The AM Forum

The ARRL BoD Minutes from the July 18-19, 2008 meeting are now posted for review:
http://www.arrl.org/announce/board-0807/

Two important items for general amateur consumption. I'm sure both of these will result in lots of pail banging:

Item 29:
29. On motion of Mr. Isely, seconded by Mr. Frenaye, it was VOTED that the following resolution be adopted:

WHEREAS, the ARRL Board of Directors is about to embark on a periodic review and update of the association’s Strategic Plan adopted in October 2006; and

WHEREAS, the Board wishes to invite and encourage members’ input on the future direction and priorities of their national organization;

RESOLVED that the Chief Executive Officer is requested to release the Long Range Goals of the current Strategic Plan to the membership and to solicit members’ comments as a key element of the review process; and

FURTHER RESOLVED that the membership input is to be given initial consideration by the Board at its 2009 Annual Meeting with the objective of completing a review and revision of the Strategic Plan at its 2009 Second Meeting.

And

Item 32:
32. On motion of Mr. Bodson, seconded by Mr. Norton, it was VOTED that the ARRL Board of Directors establishes an ad hoc study committee to review Part 97 of the rules governing the Amateur Radio Service to ascertain what rule change(s) would be beneficial to promote wideband digital modes while at the same time minimizing potential interference to narrowband modes.

Highlights from the entire meeting are posted here:
http://www.remote.arrl.org/news/stories/2008/07/25/10226/?nc=1

New England Division Director and ARRL President:

(http://www.remote.arrl.org/news/images/nms/webready/304.jpg)

Pete 'cut and pasted':
Now there's a hoot!

Soon the (be)League(d) will be advocating 'Lean' along with 'Six Sigma.'

That's a Step in the right direction.

It always seem to me that the "Strategic Plan" phrase, although mentioned many times in text, minutes of meetings, editorials, etc. was never really spelled out in its entirety to the  membership nor were the specifics with the current strategic plan. So the resolution that the Chief Executive Officer is requested to release the Long Range Goals of the current Strategic Plan to the membership and to solicit members’ comments as a key element of the review process is something entirely new. Members never really had any formal input other then dialog with a Director and normally after a strategic plan was put in place. It's interesting that I asked my Director several months ago if the current ARRL Strategic Plan in its entirety, was documented somewhere on the ARRL web site for member and nonmember review, and he indicated that it wasn't. I said, it seems to me, as a member, at least all members should have read access to the entire plan to be sure that the ARRL long range goals and membership long range expectations and goals are understood and in agreement. Didn't really have an answer for me on that one.

As important as Item 29 is, I'm even more surprised that there hasn't been any comment on Item 32. If you recall, regulation by bandwidth was centered around Part 97.300 rules. Although there's nothing stated to believe they'll go down the bandwidth road again, the phrase "what rule change(s) would be beneficial to promote wideband digital modes while at the same time minimizing potential interference to narrowband modes" could open some wounds. I would sincerely hope that this "ad hoc study committee" chosen by the Board of Directors would include a variety of members with a wide variety of amateur radio interests and modes. The first ad hoc committee back, I think in 2001 or 2002, was comprised entirely of "digital" amateur interests.