[SECC] Who is the Boss?

[ku8e at bellsouth.net]

AA4GA wrote :

Since you're fairly new here JT, a *small* bit of historical perspective:

As noted today by some others here, the SECC was started to be a
repository for score reporting for the contests for the folks down
here...to have some place to aggregate our scores in contests with
club competitions.  Nothing more.  It was not started as a traditional
club - it was never meant to be one.  The intent was that there be as
little political structure / interference as possible.  For example,
the only reason that there are bylaws at all, is because the ARRL
requires it to become an affilitated club.  Back then, the ARRL
required attendance at a minimum of two meetings per year for someone
to be eligible to submit scores.  We would have official in-person
meetings primarily at hamfests.  And we would always have two on the
same day.  Convene one meeting, which could only last five minutes,
adjourn, then immediately convene a second five-minute meeting.  If
you couldn't make, say, the Atlanta hamfest, you could call a meeting
at the Huntsville hamfest or anywhere else for that matter.  I believe
the requirement was two people.  The *real* meeting-place was (is)
this reflector, where everyone could discuss things contest,
particularly local-related, on a daily basis.  This was the beauty of
the concept, as designed by Bill Fisher (W4AN).  He, as I, and many of
the original members despised the petty politics that creep into most
organizations.

As time went on, some folks wanted more than just a score repository /
online hangout.  From that we've gotten a club call, sponsorship of
the GA QSO party, sponsorship of plaques in other contests, etc.  Most
of which I, personally, disagree with - because of the contradiction
to the original purpose.  I'm not saying they're bad things because
they're not.  But they are contrary to the spirit in which the SECC
was founded.

Hope this helps.

73 de Lee
-- 
Lee Hiers, AA4GA
"Have Dobro Will Travel"
========================================================================


Lee,

For the most part the club is still the way you have described it. We still only have one informal meeting a year and most of our communication takes place on this reflector. We have no dues.
We all submit our scores.  That's about it.... as informal as you can get. It's true we sponsor
the GQP but who else in GA would do that if we didn't.  There is no financial burden to the club since
GQP and it's awards are all driven by personal contributions/volunteers.

When I came to Georgia I came from one of those "traditional" contest clubs.  There are advantages to meeting face to face and having other activities. Is'nt that why many of us go to Dayton every year. To meet and mingle with fellow contesters. I bet I haven't even met 10% of the members of SECC in the almost 4 years I have lived in GA and been a SECC member. Maybe you don't like that kind of stuff but it is fun too.

I know since I have been here I have made suggestions about having club picnics or get togethers, and activities, none which would be required for membership in the club. When no one wanted to run the club webpage and the GQP I volunteered to do it. I am active and submit my scores for the club. I care about the state of the SECC and this is why say the things I do. Is there anything wrong with this ??

Maybe I am wrong but your vision of the SECC is just having a club to submit scores for. You don't
care if we have any club activities ,are competitive or set goals to win something - like we did for SS last year. Did I get that right ?

I know in the past you have been one of the prime people in the club to "shoot down" the suggestions that I have made to improve the club. You say " keep everything the way it is ".  It seems to me that anyone who makes comments that are counter to what you and a small group of vocal club members on the reflector think are labeled as "trouble makers". Everyone else either stays in the backgound and doesn't get involved or they just unsubscibe from the reflector. (and participating in club activities)

Now on the the latest  "outburst" as you would call it. It is pretty obvious that the Alabama members
of SECC are not happy with the SECC. Why else would they go and form their own contest club ?
Maybe you should read their reflector archive at http://lists.alabamacontestgroup.org/pipermail/acg/
You can just see their enthusiasm about having formed a new club. Why didn't they exhibit this same
enthusiasm for the SECC ?  Maybe one of the Alabama members who still subscribe to the SECC 
reflector can explain that to me ??  

A number of Alabama members also seemed to be pissed at me because they think that I am implying that they are not wanted in the the club anymore... which is not true.  Hey, if they aren't going to be active in the SECC anymore then what is wrong with shifting the circle south and east so guys like W4BQF, AA4V, KT4ZB and KF4GTA, who are active contesters can submit their scores for us without worrying about " which circle we are going to use this time"

I guess I should of known better to make this posting about the AQP in the first place based on past history. Maybe all I have said above is just a bunch of BS to you. In that case then the SECC is probably not for me and maybe I should just resign from the club.


Jeff  KU8E