Well, that's probably true. But in fairness, it is difficult to see the distinction between communism and socialism much of the time. Providing a need is often the same as usurping for public ownership.... Don't those guys know where Nokia was based? They probably think it was Norway ;-)LOL Eagerly awaiting my JUMA 630M kit here From OH land 73 es Hpy Easter, Chip W1YW
There is no difference between communism and socialism, except in the means of achieving the same ultimate end: communism proposes to enslave men by force, socialism—by vote. It is merely the difference between murder and suicide. --Ayn Rand
I have been a Volunteer Examiner since 2000. I have given up attending radio club meetings because of the politics and the egos, so I am no longer involved in testing. I would have enjoyed helping new hams find a place in the hobby, but I can't handle the madness of the Radio Clubs! If you try to say something, you have a dozen different, ignorant opinions flying at you. I was involved in the local EmCom group for a while and had to leave because of the petty tyrants who run the show. I have retreated to the relative sanity of HF, where, if I have a problem, all I have to do is spin the big knob! I have a small group of friends who share my enjoyment of ham radio without creating any drama. "I fear the day that technology will surpass our human interaction. The world will have a generation of idiots." Albert Einstein 73, AF4RK
Unfortunately, what you have written is present in ALL types of occupations. "Know-it-alls" exists in every line of work--even law enforcement. The key words in human relations is tolerance, patience , tact and forbearance. few people have the ability to possess these attributes.
You're not alone in your thoughts; "petty politics", "control freaks" exist in all of these volunteer service organizations--not just in amateur radio.
Hello Steve. I would like to know what you mean by things have not changed in 20 or 30 years....well they have a new type of easier to get on the air licence exam came in technology of equipment technology in many cases vastly changed,type of people we get on the ham bands now days changed new type of language never or virtually never heard on bands is here now,like the common use of the F-WORD...SHIT....BULLSHIT ...THE C WORD...and a few other choice words dont believe me have a listen on 80 mtrs at 9pm 3.580...a real show of new ham radio jargon..hardly anyone now talks technical stuff they dont know anything tech to talk about...hams under the influence on the air .So things have changed i am perplexed you say u had a novice call why didnt you keep it ?? or why didnt you do the standard exam no more morse fer long time now since the introduction of the saviour of ham radio the Foundation call. Yes in my 62 years as a full call a lot has changed i am not on the air much in the last 10 years but restore and rebuild my boat anchor collection more interesting than listening on hams wives face lifts how to cook a good steak...or about the dipole some guy purchased from Strictly Ham mind u it was a dipole cant hams today make a simple dipole apparently not so. Anyway enjoy it what u put into the hobby is what u will get out of it i do not pass judgement on people but i get judged as a fossil for my comments even though i try not to offend anyone and have been verbally and abused in written forums as well.
Hi Gregory. ....You are so right in your comment i have observed the same demise on 40M and 80M here in VK2 since the introduction of the Foundation Licence the CB lingo is alive on the ham bands especially the bands i mentioned so are the foul language shows as well but we are being told it is progress...well not in my opinion hardly get on the air anymore just dont want to listen to the rubbish better time restoring my Galaxy gear. 73's Mike. VK2OZ
And democracy enslaves by stealth.....The Democrats of the world say all mankind is entitled to democracy but they never tell you at what level and what decides your level of entitlement usually the wealthier you are and have power you hit the jackpot
Onno for once your pod cast audio is just about right. There is a technical reason for the USB LSB convention Google it, it is there. As for the mentoring that is correct but one of the problems I have found is some of the newcomers think they know it all and refuse to listen to experienced Amateur operators, they have the attitude "I passed my test that's all I need to know". This in turn makes the old guard resent the new as they see them, "upstarts". In my opinion the F call is a great idea very badly executed at the early learning stage, I think it should include a mentoring period not just go home read the book sit the exam. Cheers Stu
I suppose Flab u have done a survey to tell us just how big this noisy minority i doubt it you just post this dire tribe hoping people will swallow this without question it seems that anyone who has a differing view to urs is a bully but in actual fact it is u who are the bully designating people with a differing view and expressing it as being bullies.There was a code of conduct years ago it seems u have never read the ARRL handbook from it's inception it had the amateurs code of conduct listed in it and it was well adhered to till about the last 15 years but why would u need to read this book or the RSGB handbook dont need any serious theory to get on the air Flab do u now 10 year old kids get it now bet the code of conduct is not in the Foundation exam appears nothing much is read the codes of conduct then rubbish people until then stop displaying ur total lack of knowledge and ignorance.
Stu....100% agree with u i would go further and say the novice licence exam should have been maintained as entry point into ham radio minus the morse instead the Wia wanted a quick fix for their nationally declining membership and the Foundation according to them fitted the bill rubbing their hands together in glee.
People, attitudes, elitism. There was an incident back in the early 1980's when I and around 8 others were re-assessed... They claimed that My Uncle was present when I was assessed back at the old Telecom Training School ... I passed tests easily yet got the 20 WPM Morse tapes CONTINUALLY ... I was told that I was branded "undesirable"... And yes everyone knows that the old way of "Dealing" with undesirables was the 20WPM Morse tapes... Who can complain? Your word against theirs???? So after a few attempts I moved on and waited for a while... Then I grew up... and was approached by another Amateur to come back - that all of the people elements that were counteractive that I had worked with were now dead... You know that same person that encouraged me back - old guard and very visible WIA - are no longer on speaking terms - and that is because I do not tell them/him what they want to hear... I put things plain and factual as they are... As you have seen in many of these posts .... As I have also done with Catholic Archbishops (being an Oakleigh Boy)... I have also tried to remain focussed on being CONSTRUCTIVE .... Anti-people and anti-growth politics... was there 30 years ago... and is still there if not worse now... exhibited by the inability for people to recognise modern technologies and concerns of the membership/people and therefore exhibiting ethics and conduct that can be basically described as deplorable in any age in Australian society. Recently the WIA membership spoke loudly and with their feet !!! You will also be aware that incoming directors have allegedly had all sorts of stories put to them - deflecting responsibility in the decline of the to the WIA onto others including troublemakers( that I have been branded as)? The supposed STRENGTH and ORGANISER of people for Amateur Radio. I am not a troublemaker - I am a conscience. I only got my nose into some of this as people were attacking me and my integrity through my wife, Donna VK3FRET. Now I ask you, if someone started to attack you through your wife, what would you do? This is the lowest of the low gutter ethics... This is what our community has come to ... Time for change... Time for people like me to expose this... time for people to speak up... and not just in Australian AR... A strong and respected WIA that has the confidence of Amateurs would not have allowed the band losses and would have mounted STRONG CAMPAIGNS - but no - It is constrained by FEAR OF LOSING THE ASSESSMENT CONTRACT. Ethical and business conduct of the WIA and some officers could make that happen anyway !!! And as for conduct... that is exactly what I have been on about ! We appear to be on the same path in what we are saying - WE DO NOT HAVE REGULATION ANY MORE IN AR. That is why we came to AR in the first place. See things have not changed... and I am referring to ethics and conduct ... and as you note the bands have got worse. What am I on about? Uniting Amateurs to form a STRONG, HEALTHY, REPRESENTATIVE BODY. As Michael Owen VK3KI(sk) - former WIA President until his death a couple of years back stated, the WIA is constrained by its contract with the ACMA... Perhaps the WIA needs contract back to being an Institute of Learning and Assessment - an organisation of "The High Ground" and "highest of ethics"... completely people service centric. Political and representative functions perhaps should be devolved to a new, fully Nationally-representative member-centric separate organisation (i.e. "Amateur Radio - Australia - that I believe that Roger Harrison may have registered) that can muster the troops (the Amateurs) and can by people power - people political power - to retain what we have and to get more. This organisation should have the people-power 100% on its side to resist attacks to our bands; it should have the PEOPLE POWER to FORCE THE ACMA TO DO ITS JOB - and REGULATE(ie. deal with the idiots that have filtered in). It should have the CONFIDENCE of All amateurs to WANT TO ME MEMBERS and WANT TO BE A PART OF THIS ... It should never have to undergo times that it has just been through. It only got that way through saying NO too often, being closed with regards to information and showing a lack of competence to rein in serious financial issues. It ran like a CLUB rather than a NATIONAL and INTERNATIONAL REPRESENTATIVE BODY - an "old boy's club". I have vision and faith in the WIA and what needs to evolve. I have faith in the growth of AR. That is why I put my views out into the ether - in order to educate others. The WIA and its required independent political arm should not be just a play-tool for the Rich, Powerful and Influential - it should be the play tool for All Amateurs.
