
   it reinstated, but was told..."Sorry...you have to take all the exams   
   again". From what I understand, passing the 20 wpm CW exam was good   
   enough to prove you could copy 5 and 13 wpm CW.   
      
   EV>You don't have to listen to CW anymore, use the computer on the CW Bands.   
   EV>Make QSOs with a perfect fist.   
      
     My hands shake too much with the nervous system damage to use a keyer.   
   I would do better typing on the keyboard (like with CQ100), and let the   
   program take care of converting it, both ways.   
      
   EV>I own a Bug but a J-38 Key fits my hand too, never tried computer CW myself   
   EV>but seen other Hams use their PC for more than keeping the Log.   
      
     I usually have the log until the new is done, except for QCWA D-Star   
   Net. That one is kept for only the current month...then once the net   
   manager has it, I zap it.   
      
   EV> EV>... Johnson & Johnson Tagline: ###############   
      
   EV> DS>   That's just a Band-Aid for a tagline that was cut and pasted into the   
   EV> DS> QWK reader.    
      
   EV>It appears that OLX couldn't show that ASCII Graphic Characters my First Aid   
   EV>Tagline used.   
      
     It's doing it for me. You hold the ALT-key while entering the number.   
      
   EV>The BandAid graphic is 5 $DB's (219), 5 $B0's (176) and 5 $DB's (219).   
      
     Is this what you're looking for??   
      
     ÛÛÛÛÛ°°°°°ÛÛÛÛÛ   
      
   EV>Could You see the ASCII Graphic in OLX, but was not able to get it into   
   EV>Your Reply to Me?   
   EV>Or is 15 Pound Signs all that You saw in my Tagline and see in this message?   
      
     All I saw was 15 pound signs (that was rather heavy (hi hi)).   
      
   Daryl   
      
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