Progressive Changes at the ARRL

ICQPodcast Episode 345

In this episode, Martin (M1MRB) is joined by Leslie Butterfield G0CIB, Dan Romanchik KB6NU and Edmund Spicer M0MNG to discuss the latest Amateur / Ham Radio news. Colin (M6BOY) rounds up the news in brief and in this episode’s features is in an interview with ARRL David Minster NA2AA, and the President, Rick Roderick K5UR as they discuss changes for the ARRL with Frank Howell K4FMH.

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We would like to thank Tony Hickson (M5OTA), Mark Fairchild (2E0MFZ) and Richard Dalton and our monthly and annual subscription donors for keeping the podcast advert free. To donate, please visit - http://www.icqpodcast.com/donate

News stories include: -

• Concord Student Wins Congressional App Challenge
• ARRL Reject Additional VEC's
• ARRL to consider covering young members license fee
• German Radio Hams Tackling RF Noise Pollution
• UK Amateur Radio Operator Celebrates 100th Birthday
• The Royal Australian Air Force - 100 Year Centenary. VK100AF & VI100AF
• Light Up 2 Meters Night, an FM Simplex Event
• ARRL CEO David Minster (NA2AA) to keynote QSO Today Virtual Ham Expo

The ICQPodcast can be downloaded from http://www.icqpodcast.com

 

The recent ARRL response to the FCC was not regarding Volunteer Examiners (VEs) but rather Volunteer Examiner Coordinators (VECs). More information regarding the response is available here: http://www.arrl.org/news/arrl-to-fcc-additional-volunteer-examiner-coordinators-not-needed

 

The ham radio community needs a new organization. The ARRL is just another political organization. However, I can at least refuse to "subscribe"......

 

This is why I have not rejoined!

 

The announcement of the FCC's call for Comments is incomplete, saying only that:
"Specifically, the Bureau seeks to determine whether the existing 14 VECs provide adequate support to volunteer examiners or whether additional VECs are needed."

What's missing is the reason this question is asked. Did someone Petition for adding Coordinators? Has someone complained about an inadequate system of testing, such as availability? Did anyone cite an overwhelming workload for the 14 designated Coordinator positions, which were established in 1983?

On the face of it, the FCC has not identified why it seeks to review the existing system. It looks like an answer in search of a problem. Only a handful of Comments were filed in the FCC's Public Record, none of which makes a compelling case to do much of anything.

 

ARRL Liberal Progressive Changes is when the existing members are threatened and extorted into training and funding licenses for Newbies, buying and setting up equipment for the Newbies and giving the Newbies awards for doing nothing.

 

Hmmm. At first I thought the division or section of the FCC that handles Amateur Radio licensing would never become political. I always assumed the commercial broadcasting licensing division or section would become political. But after reading the public notice, I see some arbitrary and misleading statements in there.

Who asked the question, "Is 14 VECs enough?"

There's also a statement in there that says there are three license classes and each class license is determined by examination of the "level of skill" and knowledge demonstrated to the VEs. I've qualified in the past to be a VE under two VECs. The "level of skill" is not demonstrated to the VEs. This is a false statement.

Another very curious question/statement is they ask is, "How many additional VECs are needed?" And then states the commission is unlikely to add more than five additional VECs. Why are they unlikely to add more than five? This seems pretty arbitrary to me.

They then ask how increasing the number of VECs will address the "unmet needs", if any, as well as what obstacles or complications could be created by increasing the number of VECs? This seems fishy to me. The FCC has obviously (to me) recognized some unmet needs.

Having been a member of the federal workforce for 28 years, and knowing how some of these people think, I can easily start laying out some possible "real" objectives here. For example, we've had 14 VECs since 1983. And these 14 VECs collaborate. My guess is the FCC can't find a single VEC willing to start capitulating to something within the collaborative process of creating the question pool. My guess is we are going to get at least a 15th VEC who will then start gumming up the collaborative process to start changing how we test for "level of skill" and knowledge.

Anybody here familiar with "critical race theory?" On a larger scale, this is a relatively new "progressive" initiative. And the new administration knows they have only 23 months left to firm up what they're trying to accomplish.

Sorry, I can't think of any other serious way to address these questions.

 

The ARRL argument that there too many VEC's is specious and a none issue

 

ARRL is so corrupt as to not be saved. Thankfully the people are waking up to the fact that we need to abandon the old fart brigade. Wayne Green was right all along. We need to follow the militia model. Form up for a need then disband to avoid corruption. Same goes for about any union based formation. Over time they become self serving at the cost of the members.

 

The ARRL claims to be a not for profit entity yet has over $36 million in assets.

Their annual budget is $15.5 million yearly or $1.3 million a month.

I wonder who pockets that cash flow being that a vast majority of workers are volunteers.

http://www.arrl.org/annual-reports

 

Yep, they could drop into the sea for all I care.

 

What makes you suspect fraud? Do you have any evidence? Have you contacted the FBI?

 

While, throughout my 51 years of being a ham, I have not always agreed with some of the things that the ARRL has promoted/done, I nonetheless say thank you, ARRL, for being the one (and only) organization that continues to bring to the forefront the importance and value of the Amateur Radio Service to our legislators. By doing so, our chances of keeping the Service viable, thus, alive (and hopefully growing) are certainly greater than if no organization did so.

Is the ARRL perfect? Of course not. What/who is?

Let's not view the necessary changes of the ARRL's direction/focus to better accommodate the ever-changing demographic of the ham community as being "liberal." Isn't there already enough divisiveness pervading our society at-large?

Instead, I suggest that we hams attempt to understand that those changes are good things to better the possibility for the Amateur Radio Service's survival for many years to come.

As an ARRL member, I invite those non-members who constantly downplay the value of "the League" to reassess their negative opinions of the ARRL, and instead put those efforts to better the Amateur Radio Service as participating members whose voices are (more often than not) clearly heard.

Again, is the ARRL perfect? Of course not. But, together, we can steer it to becoming a more perfect organization.

Think about it.

 

No need to wonder, if you would bother to look beyond just a few line items.

The financial statements are in the annual report, and you can see the major salaries of employees and other spending information on the public record IRS Form 990 which is also available on the ARRL website.

 

January 2021 BoD meeting items of further interest:

http://www.arrl.org/files/file/ODV/...Annual Board of Directors Meeting Minutes.pdf

(Modified Articles)

MOTION: Whereas, the ARRL Foundation Board of Directors directed a motion be submitted to the ARRL Board to request approval of the modified Articles. Be it Further Resolved, that:

Paragraph 4 of the Articles beginning with the wording “To operate exclusively for” and ending with “the purposes of the American Radio Relay League, Inc.” be deleted from the Articles to be replaced by the wording,

“To advance the art, science, and societal benefits of the amateur radio service by awarding financial grants and scholarships to individuals and organizations in support of their charitable, educational, and scientific efforts.”

There was a discussion in relation to IRS rules and regulations regarding Certificates of Amendment, with Mr. Spinella stating that an organizational test will need to be met before the certificate is filed. It was agreed that the language must comply with IRS rules.

The motion CARRIED.


No payback of million dollar government check expected:

12. CFO Report – Ms. Middleton
Ms. Middleton presented the report of the Chief Financial Officer. She reported that despite the challenges of 2020 the League generated a small gain from operations and continues to maintain a strong balance sheet along with healthy cash balances. She also reported that ARRL experienced significantly lower spending in 2020 due to travel restrictions and the temporary postponement of filling some vacant positions. She then entertained questions. Responding to a question regarding the Paycheck Protection Program, Ms. Middleton noted that it is expected that the loan will be fully forgiven under the program and ARRL does not qualify for a second loan under the program.

18. Mr. Hippisley moved, seconded by Ms. Jairam, to move into a Committee of the Whole to discuss a
confidential matter. The Board was in a Committee of the Whole from 1:53 – 3:02 PM.

24. (cont...) Responding to Mr. Baker’s question, there was discussion about the exact wording around the issue of HomeOwner’s Association restrictions and the Ray Baum’s Act. There was also a discussion about how to proactively keep members informed on the ARRL’s progress on these matters.

The committee also discussed creating guidelines for League members to reference when dealing with HOA issues. The committee, along with Mr. Hippisley, and with assistance from HQ, agreed to draft such a document to circulate to the full Board for comments.

(Charity for Young Licensees)

31. (cont...) THEREFORE, It is accordingly resolved that:

(1) With prior approval from ARRL Staff, the League will pay the $35 FCC fee outright upon the passing of an amateur radio examination for their initial amateur radio license by an applicant who, at the time of testing, is a member of an ARRL affiliated, 501(c)(3) Charitable Organizations and has not reached their 18th birthday, provided that organization use the ARRL VEC testing organization.

(2) For applicants who meet the criteria specified above, the VEC fee shall be reduced to a total of $5, all of which must be paid to the ARRL VEC;

(3) Organizations using authorized ARRL volunteer examiners for applicants that have reached their 18th birthday may test according to the VEC rules and fees in place, but the FCC fee nor the VEC will change in any way.

(4) This plan will be limited to the first 1,000 applicants in 2021. Following extended discussion on a number of questions raised around the execution of the program as written, Mr. Carlson moved, seconded by Mr. Stratton, the following subsidiary motion, that:

An ad-hoc committee consisting of the Administration & Finance Committee, two members of the Programs & Services Committee, and Mr. Minster or his staff designee, is to review, develop and recommend the implementation of the original motion with a report to the Board by March 31, 2021. The subsidiary motion CARRIED.


Failed Motion on HOA Handouts

32. Mr. Norton moved, seconded by Mr. Hopengarten, that:

ARRL staff is directed to produce printed material for use by HOA-resident Amateurs in negotiations with HOA Boards and Architectural Committees in efforts to get approval of antennas. This information will be in two parts:

1) A book or booklet with instructions and suggestions for the Radio Amateur to be used in the negotiations.

2) Printed, color handouts to be given to HOA regulatory committees or boards containing background and benefits of Amateur Radio, and at least 10 examples of HOA approved antennas. The antenna examples will have color photos, written descriptions, and possible negotiation history, and will be suggestive of what should be approved by HOA committees.

Staff will find a suitable author and/or researcher to author the material, and suitable editing and graphic assistance to assure its effectiveness.

There was then discussion regarding the potential effectiveness of the directive as written and possible alternatives, as well as how it may affect potential legislative efforts to address these concerns. Following a roll call vote, the motion FAILED, with Ms. Jairam, Ms. McIntyre, Messrs. Abernethy, Carlson, Lippert, Norris, Williams, Zygielbaum, Hippisley and Stratton against; and Messrs. Hopengarten, Ritz, Ryan, Baker, and Norton in favor.

33. (cont...) THEREFORE, It is Resolved that: ARRL staff is immediately authorized and directed to solicit and accept advertising of any form — including print, digital and sponsorships — from non-Amateur Radio advertisers, excluding pornography, criminal, and fraudulent enterprises. There was discussion regarding whether the wording should include a formal policy on which advertisers would be accepted or leaving such decisions to appropriate staff, as has been the practice. The motion CARRIED, with Mr. Hippisley and Ms. Jairam against.

42. (cont...) Motion carried to recruit and train an employee or contractor "to develop, implement, and maintain an ongoing fundraising effort on behalf of the ARRL..." prior to July '21 BoD meeting.

 

Progressive Changes???? Not our ARRL

It sounds like they made money off the pandemic.

Oh no, they are nonprofit........so who gets the $$$
Not to members by reducing membership,

Oh it's the new technician who is going to get their $35 back on their FCC fee.