Amateur Radio Newsline headlines for Ham Nation. June 20, 2018.

go Ria i support you all the way

 

Totally supporting Ria in this!

 

Well Ria's got my vote and best wishes for her election.

 

Good luck to our AMAZING RIA N2RJ...33 & MABUHAY!

 

Thank you John.

 

Thank you Threeza!

 

Nice QRZ profile, Threeza ! Great shout out to all our Amazing female hams (and we need more) !

 

Challenging the incumbent in the Hudson Division is critical, IMHO. While those outside of a Division are ineligible to vote, there are interests that affect all ARRL and non-ARRL members alike. Ranking Senators and members of the House in Congress hold positions in those bodies on committees that affect everyone in the country, not just their constituents. Thus, Ria's candidacy, and support from outside the Hudson Division does reflect legitimate interests of all U.S. amateur radio operators. I would encourage an active discussion of how she would respond to issues before the League in ways that are consistent or diverge from the incumbent. For instance, how would the Amateur Radio Parity Act negotiations be handled differently than has been by the incumbent and the ARRL Legal Counsel? Getting her message out there in more specific terms than just "transparency" would be helpful. The League itself says it's "transparent," but specifics would be helpful.

I wish her the best in the election.

73,

Frank
K4FMH

 

Wasn't N2RJ Orv's old call? It looks familiar.

 

No.

Prior to me it belonged to Ralph Juliano, who is now N3RJ after he moved to PA. This was back when the FCC forced you to change to a call in the district when you moved. But now it's all mine.

 

So I spent this weekend touring the Hudson Division field day sites. I had a lot of good feedback on the campaign. Lots of people eager to support, vote and get out the vote. I am really hoping that we can have success in Hudson Division because I feel that a change of leadership in this division specifically can solve a lot of the issues. There is a lot to come in the campaign and I'm lining up hamfests and club speaking engagements to spread the message. In particular I am happy that I am getting good feedback from clubs in Eastern New York. Northern NJ naturally has a lot of people who support me but I am glad to get support in ENY and even NLI. I support all of the division and I want to be inclusive of the entire division, and to this end I am reaching out to all parts of it.

73
Ria, N2RJ
https://hudson.n2rj.com

 

Hi Frank,
Thank you for your kind and encouraging words.

As for your question -
First of all I would enlist the help of experts such as Fred Hopengarten, K1VR. I consider him expert level on these issues. I would also take in the advice of former FCC lawyer Jim Talens, N3JT. While Chris Imlay is the go-to guy in ARRL, I feel that Fred and Jim raised a lot of legitimate and pertinent concerns. As for how these would apply would be unclear. At this point, the bill has been inserted into the NDAA, and it's very far gone now. Unless it is yanked, it will pass.

That said, I do think in the future we can negotiate for something a bit stronger that:

Excludes the requirement to pre-notify associations that have nothing to do with restrictive CC&Rs. Things like lake associations, a very valid concern that my friend Andrea, K2EZ spoke about, since she lives in a lake community. I would like pre-notification gone anyway but this would be an acceptable compromise.

Specifically mentions effective antennas for HF. OTARD is very specific, and thus effective. A ham bill should be too. People argue that a minimum height would be the maximum height, but let's face it - with this parity act in many cases the maximum height could be your roof line, or worse yet - zero feet, and they could argue that a 70cm whip is all you're entitled to.

Defines aesthetic concerns to some degree, and narrows its scope. Right now it is too broad and could be used to nix any antenna. I suggest that simple, unobtrusive antennas such as wires in trees, simple verticals and attic dipoles be excluded from the aesthetic concerns provision. Let's face it - this bill won't ever get us 100 foot towers in gated communities. But if a ham can put up a 43 foot vertical (a very effective antenna) in their back yard, not visible from the street, and that would be reasonable.

Narrowly restrict "installation requirements." I agree that for a wire dipole that wet seal plans are overkill, but an HOA can do like what many towns were doing - make it so ridiculous to get a permit that most people just give up. Installation requirements should be clear and specific for safety and aesthetic concerns.

Put a time limit of 30 days or a specific, reasonable time period for approval or denial. No response would be automatic approval.


That said, the parity act is trying to do something that walks a very fine line - these are private contracts. But right now the FCC already excludes TV and satellite dish antennas, and for the most part HOAs are compliant.

 

Well shame on me. Good luck with your run. Try to get the ARRL to look internally at their issues and modernize. They would get more members. I can promise I would rejoin.

 

I have a page just for you:
https://hudson.n2rj.com/the-issues/former-members

Actually, I toured much of the division for Field Day. I encountered many who have or are thinking of dropping their membership. I have heard the same thing - disillusionment and the feeling that they are just plain forgotten. That isn't right. I want to win them back.

Specific issues regarding modernization of league programs is here:
https://hudson.n2rj.com/the-issues/league-programs

This is based on real-world feedback from subject-matter experts. I've consulted quite a few, in order to get a feel of what are pressing policy positions.

 

Thanks for the info I enjoyed reading it. For years the ARRL was sacred to hams. Many aged are still imbued with this hallowed impression and it was inspiration to run for office. I know as I have spoken to a few Directors over the years and the idea of being n ARRL office was one of prestige and privilege. I know a former Section Manager that still puts EX ARRL Officer in his signature on emails. He last held office almost 20 years ago. He still expects reverential treatment at local events.

My point is that in years past, poor communication made the ARRL form of governing appropriate. The down site was the secretive evolution of the League. This carries forward today with the best example being the making suggestions to the League. There is no doubt the rote responses mean, "Stand back and leave the thinking to us". Times have changed. The ARRL needs to change by opening up the doors and windows. No secret meetings. Yearly formal poll of members by mail on upcoming issues.

Finally they need to kill their present request or NPRM until they reorganize. Don't try to change amateur radio to get more members, change the ARRL.

One word of warning regarding my pet peeve: Beware of the infiltration of Winlink people into the league and view proposed rule changes through those glasses. For instance, what does the current NPRM do for "automatic data stations" of which Winlink is the biggest user. A review of past NPRMs from the league back to the regulation by bandwidth NPRM is an education in persistence for those folks.

Thanks for listening and good luck.