[MIham] OVERVIEW OF JULY 2004 BOARD MEETING

[Tom VanderMel]

To All Hams


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> The ARRL Board of Directors met this past Friday and Saturday.  A number
> of the Board committees had meetings on Wednesday evening and Thursday
> throughout the day.  The standing committee I am on as well as the Board
> meeting, itself, were high in intensity.  I can assure you that you got
> a lot of bang out of your bucks for this meeting.  To be certain
> everyone understands this last comment, you should know that the cost of
> these meetings (including travel and lodging for officers and directors
> and a few additional key personnel) is paid by the League and,
> therefore, by you.  Let me know if you would like a more extensive
> discussion of this.
>
> The full minutes of the meeting will be published in due time.  These
> will be preceded most likely by a summary of the meeting on the ARRL web
> site.  In the meantime, I want to point out a couple of actions that I
> conclude represent the highest of the highlights of the meeting.  These
> are:
>
> 1. The Board unanimously approved setting up a pilot program for a
> grassroots, congressional, lobbying effort.  This is a great advance in
> my mind and I am extremely pleased to have been the Director who started
> the ball rolling at the January meeting.  I am also very pleased that
> Hudson Division Director Frank Fallon, N2FF heads the committee that is
> putting the finishing touches on this critical program.  I, finally, am
> extremely pleased that the Great Lakes Division has been named to take
> the front on this project.
>
> Critical though BPL is, in my mind the development and implementation of
> the grassroots congressional program is even more critical to the
> long-term security of Amateur Radio.  This committee is indeed picking
> up the lead taken by Hiram Percy Maxim, 1AW, many years ago when he
> saved Amateur Radio after WW 1 thanks to his personal lobbying of
> congressional and business leaders in this country.
>
> One comment on this program is that it is different from the system of
> SGLs, etc. that exists through the Field Organization.  SGLs and their
> local assistants were established to and work to effect legislation at
> local and statewide levels.  The congressional action organization works
> only at the Federal level.  There is nothing inherent in its to prevent
> SGLs and LGLs from becoming workers in Division congressional
> operations.  When acting as SGLs and LGLs, they report through the SM
> chain.  Members of the congressional activity system report through the
> Director chain.
>
> I will release more information on this soon.
>
> 2. The Board enthusiastically approved the report of Vice Director Dick
> Mondro's ARESCom committee and approved the use of WinLink for disaster
> communications.  Dick and his committee were also asked to continue
> their work by wrapping up a few outstanding details.  Great job, Dick!
> You all should have seen Dick as he sat in my chair during a Q&A period
> on the program!  His demeanor and outstanding knowledge of the details
> of the situation were unquestionable.
>
> 3. In another data-transmission related situation, the Board instructed
> our General Counsel to petition FCC to give its blessing to systems that
> protect the integrity of these transmissions.  John Champa, K8OCL is a
> member of this committee and has worked tirelessly to develop necessary
> operational and security procedures for using digital via Amateur Radio
> to support a variety of served agencies during disasters.  Incidentally,
> the Board recognized John for his outstanding effort by naming him the
> co-recipient of a digital development award.  Very well done, John!
>
> 4. Of interest in particular to amateurs in our part of the country, the
> Dayton Hamvention folks petitioned me to have them named the ARRL
> National Convention for 2005.  In view of the great success the group
> had with the 2004 offering,  there request proved impossible to reject.
> I am pleased to announce that the 2005 ARRL National Convention will be
> held at the 2005 Hamvention!  A committee of four directors and one staff
> member was formed by President Haynie to develop the planning that
> will make this a very memorable convention.  Who knows.  I may ask for
help
> in carrying this out.
>
> 5. You may recall my questions to you about the League proposal to
> regulate our amateur transmissions by transmission bandwidth instead of
> by mode.  This is a concept that has been simmering for several years.
> It brings with it certain benefits over what we have at this time.
> Hammering out a polished proposal for Regulation by Bandwidth was slowed
> in part because of BPL.  It is being moved, once again.  As I strongly
> encouraged, the proposal will be shared with members (probably over the
> Internet) before it is submitted to the FCC.  This will be your chance
> to review it and to make comments.  I expect the penultimate draft of
> the proposal will be ready for this review yet this year, but I'm not
> putting a lot of hard-earned cash on this timing.  Keep your eyes open,
> though, and when you see the information, check it over very carefully.
> We will be looking for comments of substance.
>
> There were more actions taken by the Board.  Certainly, our continuing
> effort to avoid interference from BPL was discussed considerably.  I
> wills leave the rest to you all to read during coming days.
>
> Before I close, though, I want to thank each of you members for your
> support of ARRL and for your willingness to share your thoughts with me.
>  I appreciate this and find it very helpful.  Some of the actions I have
> discussed, above, are at least partly due to your input to me.  Other
> actions that I have not discussed are even more directly related to your
> input to me.  Please keep it up.  I value and need your input.  Please,
> also, share with non-members that importance of ARRL to the future of
> Amateur Radio and the fact that we are tooling up quickly to meet the
> growing need to represent Amateur Radio to our Congressmen and women.
>
> You told me that national regulatory and congressional action by ARRL is
> most important ARRL activity.  We heard you and the tool to be
> successful is being developed.  We heard the concerns many of you
> expressed over the uncertainty of communications during disasters.  We
> acted by establishing Vice Director Mondro's sub-committee.  Dick and
> his people, in turn, have responded to the nth degree.
>
> Some of the people who deride ARRL say, we want members to get more
> money.  This is only partly true.  We want more members to provide a
> greater base of people (numbers) who can help convince regulators and
> congressional folks to listen to our legitimate needs and to enact
> legitimate rules and legislation to meet these legitimate needs.  Yes,
> to do this latter, we also need more money, but it isn't the money that
> is most important.  It is membership that is most important.
>
> As always, feel free to contact me with any questions or comments.  I
> appreciate learning of your thinking.
>
> 73, GL,
>
> Jim, K8JE
>
> Jim Weaver, K8JE
> Director, Great Lakes Division ARRL
> 5065 Bethany Rd., Mason, OH 45040
> Tel.:  513-459-0142; E-mail:  k8je at arrl.org
> ARRL:  The reason Amateur Radio Is!
> MEMBERS: The reason ARRL Is!
>
> --------------------------------------------------------------------
> ARRL Great Lakes Division
> Director: James Weaver, K8JE
> k8je at arrl.org
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