[AMRadio] Re: More from Central Division Director

[SBJohnston at aol.com]

Mr Isely -

Thank you for your message and apology.  I hope you are feeling better...

I must continue to disagree with your contention that IARU Region 2 bandplan 
does not apply to the United States, and is not important to us.   The first 
paragraph of the plan itself defines its purpose:  Member Societies (such as 
ARRL) are to work for its incorporation into authority (such as FCC) 
regulations.   And did not ARRL vote in support of that wording?   So I must conclude 
that the ARRL must support the eventual incorporation of this plan into the FCC 
rules.  So it is important, after all...

If it is really meaningless to U.S. amateurs, as you contend, then why do you 
support it, and hope that it will help us deal with new digital modes?   Why 
is ARRL spending thousands of dollars to attend the IARU meetings and 
participate in the drafting of these changes, if it is of no consequence to us?

ARRL represents our country in the IARU, so as a member of ARRL I thought I 
would have a voice in this process, or at least have been informed.  Clearly I 
was wrong.   It was done behind the scenes without consulting the membership 
in any way, and member efforts to to discuss the matter have been viewed as 
ignorant interference.  

As far as I can discern, the ARRL not only doesn't care about the members' 
views on this issue, the League officials are deliberately trying to avoid the 
discussion.  I've not seen any announcement of the IARU Region 2 bandplan 
changes in QST, on the ARRL website, the ARRL-Letter, or elsewhere.  I've not seen 
any mention of the role ARRL is taking in this policy process either.   

In your message you stated that we needn't expect a further attempt by the 
ARRL to get bandwidth controls into FCC rules for at least two years - not until 
the League has had a chance to "educate" the members and other amateurs on 
the matter.

Mr. Isley, I think you're a bit confused as to the role of the League, and 
that of a Director.  Have you read the Articles of Association and By-Laws?    
Shouldn't the views of the members be your first priority in the making of 
policy, rather than the last?  Or do you really think that you and the League 
officials are to set the course and we just have to follow along, sometimes with a 
bit of "education" to set us straight?

Whatever happened to the slogan "Of, by, and for the amateur?"

Steve WD8DAS




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