[RVRC] Re; IRLP and internet access

[Marvin Bronstein]

Members,

The basis upon which Dave has made his determinations regarding IRLP and the internet is simply that IRLP was and remains strictly a "Repeater Linking Project".  His determination was and is against internet access directly into the system.  Dave's insistence on not allowing the kind of 'control' we now have on RVRC repeaters is to maintain that design criteria that the internet was only to be the 'link' between repeaters and the only access would be 'ham radio' RF at both ends.
The club members can determine what ever direction the club will take but to be true to Dave's purpose, direct internet access is not part of IRLP.

The new controller we now have on our RVRC repeaters is quite flexible and provides a great deal of features. However, I personally do not subscribe to the direct access of repeaters directly via the internet. (Vis-a-vis iphones, computers, Droids etc.) The concept of repeaters has been to provide radio communications among hams using radios over larger areas that can not be reliably obtained without them. I am of the opinion that it certainly is redundant to use an "iphone" to access a repeater to talk to another ham on a radio when it is more easily done simply making a call on the cellphone! Or....just use Skype!

Technology is great and these things can all be achieved today.  If that is what RVRC wants to do as a club, so be it.  But allow the members 'in toto' to have their say as to what RVRC will do.

Fraternally,
Marv,    K2VHW