[AMRadio] ARRL Great Lakes Director on IARU Bandplan

[Peter Markavage]

Hey Steve, I guess congrads on the promotion.
Pete, wa2cwa

On Tue, 27 Nov 2007 11:47:04 -0500 Warren Elly <w1gud at tampabay.rr.com>
writes:
> Mr Johnson...
> 
>         Many thanks for your reply, the first the AM community has 
> received  
> one that was both civil and credible. I believe that some of your  
> fellow directors ought to be ashamed of themselves, and I hope you  
> 
> have seen some of their correspondence directed to us. Its very  
> disappointing, and has only served to reinforce the view that many 
> of  
> us have formed of the league through a lifetime of disappointment on 
> a  
> range of issues from incentive licensing, to bpl, to code  
> requirements, to PRB-1, to bandwidth issues. I think you misjudge 
> and  
> under estimate what you call a "small flurry of concern by some AM  
> 
> colleagues". Considering the current state of the hobby, the number 
> of  
> new licensees, and the fact that the great majority of us are aging  
> 
> and that a significant number of us collect and restore old gear, 
> the  
> league needs to turn this AM issue into a wake up call.
>         Most of us are long-time amateurs, who've been league 
> members nearly  
> all our lives. I signed up at age 12, three years before I got my  
> novice ticket. I've been licensed now over 40 years, and have 
> operated  
> AM continuously in one way or another over those years. I remain  
> convinced that the league would outlaw our part of the hobby if it  
> 
> could. I only maintain my membership so that I can have a voice and  
> 
> won't be dismissed as an "outsider". I think its sad that looking 
> back  
> at the issues over the years, I can't think of a single issue that  
> 
> left me feeling like the league was on my side as an amateur.
>         I think most of us would have felt much better if our arrl  
> 
> representatives at the IARU conference were a bit more informed, and 
>  
> put their intentions in voting for this proposal on the record. I  
> think we also have our doubts that there was not, in fact, some plan  
> 
> to use the IARU issue as a leg up to move closer to outlawing AM in  
> 
> the US. Mr. Rinaldo's role remains of interest, and is most 
> suspect.
>         As for the CQ editors path towards "bad journalism", as a 
> journalist  
> all my life, I must caution you that these things happen when one is 
>  
> unable to get the "whole" story. If the league was more forthcoming, 
>  
> and spoke with clarity and transparency, these things would not  
> happen. Its a shame that no logical, thinking person could avoid the 
>  
> same conclusions CQ reached, based on the "facts" at hand. What else 
>  
> are we to think?
>         Again, thank you for your frankness and willingness to 
> address the AM/ 
> Vintage radio community. I wish some of your candor would rub off on 
>  
> the rest. But I'd also urge you to weigh again the importance of a  
> 
> vital, active community in amateur radio that's much more than " 
> small  
> flurry" in the big picture.
> 
> 73,
> 
> Warren Elly W1GUD
> Tampa, Florida