[CW] ARRL stand on CW testing?

[W2AGN]

On 7 Aug 2003 at 5:05, Thomas Beaudry wrote:

> 
> 2.  One member of the reflector was informed by ARRL HQ that the ARRL 
> representative on the NCVEC board refrained from voting.  Further that 
> he had no choice about it since he lacked guidance from ARRL 
> leadership.  How could this be?  Leadership has long been aware of the 
> ham population's preference that I mentioned in the first question.  
> That alone should have been enough to give guidance to anyone needing 
> it to vote to retain, or at the very least, wait while ARRL conducts a 
> more up to date survey.  Further, it has been known for a while that 
> the most likely outcome of the Morse Code issue at WARC would be for it 
> to cease to be an international requirement.  There was no lack of 
> warning, being caught off guard, etc.  Thus ARRL leadership should have 
> had guidance in place based on the likely outcome of WARC and the 
> likeliness that some person/group would move fast to petition for the 
> removal of the Morse Code testing element.  It seems to many of us that 
> the ARRL representatives vote of abstain was a disguised vote in favor 
> of the resolution.  It is difficult to see it any other way with the 
> ARRL knowing the desires of the ham population but failing to carry 
> them out with a no vote.

This is a quote from Bart Jahnke, the ARRL rep at the NCVEC. :

"Do be aware that I, representing ARRL VEC at this meeting last Friday, 
abstained in the vote--I could neither support or oppose this vote to 
petition FCC--as ARRL has yet to develop a position on this matter.  The 
Petition filed by NCVEC includes an ARRL disclaimer."

Incidentally, this is a quote from the ARRL President on the same matter:

"John, just hold your horses. There has been no vote what so ever."

A flat-out, baldfaced lie!  I cancelled my memebership of over 40 years. 
It's one thing to disagree with the ARRL position, but when they lie and 
connive against a large part of the Amateur community, it's time to "vote 
with your feet."


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