[Steven Smith]

The ARRL will convene a significant Board of Director meeting soon.

The meeting will convene on January 19, 2024

The BOD will discuss three key issues that I would like for all ARRL members to know and act on accordingly.

1.      Motion to Honor Membership Contracts

2.      Motion to Replace Bylaw 46 (Censorship of Member Elected Officials)

3.      Motion to Establish a Reduced Youth Dues Rate

Details of each of these Motions may be found here…
https://westgulfdivision.org/motion

If you agree with any of my following of my comments on the above BOD meeting items.
Please Email any or all the Division Directors listed on page 15 of any recent QST
or by referencing the following link http://www.arrl.org/divisions
Please be polite, to the point and respectful in your comments.

Our ARRL members that have unfinished Terms of Membership, should not have been stripped of receiving the Printed Edition of QST or OTA magazine by US Mail.
Members paid for this, changing what is provided to a member within their currently paid term of membership is not only wrong, and probably an illegal act.
Therefore, I support John Robert Stratton N5AUS when he calls for a Motion to Honor Membership Contracts.

The Toe the Line or be removed Motion
About to be formally introduced and mandated I believe may be an illegal act within Connecticut law. Regardless of its legality, it is wrong to bar our elected officials from speaking candidly about ARRL policy and Board member agenda with ARRL members which elected them.
Therefore, I oppose any movement forward with respect to bylaw 46 and oppose By Law 46 and it’s “New Code of Conduct.” Which amounts to a gag order on our elected officials.
By Law 46 should NOT exist within a Member organization.

Motion to decrease membership dues for Youth.
Allowing Youth to gain ARRL Membership at a reduced rate is a wining situation for the ARRL and everyone that is a part of the ARRL.
An organization that wishes to grow their ranks, should not overlook embracing youth.
It is not enough to offer them a few chances of receiving operating and non-operating awards, once they become members. We must encourage and provide avenues to gain them as members early in their lives.
Therefore, I support John Robert Stratton N5AUS when he calls for the Motion to Establish a Reduced Membership Rate for Youth.

 

Steven Lott Smith
KG5VK
ARRL North Texas Section Manager

 

 

[Phillip Beall]

All,

Good morning everyone.  It has taken me a while to get around to sending my thoughts on current events to ARRL leadership, but I finally fired something into the fray last night.  Honestly, I suspect the kind of activity a handful of ARRL board members are currently engaging in are the exact reason that so many hams hold ARRL in such low regard.  You don’t need to question me on that statement, just look at the low license holder membership in ARRL.  From Google “There are approximately 700,000 licensed U.S. ham operators” and ” with more than 160,000 members, ARRL is the largest organization of radio amateurs in the world”  To me, having barely over 20% of license holders as members is not exactly something to crow about.  And what does that low participation rate mean?  Hams that are not members of ARRL are not for a number of reasons and they vote with their dollars and non-membership.  It has been related to me by one non-member that he gets the sense that ARRL doesn’t really exist to represent him.    His view, as related to me, was that ARRL concentrates on bureaucratic ambition rather than membership service as the goal.  Unfortunately, I suspect that many hams regard ARRL like polls and surveys show the population regards the US Congress.  Overall Congress is held in great disfavor, but individual congressional representatives continually get reelected by their supporters.  I suspect apathy plays a large role in that.  Imagine how effective ARRL could be if we had a 70-80% participation rate…but I digress.

In North Texas we are well represented by our ARRL West Gulf directors and Section Manager.  They produce information that, in my view, really shines light on important issues for their members.  When I was pointed to the “Motion To Replace Bylaw 46” I shook my head in disbelief.  I wish the ARRL membership that gave us the makers of this motion would read it and realize who they have representing them and what they are attempting to do.  The maker, Director Art Zygielbaum (K0AIZ) and the second, Director Kristen McIntyre (K6WX), appear to me to have way – WAY – too much time on their hands.  Who are these two?

“Dr. Arthur Zygielbaum is an Emeritus Research Associate Professor from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln School of Natural Resources. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Physics from the University of California at Los Angeles and a Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering-Computers from the University of Southern California.” (source)

“Kristen McIntyre is currently a senior software engineer at Apple working on operating systems. She recently came back from being an entrepreneur in Japan. Previously, she was a researcher at Sun Microsystems Laboratories where she was researching robustness and emergent properties of large distributed computer systems.” (source)

OK, so a pattern is coming together for me.  Both long-time California academic types, both extremely smart and accomplished and both…apparently interested in participating in adding to the power of ARRL bureaucrats.  They may be fantastic people.  I sincerely mean that.  But I do hope the ARRL members in Nebraska and California start scrutinizing how these two people represent them, because if their body of work for the League consists of stuff like the suggested replacement code of conduct, I really question their devotion to core membership interests.  One man’s opinion.

I am inserting my email to the ARRL board below.  If you want to pass along your own thoughts on the matter I suggest that you concentrate on three key points:

1) Your support for ensuring people that paid membership dues with the expectation of getting QST or On The Air continue getting it through the duration of their membership cycle.

2) Your opposition to the “Motion to Replace By-Law 46”.  It should simply be withdrawn.  Absent that, it should be voted down.

3) Your support for ensuring a reduced cost membership option for youth.  They are the future of our great hobby.

To make it easier for you to write the ARRL board, including the president, please click here.  That will spawn you an email that is preaddressed to their email addresses.  I suggest keeping it polite, even if (as with me) you are highly annoyed by the political shenanigans that appear to be driving #2 above.

73

Phillip Beall (W5EBC)

 

Email to ARRL Board

January 7, 2024

All,

My wife and I are both members of the American Radio Relay League (ARRL). I am emailing this to the ARRL board of directors as a whole, as well as the president, so please let me start off by thanking each of you for serving and for the League making your contact information so easy to obtain. Some entities, for profit and non-profit alike, make it difficult to discern who their leadership is. You are to be commended for ARRL’s transparency in this regard. I am writing for several reasons, but in at least one regard I detect a drift away from transparency.

At the upcoming annual meeting I am in support of two of the three proposals, the Motion To Honor Membership Contracts and the Motion To Establish A Reduced Youth Dues Rate, but I am completely opposed to the Motion To Replace Bylaw 46 (New Code of Conduct) (contains 3 parts) – The Toe The Line or Be Removed Motion.[i]

My wife and I are both Life Members of the National Rifle Association (NRA) and the Texas State Rifle Association (TSRA) and I have been an officer with a nationally recognized entity and served on its board of directors. I tell you these things so that you will better understand that I am very familiar with the ARRL governance and leadership structure. The NRA has been upside down on our Life Memberships for a number of years, as the cost of publishing and mailing magazines has subsequently far outstripped what we paid for our Life Memberships. And while I always personally like a “good deal” like anyone else, I do recognize that NRA is having budget issues that can at least partly be tied to the Life Membership program. So, when I saw that ARRL had changed the annual program to where dues no longer covered QST or On The Air I had two reactions: 1) While I can personally afford to pay for both dues and QST separately, many members likely cannot. 2) I hoped that your change was not done in a manner that disenfranchised members that are currently receiving QST or On The Air. We support the Motion To Honor Membership Contracts as it appears to directly address that matter. I am concerned if this motion is not fully supported by the leadership you could run afoul of a number of legal issues related to your fiduciary responsibilities. Even if legal counsel told you that it was OK, I submit that if you support this motion and secure its passage you and everyone else will be well served.

My earlier reference to transparency is directly addressed by the Motion To Replace Bylaw 46 (New Code of Conduct). In my former board capacity I would personally have bristled at anyone even suggesting the language of that motion. Completely over the top and unnecessary. I can only imagine the palace intrigue that spawned that piece of work and what it might help to facilitate. Seriously? I cannot imagine anyone but the author, with pride of authorship bias, supporting that motion. When I read the League’s ARRL POLICY ON BOARD GOVERNANCE AND CONDUCT OF MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND VICE DIRECTORS[ii] I am of the mind that the current Bylaw 46 is perfectly sufficient. Anything can be tweaked, but “Duties of a Director Overview, Duty of Care, Duty of Loyalty and Duty of Obedience” – are you kidding me? Did the directors that are making that motion fully explain this to anyone prior to introducing it? I see this as some sort of heavy-handed power grab by someone somewhere. I am not completely sure what is motivating it, but I totally oppose the replacement of the ARRL By-Law’s[iii] current Bylaw 46 with the Motion To Replace Bylaw 46 (New Code of Conduct) and associated documents.

There have been many changes in ham radio over the last fifty years. The reduction from five licenses to three and the elimination of Morse Code requirements entirely was both contentious and for a reason – Ham radio as a hobby was moribund and dying. Those changes accomplished what we all wanted, a return of growth of the hobby, albeit slow and unsteady growth. For a fact we must attract youth to the hobby. Youth that get smartphones at a very early age and visually stimulating smartphone and video games are both an impediment to developing ham radio interest. As a result, I believe it is imperative that we continue with youth outreach in every regard. This is but one reason that I support the Motion To Establish A Reduced Youth Dues Rate. Economics are already a barrier to entry for many. ARRL must do everything possible to make sure that is not the case with regard to youth joining ARRL and getting a magazine to help retain their interest.

Folks, as I peruse ARRL governing documents I get a weird sense, not unlike a sense that I got at times when serving in my board capacity at the other entity. Using the League’s vernacular, it is my sense that the “CEO” David Minster, NA2AA is perhaps trying to insulate himself from responsibility to the owners of ARRL, the dues paying members. He is an employee, you set the policy and I hope, I sincerely hope, that none of you has lost site of the fact that both the By-Laws and policies say that all steps are to be taken in furtherance of the goals and of objectives of the ARRL and its members (emphasis added). I suggest each of you look in the mirror the next time that you are brushing your teeth and ask yourself this singular question “Is everything that I do in my capacity with ARRL in furtherance of the members wishes?” If you wince and think to yourself “Well, maybe not.”, then you need to make sure and get yourself lined up with the ability to say “Absolutely.” My method for sniffing out whether I should or should not support something or someone was to ask if it was a news story tomorrow, front page, above the fold, headline and article; if all my friends and family read it would I be proud of my depiction? I always forced myself to the position that the answer to that had to be a hard yes, even if it was in conflict with my own personal wishes. I served the members. You do too.

Best Regards,

Phillip S. Beall (W5EBC)
ARRL Member # 2000242363

[Danial Beard]

Nicely eloquent, Phil.

I’m going with a somewhat shorter version … as follows.

***

 

Good morning Gentlemen and ladies.

 

Please consider the following as direct feedback, input and guidance from existing members in good standing.   In the interest of simplicity, I will address these three subjects by numbered point without preamble:

 

1. Motion to Honor Membership Contracts  — I find any accidental or intentional efforts or outcomes which essentially defraud paid membership of contracted benefits little less than an affront to all membership.   Allowing folks to be shorted on something they’ve already paid for is erroneous and unworthy.

 

2. Motion to Replace Bylaw 46  — No one is being fooled here.   This idea is an odious shenanigan on it’s face, and deeply flawed in its content and intent.    The fact that this idea actually made it out of a private conversation as a serious suggestion places both the job performance and essential character of all involved under question, and stinks of attempting both mis and malfeasance.   You can’t fix what introducing it has already done to reputations, but you can limit the damage by dropping it and burying it where it fell.

 

3. Motion to Establish a Reduced Youth Dues Rate — This one is actually a good idea.  We support this.   It’s just unfortunate to be found and considered in the poisonous company of the former rotten idea.

 

Ladies and gentlemen, I will conclude by inserting portions of my missive sent to Steven Smith, our ARRL section manager.

 

“ … it seems to me that the ARRL hierarchy has recently (and successfully) been using their own toes — and live rounds —  for target practice.

…

Most hams are far from stupid, and rank and file members are notorious for voting with their feet, and suddenly closed checkbooks.”

 

Regards,

 

 

Dan Beard (KB7JZI)

 

 

• This reply was modified 7 months ago by Danial Beard. Reason: Outgoing content revised

[Steven Smith]

Philip,

Thank you for posting your comments and feedback, as well as the link to the email addresses.

You spent some time researching the two Directors that are proposing the Change in Bylaw 46
with their New Code of Conduct, I greatly appreciate your well stated position and thoughtful comments.

I am eager to see the proposed replacement of Bylaw 46 fail,
personally because the next step of those wanting this is not only easy Removal or Censorship
of any Director that does not agree with them, but both Parties of ARRL member Elected Officials (Division Directors and Section Managers).

Our ARRL West Gulf Division Director will be our first loss.
Why do they want to oust John Robert Stratton, because the creators of the replacement of bylaw 46
do not want a member with Our Board of Directors that offers any transparency of policy to the members that elected them.

Their next step is to extend these new Draconian rules to Section Managers, our other Member elected officials.
I am at the top of the list of those that the CEO desires gone.
Because I am too Vocal to our members about what is occuring at the ARRL that is less about or for members and more about the leaders
making the changes they want for their benefit, not members.

I heard from a ARRL NTX Club president which recently decided to no longer be an ARRL member.
He was apologizing to me, because he could no longer support the ARRL now and that he greatly appreciated my last visit this summer to their club,
where I showed them how to view ARRL Board of Director Minutes.
At that meeting we looked at the minutes from the July 2023 Board meeting
and dissected what occurred.

Let’s just say a great number of ARRL members Jaws dropped to the floor in shock.

First why had they heard little to nothing on the changes made, that were definitely not for or on the behalf of members.

When I showed them in the published minutes, where the Board of Directors changed Three Bylaws, just so they could
stop printing and mailing the ARRL Journal to Members, they were in shock,  the non verbal feedback in that room when seeing that was truly a Deer in Headlights reaction. Startling to say the least, especially when one member asked me – why did they make those three changes.

Of course the answer is, those bylaws had to be changed to allow non shipment of QST or OTA (On The Air) magazine by US postal Mail to currently paid Members.

Many faces started turning Red.
Why, because every ARRL member within that meeting  were expecting to see QST in their Mailbox until their renewal date sometime in 2025.

Those same ARRL members were well aware of the recent at that time Membership Survey,
which of course had no mention of the recindece of QST from ARRL Members.
More than a few asked me if they could sue the ARRL for breach of Contract,
I stated I was not an attorney, even though I did sleep at the Holiday Inn the night before their meeting.
However, they could consult one on the practicality of a suit and the possible postal regulations that might play a part.

The Key issues is a great majority of our Fellow amateurs did not and many still to this day do not realize
The balance of this year there will be no printed QST in their mailboxes, even if they renewed a year ago and have close to 24 months left in their current membership term. In early 2023, the league sold many Renewals for a term of Three years.

Why are our fellow amateurs being blindsided by the one organization that pledges to support them and our great hobby….
Because The ARRL CEO does not believe in full transparency, his statement during the ARRL Forum at the Huntsville Alabama Hamfest Convention
“We the ARRL do Not have a Transparency problem” – Quote David Minster
There were more than a few in that ARRL Forum that bristled at that comment from him.

If the CEO had explained to our members the need to separate QST from Membership with the ARRL
I believe he would have gained trust and found all but a small majority willing to accept the change,
we will never know as he decided to just blind side us all.

Fellow amateurs do not do that to each other, Lie, Cheat, and do underhanded things.
To be clear the ARRL Board of Directors made the changes, not the CEO.
However, he proposed these changes, I think our members and fellow amateur radio ops are smart enough to figure that out.
And many members are leaving the ARRL, we have lost 3.5 percent as of the end of November (Published membership stats are always a full month behind and are available to ARRL Section Managers and Board of Directors).

I am hopeful that more than a few of our ARRL members will voice their opposition to any changes in bylaw 46
with emphasis on Not adopting the Proposed New Code of Conduct and all three of its Parts.

And are For Honoring current Membership Contracts,
as well as in favor of the motion for a reduced ARRL Membership Youth rate.

(The following two documents are hosted on my google drive space and should be accessible to anyone with the Link)

For those that wish a detailed explanation on the reasons they should be against any replacement of ByLaw 46 with the Proposed “New Code of Conduct” please read the document at the following link…

The creator of the document at the following link is Mr. Fred Hopengarten K1VR, he is a widely respected amateur radio operator and a past ARRL Division Director.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1NfMGQ5B07_wZmKJ3ar2VnF5StqLroL7p/view?usp=sharing

Also a FAQ file on the Proposed replacement of bylaw 46…….
(Disclaimer I do NOT know the originator of this FAQ File,
However, what I saw there bears facts as I know them and reinforces in plain language that the replacement of bylaw 46 that we have now with the “New Code of Conduct – Toe The Line” is very bad.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/14vTWDLWZYISyRDuEEiVdqoPqXu99FRqa/view?usp=sharing

I know this dialogue above is long
And as your ARRL North Texas Section Manager
I greatly appreciate your time in reading my post

In summary….

I am hopeful that The Proposed Motion which will be brought forth by our West Gulf Division Director to
Honor current ARRL membership Contracts passes – we Vote for this.

Changes to ARRL Bylaw 46 with the Proposed “New Code of Conduct and all three of its parts” 
We Vote against this.

Create a Reduced Youth rate for ARRL Membership
We Vote Yes!

Cheers!

Steve KG5VK
ARRL NTX Section Manager

• This reply was modified 7 months ago by Steven Smith. Reason: spelling

[Steven Smith]

I have been receiving comments from fellow Section Managers and our Division Director and Vice Director that echo the following
from the ARRL West Texas Section Manager…..

” Wow!  North Texas has Vocal and Astute ARRL Members which know how to articulate the facts” – Dale Durham W5TX

I am proud to say,
Some of us North Texas members are sharing what we know with other talk groups and email reflectors.
The discussion started on the DFWCG (Dallas Ft. Worth Contest Group) and is spreading to other groups such as the one below……….

(I just late last night heard about the Shadow Board of Director Meetings – Steve KG5VK)

——————————————————————————————————————————
(From the CW OPS Talk Group Reflector)

Folks,

You may be asking why are we seeing a discussion of ARRL governance on the CWOPS reflector?

The most obvious reason – ARRL management has seen fit to refrain from publicly disclosing, in any meaningful way, the text of at least three announced motions scheduled for presentation at the upcoming Board Meeting ten days hence.

Maybe you noticed the ARRL Letter published last Thursday makes no mention whatsoever of the upcoming Board Meeting nor the three important motions to be considered (there may be other motions we are unaware of at this time).  You would think the Officers of a ‘membership’ organization such as the ARRL would act more transparently, actively informing the membership on issues of importance, and welcome broad-based member participation in decision-making, particularly when it comes to the bylaw changes.  Unfortunately, such is not the case.  The tendency to keep Members in the dark and uninvolved has been standard practice and noted by many on this reflector for much too long.

We only know about motion specifics, and in particular, the proposed changes to BL 46, by virtue of two or three ARRL Directors who have seen fit to openly publish them for the benefit of their Division constituents, seeking Member comment and suggestions.  I’m sure most of you would agree, at least in principle,  Directors have an obligation to consult with their constituents on such matters of importance.  Unfortunately, very little outreach by Directors is being practiced.

The powers that be in Newington have made the communication process difficult.  There are few local or national forums where these issues can be openly discussed so we’re seeing some spill over to this forum which does enjoy a broad cross-section of ARRL membership and ARRL support.  But given Board meetings are effectively ‘closed’ and poorly reported, we may never know how our Directors present their views in the debate, nor who voted to approve or disapprove motions given the recent change in the roll call vote rule.

Many on this reflector certainly recall 2018 when similar events occurred leading up the 2018 January ARRL Board meeting.  In my view this is much like watching the ‘video tape’ of that sad series of events.

The revelation this week (made in a report written by ARRL First VP K1TWF)  that there is a ‘shadow board’ operating which excludes elected Directors representing nearly 1/3 of all ARRL members is appalling.  This news should be exceptionally troubling to all Members – but unfortunately very few know that the secret “board” even exists.  Perhaps more will come to learn about this in the week ahead. This is a serious ‘red flag’ regarding the health of ARRL governance.

If you haven’t read the K1TWF report, I urge you to do so.  It is found here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/12mvpIlYgnQCHkmDuKM7lLCVnNis_ZTYh/view?fbclid=IwAR20q3kRQYh_P52BgnFFVyRBZY8yd_ACR-PKmH3koaW3EpIXEVGyUQEX0yc

If you don’t want to participate in this discussion, hit the ignore button.  But if you are sufficiently curious,  please seek out the documents, read them for yourself, also read the views of those in favor or against, reach your own conclusions, and take a few minutes to communicate your thoughts and opinions with friends and those elected to represent your membership in the ARRL.

Regards,

John Crovelli, W2GD
ARRL Life Member
CWOPS #204

—————————————————————————————————————-

I am hoping many ARRL members will do more than just conclude
the ARRL is heading down the wrong path.
And will email Our leadership using the simple email link that Phillip provided in his comments.

If you desire a shorter message to send to the League Board, just email me or ask, here.

If we just shake our heads, we will deserve the disaster new ARRL we are provided.
Speak gently, courteously and loudly through the large voice of a group composed of many.

Steve
KG5VK
ARRL NTX Section Manager
CW Ops Member # 1806

[Danial Beard]

Well … I just got notice of sent folder write errors.   I guess I’m not surprised.   My internet connection has been sketchy all morning.   It would be interesting to find out if any of it was delivered.

(… and yes.   I took some of the heat out of it before I hit, “SEND.”)

 

[Steven Smith]

Those that have or are following this Thread

Might be interested in listening to this……..

Caution Dick is well spoken but often a bit long winded
He brings up three things that I feel should concern all of us.

Dick Norton Speaks At Quartzfest 2024
A must watch YouTube video

ARRL Southwestern Division
Dick Norton, N6AA
https://youtu.be/AH8Xd9u9_pw

 

Cheers!
Steve
KG5VK

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