ARRL BoD Meeting Highlights - "Other Business"

[Pete, WA2CWA]

During the Board session, ARRL President-Elect Joel Harrison, W5ZN, led a discussion regarding the need for and importance of developing a sound process for HF band planning in the near future, with broad participation by the amateur community.

For the full story on ARRL's BoD's latest meeting and direction, go here:
http://www.remote.arrl.org/news/stories/2006/01/24/3/?nc=1

[WA3VJB]

Oh, sure, Pete.

They used the responses sent to the blind bandwidth email box as "broad participation" too.

The only way to achieve such a concensus is to actually open the doors and let some air in, not cook up schemes by presumptive proxy and then try to apply them to everyone.

Do you really think they've learned anything, or that this one fellow can reform a failed system?

Sure, I'll give him a chance, but here's early skepticism as long as yer man Sumner and his butt-boy Rinaldo are still in charge.

[Pete, WA2CWA]

I figured you and Phil would especially like that phrase. I guess it’s too early to tell. I’m not sure why anyone would want this job. He has no voting rights, no pay, and can only form committees based on direction from BoD or EC and also takes all the bullets at forum presentations. To me, this a “suck”, “no win” position.

[WA3VJB]

Wow Pete, surprisingly negative and candid at once.

You've confirmed what we've thought for years -- the pres is a straw man held up to take the heat so that the real players can toil without having to answer tough questions nor be held accountable when a League pronouncement proves bad.

So, how can we put Messers Sumner and Rinaldo in the same no-thanks position as Harrison? I hear Joel is good at forming clubs.

[K1MVP]

I hear Joel is good at forming clubs.

Wow,--Paul,--"clubs",--does that ever hit a "nerve".
Seems like the clubs  here in this area, are nothing but "social" clubs,
with lots of "chit chat", pizza, and monthly "show and tell" talks.
I could go on, and on,--but I would be here all day if I were to go down that road.
Ham radio in the 21st century,--It just does not get better,IMO.

                                      73, K1MVP     

[Steve - WB3HUZ]

Given the present RM-11306 fiasco, perhaps the League should change its logo from that quaint diamond-shaped emblem with the schematic symbols for an antenna, inductor, and ground to a condom. For those people love to give the amateur radio community a false sense of security while we are getting screwed!

And we're not even getting a reach around!

[WA3VJB]

Puh-LEEZ be careful, Steve, you heard Pete today -- he's been working up a sticky sweat when you talk like this, or when someone talks dirty about the ARRL.

[Pete, WA2CWA]

Wow Pete, surprisingly negative and candid at once.

You've confirmed what we've thought for years -- the pres is a straw man held up to take the heat so that the real players can toil without having to answer tough questions nor be held accountable when a League pronouncement proves bad.

So, how can we put Messers Sumner and Rinaldo in the same no-thanks position as Harrison? I hear Joel is good at forming clubs.

Get 8 of the 15 Directors to agree to vote them out of office. The "pres-straw man" is common in the corporate world

"up a sticky sweat" ---------I figured this phrase would come back and haunt me after it rolled off my lips. Never under estimate the listening world.

[WA3VJB]

Yeup, the ARRL is certainly the corporate world.
Thanks for confirming.

[k4kyv]

You've confirmed what we've thought for years -- the pres is a straw man held up to take the heat so that the real players can toil without having to answer tough questions nor be held accountable when a League pronouncement proves bad.

Pretty much the same thing the presidency of the US has evolved into.

So, how can we put Messers Sumner and Rinaldo in the same no-thanks position as Harrison? I hear Joel is good at forming clubs.

I corresponded with him as our director back in the days of the AM power issue, and he openly supported our cause. As I recall, he helped introduce a resolution at the BoD meeting that the League would petition the FCC to make the grandfather clause permanent. 

But the presidency of ARRL is more or less a "feel good" position; the man is figurehead, not really the one making any policy decisions. Actually, the Queen of England would make a closer analogy.