Amateur Radio Newsline headlines for Ham Nation. January 29, 2020.

How is AM so great and called the "earliest"...……...what happened to CW?? OH...forgot the CB crowd no coders.

 

A CEO with his head stuck in a honey pot waiting for Christopher Robin to return . . . hmm

 

But they did not , no-code techs , gens, or extra-lites with small exceptions are not joining the ARRL. In my town some old time curmudgeons are on the repeaters telling why not to join the ARRL to these new hams; and that is a bad message to them.

We Have the National Association of Rocketry for that sport
We have the National Rifle Association for that sport
ARRL needs to be the National Association of Amateur Radio for technological service

Maybe it needs a name change ???

 

FYI the NAR Rocketry Association has active and well funding programs for STEM training , not just Rocketry Sport. We need a NAAR also doing similar.

TARC for High School STEM , see the corporate supporters as well as the NAR volunteers doing support mentoring, safety checks, and on field operations.
https://rocketcontest.org/

NASA USLI/ SLP Student launch program run by NASA with NAR volunteers doing the mentoring, safety checks, and on field operations
https://www.nasa.gov/stem/studentlaunch/home/index.html

FYI many of these student groups get ham tech to use APRS and other modes to work with their Scientific payloads in SLP for telemetry etc. We encourage them to visit Gigiparts as its is in the same town that Redstone Arsenal/ MSFC is that started this SLP program where it is held to get involved into Ham Radio.

And then Ken Biba brings a 5cm large Cube Sat to show in the last event...lets just say he helped invent TCP and WiFi and the Biba security model for Gov ...

An NAAR needs to get more involved into the Maker Market IMHO..


Art

 

Still with the "no code" thing. After a certain amount of time I believe the CW requirement was, simply put, a bar to keep "the riff raff" out. Once other modes came about it was "the guys who had to learn it because it was all there was" that used it as a bar to gain entry. Then every subsequent generation did the same. I can make time for a great many things, one thing I do not have time for it to learn a mode that I know I would never use. If I had to learn Spanish or French to be an operator I wouldn't have don't that either. You like code? Then use it. If you think it's useful, great. But don't use it to restrict access to an otherwise decent person. There are jerks in every hobby under the sun. Having arbitrary requirements like that is akin to "idiot proofing" and you know what they say, you only make a better idiot. I've been on the radio and have had someone jump into the middle of a conversation, turn up the power and "CW" over everyone. Anyone can be a jerk.
I even pondered why I wanted to become a Ham. I mean, we've got reliable, clear, cheap, high def ways to communicate with people all over the world (and I'm sure that's what those younger than me are thinking too). I like the technical aspect of it, the challenge, and the diversity of operation. I've been licensed for 5-1/2 months I learned everything necessary to test directly to general "except code". You might say, "well 5-1/2 months, that's nothing". True, an insignificant span of time comparatively. But in that short time I have participated on Nets, ragchew with some darn nice folks, worked seasonal and charity event stations, I'm studying to join ARES and Skywarn, I worked some DX, I've been active on SSB, AM, and Digital modes. I think I conduct myself well online and I've learned that I have a awful lot to still learn. I've found being an Amateur Radio Operator challenging, enjoyable and educational. I know, there are folks out there that will never respect me as an operator because I don't know CW.. Whatever.. If you're that kind of person, I really don't want to know you either. However, If you're the kind of person that just accepts that once it was required and now it's not and your attitude is "hey you're a pretty OK person and I like communicating with you"... Well I'd like that. I know there are people that although CW wasn't required, went back to learn it after obtaining their license. Heck, I even might. I just don't like it rammed down my throat to be allowed entry.
As far as the ARRL goes. I think they need to help show that Radio Communication is interesting, fun and make it somehow relevant for future generations. We have a generation that's glued to it's cell phones and to inane TV programming. They aren't taught trades, self reliance, resourcefulness, technical skills, or life skills for that matter (as far as I see, not by the schools anyway). They're handed a phone to shut them up, and fed a steady diet of brainwashing. That's an uphill battle. I don't know the solution or if it's too late but I think you've gotta make it look interesting early in someones life so that it's always a fond memory they will want to revisit. I think they need to find someone who can instill that and has a plan to get radio back into mainstream and back into interest. I truly believe that every person berated, insulted, marginalized and driven from interest in the hobby is just another nail in it's coffin.
Disagree? Fine. People disagree all the time. Hate me for my opinion and reply in a scathing manner.. Well. That's on you. And why this hobby will die.

 

Having a mode decide if you are going to be licenced or not is a dead dead dead issue...
CW? Well, that's Alive and Well!
Seems hams get their ticket, and THEN discover CW! As they do the other modes under our Big Tent! And "no matter" the Mode,
the ARRL helps protect our FINITE Band Space. That's how it is. It's been with us for 100+ Years. It's had DETRACTORS for 100+ Years. It's had break aways, imitators, and pretenders to the throne for 100+ Years.

It's STOOD THE TEST OF TIME for 100+ Years because it has done the BEST Job of representing our COLLECTIVE interests!

Fellow Ham, why not "Pay it Forward", a HUNDRED YEARS OF HARD WORK: by considering supporting the ARRL?

No much how we bicker or debate or have differences of all kinds in our Avocation, ARRL
membership should be a "given" for each and everyone of us.

73 DE W8LV Bill

 

Supporting the ARRL is not the same as AGREEING with the ARRL.

Too many of you are looking at this like its a switch. On...or off.

From my standpoint its a FAUCET, and for me, the faucet is turned onto a trickle under the present circumstances. And in that, I am not alone.

At 65, I have only limited patience in waiting out dysfunction. Putting Barry in is an 'on-hold' gesture. The board has already done that once. Once was enough.

Anyway, there is plenty goings on in my life, where my expertise and bucks have measureable, nearly real-time impact. I don't see the ARRL as having the ability to make important and needed changes in reasonable periods of time--at present.

That could change with the right CEO.

But don't play waiting games, board. This one is getting you 'lateral'--which is 'nowhere'.

If the board really wants to show leadership, it will call a special board meeting at the earliest possible time to review CEO candidates, BEFORE the next scheduled meeting. Please: don't pretend you don't have resumes in hand. The longer you wait,IMO, these candidates may or will slip from your hands.

Confer, Concede (compromise) and Connect.

A-C-T.

Leaders make decisions and accept the fact that there is ALWAYS the risk of making the wrong decision. Waiting doesn't mean the choice is 'better made'. The fact that the board has had --5-- CEO's in --4-- years shows that fallacy....none of those were decided in haste. But they were decided with questionable leadership.

 

FYI, from the January Board minutes:

If they should come up with a good one or two right away, why wait six months for a third ?

 

June is too damn long. They have resumes.

I had several discussions with many people at HAMCATION. Why do --I-- know more about this than the board? I talk. I listen. I make connections.

And its not as if I am about to spill the beans, either.

The board is well-off in a position to pursue a new CEO.

 

Even the federal government agency I used to work for moved faster than that !

 

Personally I think that $49.00 is too much and that is one good reason so few join.
I like QST for the most part, but maintaining the expenditure is a little irritating when I can't just charge it to my PayPal account.
Twice I have been ready to click to pay the money, but then no PayPal.
I keep my mad money for ham radio in that account otherwise it comes out of a household account.
Just one click away...

 

Don't boast. I'm not young. Age has taught ME to Follow the Money, which leads to interests, and ultimately defines Policy. We MUST be a UNITED FRONT, no matter our petty differences. Or? We don't get a seat at the table. No Matter your interest(s) under our tent? SUPPORT THE ARRL. 73 DE W8LV BILL