[RFI] Canal water! (& BPL)

[Jim Brown]

On Mon, 19 Jul 2004 16:52:32 -0400, Dave Bernstein wrote:

>I have been a member of the ARRL since the day I received my novice ticket
>in 1990. There is nothing in my postings that can be construed as ARRL
>bashing, unless you're among those who consider constructive criticism to be
>bashing. The day an organization's members stop providing constructive
>criticism is the day that organization knows its dead -- because no one
>cares enough to improve it.

I strongly agree. Constructive criticism, including, but not limited to, opposing 
points of view as to how things ought to be handled is NOT bashing, no matter 
how strongly stated. I am also an ARRL supporter and member. I first joined 
about 1955 when I got my novice ticket, and have  been a member off and on 
ever since (my years of membership tended to correspond to my years of active 
hamming, and I've taken some time off). 

Any organization, as well as any people within an organization, that can't take 
criticism and process other points of view as potentially useful input are a 
liability to the membership the organization is supposed to serve.  I don't view 
Dave's comments and suggestions as bashing at all. 

Several years ago, I wrote strong letters to my public radio jazz station criticizing 
their program management, and telling them that I was withholding my usual 
large annual contribution until they corrected those problems. It took a couple of 
years, but the problems did get corrected (in the form of a new program director 
who read my letters and called me). Six months later, I sent them a check for 
three years back contributions.  In other words, I put my money where my mouth 
was, and I put my criticism in sufficiently strong terms that they knew I was 
serious. 

Dave Bernstein has done the same thing, and I applaud him for it. I have made 
some other strong criticisms, but have not withheld funding (and won't). For the 
good of our hobby, I hope that ARRL will take our input into consideration (and 
put it into action).  No organization that won't accept input from its membership 
can expect to keep me as a member. 

Another point. I make my living as a consultant in the design of audio systems. 
While it is vital that my technical background and skills be strong, technical 
things are only a small fraction of my job. I'm a failure if I can't see the big picture 
myself and sell it to my client, if I can't help them make the right decisions (which 
usually include spending 2-4 times as much for their system as they thought they 
needed to spend), get them to buy it from a good contractor rather than a 
cheaper "trunk-slammer" or music store, and treat that contractor right.  

So in response to Ed's questions -- of course the technical work needs to get 
done and done well. But that is still only a small part of what it takes to win the 
war. ARRL has traditionally learned how to work the politics of international 
frequency allocation and local politics of FCC rule making. The League would 
be a failure in representing us if our leadership did not do that. PR is just as 
important.  

Jim Brown  K9YC