[KYHAM] Why you haven't heard me

[John Meyers, NB4K]

Many have wondered why I haven't commented on the ARRL proposal. Well,
as a league official I don't feel that an open forum on the internet is
the proper place to air my feeling or my dirty wash. In the following
article you will be asked some question and be given the proper way of
going about venting your objections to the proposal. On the other hand
it is also a way for those in favor to collaborate their feelings.
73
John, NB4K
Kentucky Section Manager
 =20
THE RIGHT TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THE ARRL PROPOSAL

This article is not going to be about what NB4K thinks about the
proposal but a look at how the Board of Directors (BOD) might have come
up with their decision; right, wrong or indifferent, and it is only a
PROPOSAL. I will also give details as to what you as an amateur might do
later down the road. But remember folks we the members elect the
Directors.

In the last election for Director or Section Manager did you vote? We
the members have an obligation to ourselves and the hobby by voting in
the elections for Director and Section managers. The old saying still
stands that if you didn't vote you don't have a gripe. Voting is the
first right given to us in a democracy and that is to pick our leaders.


            Have you taken time to sign up on the member only page to
receive the Directors and Section Manager E-mails? Every member can go
onto the internet under the member's only page and sign up to receive
the letters from the director and SM. If you don't have internet access,
you can have someone do it for you by giving them a password to enter in
when they enter in you callsign. Jim Weaver, K8JE sent many a request
out via this means for the last 6 months asking different questions
about our feelings on morse code, license class restructure and our
feeling on the hobby as it now stands. If you had signed up, hopefully,
you'll remember those letters.=20

            Do you check the League's webpage everyday? Daily
information is posted on the ARRL website telling what has been done
lately and what to expect in the future. There is also an extensive
amount of information that can be accessed from that site. Most, if not
all, of our questions about our future can be found there and I will
cover that later in this article.

            Have you personally contacted the Director about the
PROPOSAL? Jim is easily accessible by either calling him at 513-459-0142
or E-mail at k8je@arrl.org. I have found out by personal contact with
him as to where the BOD were coming from when they did extensive
research on this and where they expect it to go in the future. These
questions you must answer honestly in order to have any complaints about
the Directors or the League.=20

            Here is what you have to look forward to in the future if
the FCC accepts in whole or any part of the PROPOSAL. Knowing your
"ABCs," or specifically, one's NOIs, NPRMs, and R&Os is the key to
understanding the Commission's decision-making process. Exactly what do
these letters mean? Below is a guide to understanding the "alphabets" of
the FCC.

Notice of Inquiry (NOI): The Commission releases an NOI for the purpose
of gathering information about a broad subject or as a means of
generating ideas on a specific issue. NOIs are initiated either by the
Commission or an outside request.

Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM): After reviewing comments from the
public, the FCC may issue a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking. An NPRM
contains proposed changes to the Commission's rules and seeks public
comment on these proposals.

Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (FNPRM): After reviewing your
comments and the comments of others about the NPRM, the FCC may also
choose to issue an FNPRM regarding specific issues raised in comments.
The FNPRM provides an opportunity for you to comment further on a
related or specific proposal.

Report and Order (R&O): After considering comments to a Notice of
Proposed Rulemaking (or Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking), the FCC
issues a Report and Order. The R&O may develop new rules, amend existing
rules or make a decision not to do so. Summaries of the R&O are
published in the Federal Register. The Federal Register summary will
tell you when a rule change will become effective.

You may find more information at http://www.fcc.gov/rules.html. The rest
is up to you to read, learn and understand. Every one of us has a right
to complain, but only if we have practiced the above process.=20

73

John D. Meyers, NB4K=20
Kentucky Section Manager
Great Lakes Division


=20


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