ARRL

[Multi-Volti Devices]

Yeah, I guess this is off topic, but while I agree that it's dismaying to
see the hobby watered down to an almost no-brainer entry level, with the
concurrent idiocy on certain segments of the bands, I guess I can see the
ARRL trying to bolster the ranks of US licenses. This is far more
important than their own numbers. With the Internet distracting people
from other forms of 'entertainment' (despite many of us having gotten into
ham radio due to our personal affiliations with radio from service and
broadcast work, it is a hobby, and essentially a form of entertainment,
generally speaking), and the auctioning off of bandwidth to the highest
bidder or biggest demonstrator of need, I at least feel glad that someone
is looking out for the big picture, the continuation of Ham Radio.

At some point, if the average age of hams didn't begin to drop, and if
there were more reasons to not bother getting a license than to get one
for newly interested people, our numbres would diminish, and some
commercial use would come along and say " Give us those ham bands...hardly
anyone uses them any more." I don't know if we have any rights, but our
privileges as an elite and diminishing group would not have a strong pair
of legs to stand on.

There has always been polarization among ARRL (seen as QST in some
arguments) and the other magazines. While all have a vested interest in
the continuation of the hobby, there is a big difference between what the
ARRL does, and membership in the organization,  (even if one doesn't agree
with what they do or how), and subscribing to 73 or CQ.

I'm sure there's no easy way to solve all the problems and keep everyone
happy. I am disappointed by the deterioration of the bands and hams'
etiquette (you hear obscenities on CW of all places!), but hopefully
growth will add more good people to outnumber the bad. I know this is a
gross oversimplification, but I don't have an alternate suggestion.
Holding out for purity and exclusivity (although I agree it would be
better from certain perspectives) I see having more detriment than
benefit.

End of off-subject-stuff for me.

73

Murray (K3FD by the way, earned thru CW)


Glenn R. Showalter wrote:

> Good. While i just re applied for ARRL via mail PO
> yesterday, it has been since the early 70's? and
> droped them same reason. This may be a one year stint
> also. We should have CW the way it use to be and call
> signs the way they use to be. glenn
>
> ---"R. L. Blaney" <wb8mhe at BRIGHT.NET> wrote:
> >
> > I knew there HAD to be a reason that I dropped my membership in the
> "Arabian
> > Rug Reconditioning Company", back in the late '70s, Now, finally, I
> found
> > out why.
> > 73 es gud hamming, de
> > Dick, WB8MHE
> > wb8mhe at bright.net
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: William K . Mabry <N4qa at AOL.COM>
> > To: HEATH at LISTSERV.TEMPE.GOV <HEATH at LISTSERV.TEMPE.GOV>
> > Date: Tuesday, July 21, 1998 9:21 AM
> > Subject: ARRL
> >
> >
> > >Gee whiz.
> > >Morse code has been around since, what, 1845 or so ?
> > >No attempt by ARRL or FCC is likely to kill good ol'  A1.
> > >We ARE gonna hear a lot more NOISE ( telephony, etc ) on the bands,
> > however.
> > >You'd think there is enough VHF /  UHF spectrum to accomodate
> millions of
> > "new
> > >hams" but NOOOO !  THEY want to spoil hamming on a GLOBAL basis by
> creating
> > >garbage dumps all over our HFbands as well.
> > >To my fellow CW enthusiasts, I say simply, just keep pounding the
> brass !
> > >_ _ . . .   . . . _ _    _ _ . . _ _
> > >
> > >Bill  N4QA
> > >
> > >--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --
> > >To subscribe: listserv at listserv.tempe.gov
> > >and in body: subscribe HEATH yourfirstname yourlastname
> > >To unsubscribe:  listserv at listserv.tempe.gov
> > >and in body: signoff HEATH
> > >Archives for HEATH: http://www.tempe.gov/archives
> > >--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --
> > >
> >
> > --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --
> > To subscribe: listserv at listserv.tempe.gov
> > and in body: subscribe HEATH yourfirstname yourlastname
> > To unsubscribe:  listserv at listserv.tempe.gov
> > and in body: signoff HEATH
> > Archives for HEATH: http://www.tempe.gov/archives
> > --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --
> >
>
> ==
>
> Glenn R. Showalter
> P.O. Box 481
> Ivy, VA. 22945
> (804) 296-5661 x774
> _________________________________________________________
> DO YOU YAHOO!?
> Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com
>
> --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --
> To subscribe: listserv at listserv.tempe.gov
> and in body: subscribe HEATH yourfirstname yourlastname
> To unsubscribe:  listserv at listserv.tempe.gov
> and in body: signoff HEATH
> Archives for HEATH: http://www.tempe.gov/archives
> --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --

--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --
To subscribe: listserv at listserv.tempe.gov
and in body: subscribe HEATH yourfirstname yourlastname
To unsubscribe:  listserv at listserv.tempe.gov
and in body: signoff HEATH
Archives for HEATH: http://www.tempe.gov/archives
--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --