[RFI] Why we badly need 'party line' materials for all hams

[Tom Frenaye]

At 04:10 PM 7/19/2004, Hare,Ed, W1RFI wrote:
>Which of the engineering studies that ARRL has done do you think should not have been done so that resources could be diverted to public relations? I disagree with you that such work should be diverted at all; the engineering studies, filings, industry contact, standards meetings, organizational contact, congressional contact and the like are too important not to do.  So is the media contact, although the majority of that has been done by HQ staff and not an outside public relations firm.  

Remember that the FCC hasn't finalized anything regarding BPL yet.   They have an open Notice of Proposed Rulemaking.    The comment and reply-comment periods have ended but that doesn't mean things are finished.  For example, the NTIA can comment at any point.   The ARRL has already started making ex parte (direct) presentations, including meetings with the FCC.   The technical studies W1RFI and others have produced still provide the foundation for that work.

If the FCC allows BPL at the levels they appear to want to, then we have a number of options.   Going to court is one, working through Congress is another.   During the recent Board meeting we confirmed a lengthy list of strategies to use in the next several months - but, we won't be talking about them all...   

Yes, PR is very important and it's been increasing over time, though we don't have the millions available to the BPL/utility industry.   What do you think should be the target audience for PR, and what materials would be most useful?  

             -- Tom

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e-mail: k1ki at arrl.org   ARRL New England Division Director  http://www.arrl.org/
Tom Frenaye, K1KI, P O Box J, West Suffield CT 06093 Phone: 860-668-5444