This sort of overly proscriptive declaration goes way beyond a code of ethics. And it doesn't help move me closer to getting my amateur radio license.
I think I will carefully read the document, look for useful content, and discard the rest. I'm just looking to add another tool to my overland travel kit. I'm not interested in joining a cult.
There are some hams who fit your stereotype but most of us are easy going and happy to answer questions or offer suggestions. I've found that some operate with some sort of chip on their shoulder, but very few. Ultimately it is about communicating information, but don't get upset that we have a strong technical aspect of how things work in radio. So talking about gear and propagation should be expected.
Humor the fella on the other end of the link, if he asks what radio, antenna and power you are using, just tell him. This is much more common in HF where you're mostly trying to make contacts and not ragchew so much. The other station might only be interested in logging a contact from your grid and if you are a mobile or portable station they are more interested. But once the contact is established they will want to move to another location. They are not being rude for rude's sake, they just aren't interesting in chewing the fat. OTOH, when you are trying to make contacts but other hams are sitting on a frequency holding a long QSO, that is not fair either. We all share this spectrum, so be mindful to be to the point, moving around periodically, leaving breaks for other stations.
I think there is a legitimate worry that a lot of new hams don't operate respectfully and so I think the basic reason for the document is probably fine. We need to be careful not to let the amateur bands turn into a CB-like free-for-all, which is why we try to discourage people in freebanding their radios and encourage people to chat about interesting subjects. Most important thing is to exercise your rig, know how it works, that it works, so you can trust it when you might actually need it. When a tornado hits is the wrong time to realize you don't have a power cable or that your mic stopped working. Also, it is a hobby with a long history and I think there is a certain amount of tradition which people just coming into it should be aware and respect.
The fact is you are joining a group of people who have established practices that date back most of a century. You should try to understand them and follow them to some extent. At the same time old timers need to be aware that none of us are born with the understanding and times change. So it's a give and take. Ultimately, you say you want a tool, what do you want out of it? Why do you want to be a ham? If it's just a VHF CB to you, there is nothing wrong with that but that's awful limiting on what the hobby can be.
