[CQ-Contest] eQSL change of policy

[Ron Notarius WN3VAW]

1.    I am not saying ARRL is always right.  I am saying that ARRL is not
automatically always in the wrong.  I disagree with ARRL Leadership on many
issues, and if you don't believe that, go look at the Refarming posts over
on eHam.net

2.    I agree with you that no public discussion, or at least announcement,
prior to the change by eQSL was a bad move.  And I think it is unfortunate
that the explanation(s) given on the eQSL site, at present, are somewhat
superficial.  That is a matter to be taken up with the people who made those
decisions, who wrote the text, and posted everything to the web site.  Last
time I checked, Newington wasn't in Texas.

3.    My understanding from talking to many people involved with what is now
known as the Logbook of the World project is that it was hoped from the
beginning that there would be some interaction and/or compatibility between
eQSL & LotW.  It is also my understanding, based on a direct comment from
one of those participating, that it was N5UP who chose to discontinue
discussions on making the two systems compatible, not the LotW project.  And
the big problem is one of security and validation issues, something which
eQSL lacked from the very beginning and still lacks in a big way today.
Otherwise I wouldn't have a "legitimate" P5SLIM eQSL jpeg file saved on my
hard drive.

4.    Is it more important to be first or to do it right?  If it's not done
right, what's the point in being first?

5.    I have been forwarded a statement from N5UP stating that he made these
changes on his own initiative without being ordered to by anyone at the ARRL
staff and/or the LotW project.  If this is true, then why is blamed being
dumped on ARRL for "forcing" the change?

6.    Am I being an ARRL "cheerleader?"  Hardly.  I look terrible in
pom-pons and short skirts.
Besides, why does it seem always "in vogue" to bash the League and to bash
anyone who comes out in support of them?   And more importantly, who do you
think the League is?  The Headquarters staff?  The elected and appointed
leadership?  The League is it's membership -- too many of whom sit on the
fence and wait for someone else to do something, which is another issue
altogether.  I am an active member of the ARRL. I have made it a point to
know the current and immediate past Division Directors, Vice Directors, and
Section Managers.  And if I dislike something, I let them know.  They may
tell me I'm off base, they may even may tell me to shut up and take a long
walk off a short pier, but I make my feelings known.  Do you?  (And I'm
lucky that the current and immediate past leadership in the Atlantic
Division listen.  I've heard many complaints about other Division Directors
who allegedly don't.  But that too is another issue)

73, ron wn3vaw

"Why, he's no fun, he fell right over."

-- The Firesign Theatre

----- Original Message -----
From: Joe Subich, K4IK <k4ik at subich.com>
To: Ron Notarius WN3VAW <wn3vaw at fyi.net>; <cq-contest at contesting.com>
Sent: Thursday, April 04, 2002 3:50 PM
Subject: RE: [CQ-Contest] eQSL change of policy




> From: Ron Notarius WN3VAW
> Sent: Wednesday, April 03, 2002 11:48 PM
> To: cq-contest at contesting.com
> Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] eQSL change of policy
>
>
> K1IR's post disappoints me.
>
> Why is any change blamed on ARRL HQ, why is it always bad, and
> why is always the ARRL which is at fault?

Why are you saying the ARRL staff is always right?  eQSL had a
letter/email which stated that printed QSLs from anyone acting
as a legitimate (authorized) QSL manager would be accepted.
Someone among the ARRL staff changed that after the fact to
require a "double blind" process.

I think the change after the fact and without public discussion
is bad form at the minimum.

> Further, since my understanding (from those involved in the LotW
> project) that it's eQSL that chose not to be compatible with LotW
> or anyone else, why is anyone else being blamed for anything they
> do in their own little world?

Again, why are you being an ARRL cheerleader?  eQSL "was there first."
Why did LOTW decide to adopt a system that was incompatible from the
beginning and adopt a "take it or leave it" attitude?

There is room for people to work together *IF* everyone is willing
to be flexible.  To take the "play by my rules or I'll take my ball
and go home" attitude does nobody any good.

73,

   ... Joe, K4IK