SUCCESS
IS NO ACCIDENT
Written By Jon Utley
When I was teenager, my father offered a nice reward if I got licensed for Amateur Radio, better known as Ham Radio. In the late 80s, there were two parts to the first license examination: a written test on electronics, radio science, and rules and regulations, and a practical Morse Code test, which required you
I hated Morse Code. This ancient mode of communication really got under my skin; it was holding me back from the prize my father had offered. A man named Gordon West had made some audio cassettes available and I tried very hard to learn this skill that I despised. I ended up barely passing my 5 word per minute Morse Code exam on the second test attempt.
A few years went by, and I never used this Morse Code skill. I preferred to pick up the microphone and use my voice to talk to friends and strangers all over the world.
Most people do not know this, but the sun has
an 11-year solar cycle. At the peak of this cycle,
Ham Radio can communicate to every continent
with just a few watts of power. Shortly after
my entrance into Ham Radio, the sun started to
change and the frequencies I could use with my
beginner license started to be less functional for
long distance communications. I needed access
to more frequencies, and this meant I needed to
do the next level of licensing, including another
written test and a much-dreaded faster Morse
Code requirement of 13 words per minute!
I eventually passed that level too. Because of my desire for different frequencies and more options on the radio dial, I forced myself to learn Morse Code. And very soon after passing that final code test, I began to enjoy using it. Now I love Morse Code! To date I have spoken to several hundred countries using this beautiful ancient form of communication. I now do a Morse Code session two to three times a month, even though the FCC eliminated the Morse Code licensing requirement years ago.
There may be some things in your life that you do not like, some skill or ability you need to learn to advance your personal or professional life. I encourage you to be open to the possibility that if you put in the effort, you just may learn to love this once-avoided skill.
I will close with a great quote from one my own childhood heroes:
“Success is no accident. It is hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice, and most of all, love of what you are doing or learning to do.” - PELE