ARRL - Interactive

Actually, it has worked quite well in many older non-profits and clubs, IMO: the organization hits an impasse, where the present course has led to 20-50% drop in mombership. Professional marketeers are hired to find out/suggest solutions. Then a new approach is taken and the org grows into something new and viable, with rich roots in the tradition of the old. It's a kind a Chapter 11 for non-profits

I think it would work just dandy for the ARRL, and I look forward to joining up after the shakeup. That shakeup, IMO, will include dropping the in-your-face over-visibility in Washington--a sure sign, IMO, of an 'activist' org, like Greenpeace, Sierra Club.

73,
Chip N1IR

 

You could be right, chip, but it seems to me that would take a whole lot longer. It probably wouldn't happen until their membership dropped to 10%. That could take another 10 years whereas a more proactive stance could accomplish change in a much shorter period of time.

 

I agree that your suggestion is preferred. I just don't think it's possible with this org at this time. My opinion. Yours may differ. And, of course, may be right

73,
Chip N1IR

 

Since Fred saw fit to delete my first post on this thread, l will attempt to post another one that wont hurt his league cheerleaders feelings. When the folks up in Newington actually allow ALL members to vote on issues and proposals, instead of a handful behind locked doors, I will consider joining. As the league is run now, its nothing but a dictatorship, not a democracy.

 

I hardly think Fred biases to any side, save for that of civility...

73,
Chip N1IR

 

Thanks for taking part in this.

In this thread we have seen participation by only one official with the group in Newington.
Not to diminish his contribution, but his position is in the outer orbit of Planet League where all the decision-making on policy and politics takes place.

The familiar threats to cancel membership have come up several times, with the usual counterpoint that it's counterproductive or ineffective.

But there **is** something to using the revenue stream as a lever to obtain better behavior by the paid and volunteer administrators of the League.

Do you buy ham gear? Perhaps a telephone and email campaign, focused along the lines of a single consistent demand, can help focus these ARRL officials' attention.

The "demand" would be politely expressed as a request for support from retailers and manufacturers, for the plea expressed at the top of this posting: Let's have a publicly available communications forum the League would sponsor, accompanied by mandatory linkage between participation and their decision-making.

What's in it for retailers and manufacturers? With your phone calls and emails, they have direct sales opportunities among active and interested ham radio operators who want to nurture a vibrant hobbyist radio service through the organization that traditionally claims to represent them.

You can link your purchases to whether the merchant is willing to be receptive to your concerns and express a response of some kind, in your favor, to Newington.

Enough people doing this carries a strong prospect to shake up some of the financial underpinnings the League has traditionally avoided including in their administrative mix (see by-laws). Ideally, if enough pissed-off people contact a merchant saying they want a better way to be included in what the group in Newington sets out for policy, politics, and regulatory proposals, the merchant may feel compelled to reconsider advertising and sponsorship of ARRL activities.

Notice this approach is available to people who do and do not pay subscription fees to the League.

From a quick internet search for contact numbers I wanted to provide for the likes of Yaesu, Kenwood, and Icom, it was hard to find direct phone numbers and names to make the pitch. I laughed because many websites use blind email boxes and one-way "field" type information requests you submit as a query -- the same crap the ARRL has used to avoid debate over its threatened bandwidth petition that spawned this discussion most recently.

We can hope for better from merchants whose business practices are more aware of the need for successful customer relations.

Good luck in the contest.

Paul/VJB
Annapolis

 

Paul-

Excellent point indeed! I have already e-mailed this suggestion to my ARRL Rocky Mountain Division Director, Vice-Director and New Mexico Section Manager. Out of 15 ARRL Divisions 11 have their own websites. The Director advised me that the Vice-Director is redesigning the old one we had. That is why it is not available. I am going to take a wait and see philosophy and review this new Rocky Mountain Division website first when it happens. A national website could be part of ARRL's existing homepage options. I have also advocated the same here.

Best 73's,

Bob WB5YYX

 

Or, you could form another organization that does respond to the will of the majority. If you think about it, that is exactly how our country came to be, so that idea is steeped in tradition! What a concept!

73,

Mike - K7OV

 

I mentioned starting a new organization as well, but that would take much longer and require a great deal of money. We would also have to wait for the new organization to reach the same membership levels as ARRL. No telling how screwed up things would be during that time period.

 

This is the time for the ARRL to go interactive, no doubt. Even a yearly poll of all members on issues would set us all straight on what members want and what the league should do on our behalf.

As for having an interactive website with forum, although I think it would be a great idea, the current league leadership could not handle that. I have gotten what amounts to "hate mail" from a couple league people. No, I won't mention names because the feeling is NOT mutual. It does illustrate the thick skin it would take to have an interactive site is not in abundant supply in Newington.

I do urge every Amateur who reads this to comment on the ARRL proposal when it is filed with the FCC and especially to make the point that the League cannot say it represents its' members without a vote. Nor can it say it represents non members. It can only say it represents the special interest group behind this proposed change.

And of course, just say NO!!

 

This is a sound approach for those who are not members of the league. Those who are and do not support this proposal, get your pen or your e-mail client out and start flooding your division director with solid well thought out and curtious messages containing your position on this issue. I don't care where you fall on this issue. Tell them how you feel and provide some suggestions for an appropriate proposal or demand they drop this proposal and work to modify what we have to better fit our needs. The WL2k people flooded them with messages in support and with request a to expand the spectrum where PACTOR III could be practiced, you need to be just as demanding that the proposal have sufficient safeguards to prevent the chaos that you fear.

Ken

 

I made a decision some time ago to wait and see how this turns out before I make any more major purchases of equipment.

Based on what I am hearing in these forums and based on what I think might happen regarding interference generated by digital autobots it is possible that my personal ham radio on the air experience might be degraded to the point of wondering "What's the point".

With the ARRL warning us that there WILL be digital interference to the legacy modes because of mode incompatibility, One has to assume that there will be a significant amount of problems on the bands if there is no regulation of bandwidth by segment and mode.

I really do not see myself using digital modes, having tried Packet and PSK-32 and found them not to be very interesting. I also do not need to use Amateur radio as an ISP for email.

I am not advocating a boycot, but for now, major purchases of new equipment are on hold until I can gage how the ARRL proposal, if adopted, affects what I do on the bands.

73
George
K3UD

 

This is a good idea, but it will need to have the support of the ARRL Executive Committee, over which Jim Haynie presides, and Jim Haynie has already gone on record on QRZ.COM as totally rejecting the idea, saying that QRZ.COM and eHam.net forums are enough. Unfortunately, he doesn't appear very often on those forums either these days!

Won't hurt to keep trying with the Directors, though...

 

Thank you for your enlightening comment Chip, but I dont recall addressing you. My first post on this topic was quite civil, and besides who died and made you the moderator here? If I want your input I`ll ask for it, otherwise, bye have a nice day.

 

???

Hmmm.  Must be a closed thread.  May I participate?  You didn't address me, so I'm not sure how to proceed.

Suppose input was given again before you asked for it ... will there be a penalty?

Honestly I feel like I missed something here. Wanna share?