[AMRadio] BPL and the ARRL

[Kim Elmore]

At 10:38 AM 7/19/2008, you wrote:

>Kim wrote:
>
>>This is simply an unfair assertion. It is not the ARRL's job to be
>>the Omniscient Spectrum Protector. Most of the spectrum is not the
>>Amateur's to protect.
>
>I disagree.  I asserted that the League has changed its role, and 
>speculated on reasons that might have happened - not that the role 
>of the ARRL should be as "Omniscient Spectrum Protector."
>
>I see the role of ARRL as representative of the membership.  And my 
>experience has been that the membership tends to be interested in 
>the entire radio spectrum.

I simply do not approve of the ARRL expending any of it's limited 
capacity on protecting broadcast spectrum when the broadcasters 
themselves are far better equipped to do that.

>  For example, many, many of the hams that enjoy operating AM also 
> are avid listeners to utility and broadcast stations elsewhere in 
> the spectrum.

I agree. However, it is not our responsibility to protect that 
spectrum. As romantic as the Golden Age of broadcasting was, the 
broadcasters are in it for the money, and they have a lot more of it 
than we do. If they want clean spectrum, they have to step up to the 
plate and fight BPL according to their own interests. There's nothing 
wrong with the ARRL, or amateurs in general, speaking up for general 
spectrum integrity, but our limited resources must be used for our 
immediate benefit.

>And I personally embrace the idea that the Amateur is a leader in at 
>least the philosophies and policies of electronics and 
>communications, and can offer guidance to all sides - a sort of 
>liaison between the general population and the government and 
>corporations on these subjects.

You'll get no argument from me on this. The ARRL can make "amicus" 
-like filings in various actions (they have done this many times over 
the years), but when push comes to shove and real money has to be 
expended to protect our spectrum from poor management -- or outright 
abandonment -- I expect that money to be expended to specifically and 
explicitly protect the amateur spectrum.

Indicting the ARRL because they don't take up a general fight against 
BPL to protect everyone's spectrum is unfair and unreasonable.

Kim Elmore N5OP