Comm Site Fees to Significantly Increase for Ham Radio Repeaters

Just a follow-up to my post to say "thanks" for everyone's comments in the thread and especially to those of you that made the time to formally reply to the USDA about their proposed rulemaking.

The comments in this thread have been valuable for me to help research and prepare a lengthy and factual reply to USDA for some issues I had not otherwise considered.

 

Yes, we do indeed. And that is the primary reason I no longer maintain membership. The League's agenda plus their magazine are not worth my money.

Fleep

 

Since 1905, nothing new.

 

I'm not the oldest ham on the planet, but I remember when getting space on these towers for ham repeaters was free ... but then, that's back when the FCC was funded to provide enforcement (on the ham bands) and back when repeaters were "public service" first - and ragchewing or conducting medicare roundtables was secondary (hat tip to 75 meters) ..... aw, come on, man .... if we can't laugh at ourselves, who *can* we laugh at?

 

I just sent you everything needed to support of my claims in a private conversation. Enjoy....

 

I am continuing with you in the private conversation. I just want to note here that you did not yet provide anything regarding what you allege to be any action on the part of the ARRL, or any reason to blame the ARRL in any way in this matter.

 

Just an update on this issue: The private discussion has concluded, and no evidence of any wrongdoing or negligence on the part of the ARRL in this matter was presented. The truth is that several years ago, a person was found to be a registered pedophile who had a number of active ARRL appointments at that time. Nearly all of those appointments have now expired, and the remaining ones will expire soon. The individual has not been involved in any ARRL activities whatsoever since this was brought to the attention of the ARRL. Contrary to the false claims raised in this thread, the ARRL did respond appropriately and did what was necessary at that time based upon advice of counsel. Again, the individual has not participated in any ARRL activities whatsoever since the facts were brought to our attention several years ago. The accusations of this situation continuing are false and the equally false pejorative criticisms are totally without merit. End of discussion.

 

Fees not paid...freqs not used...FCC can sell to the highest bidder...and so it goes...

 

Simplex works great when the repeaters go down

 

Let me put down what my role is for the ARRL and its "agenda." You can then tell me why you believe that this work is not worthy of support.

* Testing of amateur equipment, identifying issues and working with manufacturers to improve their products and documenting the testing, the issues found and the overall performance of the equipment in print
* Reviewing advertisements in ARRL publications to ensure that what is being advertised meets FCC regulations and meets the specific claims in the published advertisements
* Maintaining excellence in the methodology and equipment used to test products for the above two purposes, and working with outside experts to improve ARRL's test methodology
* Identification-of RF-noisy consumer products, testing them for compliance with the FCC rules and formally reporting to the FCC when products are being marketed outside of the FCC rules, tested per the industry standard incorporated by reference in the FCC rules
* ARRL serves as an organizational member of the C63 EMC Committee that writes the standards used by the FCC. I serve as ARRL's primary representative, as the Chair of its Subcommittee 5 on immunity and on a number of working groups.
* ARRL maintains formal and informal contact with a number of professional industry groups. It is not sitting at the back of the room, but because ARRL brings the value and help of amateur radio to the table, its staff are elected to leadership positions, holding seats at the head of the table. I serve on the IEEE EMC Society Board of Directors as its elected Vice President for Standards, and as a member of its Standards Development and Education Committee and, as VP for Standards, as a reporting member of a number of its technical committees. This is all exceptionally valuable because it greatly enhances the perception of amateur radio across the board.
* ARRL funds the work of a consultant who is serving as the Chair of an IEEE Working Group developing an industry standard for power companies to use when they receive complaints of interference to radio or television reception. This standard is 98% complete, ready for IEEE ballot within the month. I helped organize this WG and serve as a member and as liaison to the IEEE sponsor.
* I am in the process of organizing a similar committee that will help do the same for the solar industry.
* In addition to this high-level work, other ARRL staff and I maintain contact with a number of industry groups, with my amateur radio hat on, but also able to build on our IEEE work to help open doors. Before we started to organize the solar companies, for example, we had and have contact with a number of them, helping them work out processes to deal with RFI that will ultimately become part of the standard. Over the years, we have done similar work with dozens of companies, from AT&T and Phonex over wireless modem jacks that used to operate on 3.52 MHz to a 15-year effort with BPL that ultimately culminated in international ITU-T standards that contain provisions for not using the amateur bands in BPL/PLC protocols. There are other examples.
* ARRL maintains contact with groups like the Society of Automotive Engineers, the AM broadcast industry and the cable industry, with volunteers from those industries helping resolve RFI and other problems as they may arise.
* The League has a board-level EMC Committee, consisting of staff, ARRL officers and representatives from a wide range of industry, advising ARRL in general on EMC matters.
* As an EMC Committee project, just getting underway, we are conducting noise studies, and forming liaisons with other IARU Societies doing the same, to counter the industry position that everyone is making noise, so more noise is acceptable.
* ARRL funds essentially two staff positions, with a full-time RFI engineer and me and one of the other Lab staff helping as needed. Over the past 10 years, we have logged over 5000 RFI cases that ARRL is working with members. Not all can be resolved, but the success rate is high and ARRL continues to work on RFI at multiple levels, from international regulations to individual members.
* The FCC has never had resources to resolve every RFI problem that might plague amateur radio. Building on our long experience with RFI/EMC, beginning 15 years ago. ARRL has reached informal agreements with the FCC that have ARRL helping to resolve RFI problems, even ones reported to the FCC, then, if that is not successful, turning well-documented cases over to the FCC for various stages of enforcement, beginning with warning notices. The FCC DOES care about amateur radio, but this program ensures that what staff time FCC can devote to the process is used in the most-effective manner possible.
* Now, as was done in years past, I have also developed expertise in RF exposure, to help amateurs comply with the rules. More important, the Lab staff also participate as a member of ARRL's Board-level RF Safety Committee, which is once again working the the FCC to ensure that its material advising amateurs on how to comply with the exposure rules, ensuring that what the FCC asks of amateur radio is appropriate and achievable.
* ARRL has a full-time staffer to work with other IARU societies, the ITU-R and the US National Committee on various international regulations. The current hot-topic is wireless power transfer, with some companies looking to wirelessly couple up to 100 kW into battery charging for electric vehicles. ARRL's work has ensured that what is brought forward by companies in this industry, and the US National Committee positions on these technologies are scientifically accurate and can be used by other societies at the ITU-R level.
* The Lab makes substantial contributions to QST magazine, the ARRL Handbook, the Antenna Book and other publications as needed.
* The Lab is undertaking a number of projects intended to help amateur radio utilize modern technology as it has done for decades. Much of this work is being done by specialty organizations, such as AMSAT, AREDN and many others, and ARRL's role is to help bring information about all good things in amateur radio to others and to support the work of a large number of amateurs doing good things for amateur radio. We are connected to these organizations to varying degrees, including my serving as a volunteer for QRP-ARCI as a member of is Board of Directors.
* The Lab manages the ARRL Technical Information Service, where members can contact ARRL and get an answer to a technical question, from the easy ones such as a new ham wanting to build an antenna to complex questions we either draw on our own expertise.
* Last but not least, on a more fun basis, or at least a bit of change of pace, I also serve as a member of ARRL's Board-level Historical Committee, with fun projects in the works ranging from the simple display of some equipment at HQ to a project looking at archiving the large amount of information about the history of amateur radio that is "out there" and the possible creation of a virtual museum.

That's my short list, from one department at ARRL. You can say that I do this because I am staff, and that is true, but I can assure you that all of this takes a lot more than our regular work week. Is there room do to more? Of course, and if ARRL gets more members and other financial support, we can and will hire more staff or outside expertise to do more of this. THIS is ARRL's agenda and every single staffer, in his or her own areas, does all that they do for amateur radio. I do not agree with you that this "agenda," much bigger than the word "agenda" is not worthy of support.

Ed Hare, W1RFI
ARRL Lab

 

How about during the next emergency we charge them for our services or just don't show up and see how they do with out the help from hams.

 

Oh please !

 

I agree with N1IPU. If equipment is located on public land, it always going to be subject to the whims of political overseers. Equipment needs to be located on private lands and therefore subject only to the desires of the landowner. Anytime the Government is more involved than necessary, undesirable things happen. If the equipment is truly on public land to be used in an actual emergency scenario, there is no guarantee amateurs would be allowed access by the government to repair and service the equipment. And if it serves the Governments purpose there is a good chance equipment will be seized under one of the various Executive Orders or Acts. ( ie: EO 10995 Sec. 6, C.) Just my two cents. This is pay to play so we stop playing. There are many other options.

 

As I pointed out, (and you choose to ignore) the QRZ profile of the person in question tells a different story than what you claim. So either YOUR information is wrong, or someone failed to inform him (and the leadership of the section in which the individual STILL has an active ARES appointment) of his dismissal.

Do you have any proof that anything you are saying about how the ARRL handled the situation is true?