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September 24th 04, 10:53 AM

In article ,
(Brian Kelly) writes:

for cripes sake, the Honcho Maximo of NCI wised up and
bailed out of here long ago leaving us to bicker mindlesssly,
circularly and endlessly with dim lights like Burke and the other
Anderson. WE'RE the RRAP stupids for bothering with any of it
Miccolis.

Who is bothering? I read a few posts, write a few, discuss interesting
topics with KB3EIA, N8UZE, and some others. Filtering what one reads
works wonders.

Carl only got to reap what he sowed.

Carl *used to* be one of the top name-callers, insulters, shouters, and
all-around behave-like-a-two-year-old posters here. Almost but not quite down
to Len Anderson's level of behavior.

Then Carl mellowed out and his online behavior improved dramatically. He also
became a lot easier to agree with! Perhaps it was the influence of
assertive-but-not-aggressive folks like W1RFI or K2UNK, perhaps it was seeing
FCC up close, perhaps it was the 2000 restructuring or maybe it was something
else like the fact that some of us simply refused to reply in kind. Or a
combination of factors, I don't know.

It should be remembered that Carl did, and is doing, a very significant job in
the anti-BPL efforts, including actual observations and measurements, with
detailed commentary to FCC based on first-hand experience.

He also altered his opinion to
something he said that he would never do. Nothing wrong with changing
one's mind - I do it at least three times before breakfast. (someone's
quote) But a large part of my earlier respect was based on that "never
reducing test requirements" statement. So he did a lot of credibility
erosion there.

I was really surprised at that too - at first. What it comes down to is a
political move. I think Carl so wants Element 1 to be removed, and the rules to
be simplified, that he supported the ARRL proposal even though it effectively
reduces written requirements. All about compromising to get what he thought was
most important. Faulty as it is, the ARRL proposal is much much better than the
NCVEC "Communicator" one.

Side note: If you read the commentaries on the 18 or so restructuring petitions
so far, there's no clear consensus *for* any of them. In fact, the majority
opinion seems to be to leave things as they are (including the code test), or
make minor adjustments around the edges. What's missing in that pile of
commentary is broad-based support for a workable proposal.

Now if some proposal did get a lot of support, (say 70-80% or more favorable)
there's a good chance FCC would take that as consensus and run with it. No
restructuring proposal thus far has gotten near that much acceptance. So Carl
supported the ARRL petition, warts and all, in the hope it would carry the day.
(Just IMHO)

Which is why I'd like to see the K0HB proposal get an RM number. WHo knows what
the reaction might be?

(end side note).

A part of that support is based on the anti-BPL fight, too. The argument goes
like this: There are well over 320,000 Tech and Tech-Plus hams out there who
have either no HF/MF (those who haven't passed Element 1) or who have minimal
HF (those who have passed Element 1). Free upgrade to General would endow all
of them with a lot more HF/MF privileges, and hopefully a significant
percentage would set up HF/MF stations and use them - and protest BPL too.

In any event, he simply changed his mind in certain specific instances. Here
are some mo

For years Carl harangued us about "electronic paintball wars" and such,
referring to contests and DX-chasing. Also about "better modes and modulations"
including spread spectrum, appliance operators who have no idea what's behind
the panel, etc., etc.. Another pet peeve was vanity calls - he held on to his
old 2x3 6-land call even though he lives here in EPA.

Then, after the restructuring of 2000, he got his Extra. And a 2x1 vanity call.
And he racked up over 70 countries on HF SSB using a manufactured
transceiver.....

Not that there's anything wrong with any of it. But it sure was surreal to read
about! As you say, Mike - "it's all good".

Mike this is gonna come off a bit weird coming from a hardcore PCTA
but I learned that the Carl is basically an OK kinda guy. I met him
eyeball-to-eyball in the Emmaus PA area when Hare, W3HJ, Carl and I
were chasing BPL signals around that area together. I had dinner with
him and at one point threatened him with a code test which he took in
good humor etc. Today he and I continue to keep in touch on a number
of topics well beyond the code test thing.

Yup.

Gets down to firmly
establishing the fact that, with a few obvious exceptions, perceptions
of the overall characters of RRAPers based only on what they post here
can't be taken seriously.

Some of us are the same online and off, some are very different. There are some
folks I'd love to meet in person and others I'd actively avoid.

And I respond to who I like in the group. occasionally even Lenover21,
when I'm in a puckish mood! ;^)

. . . see above WRT to "obvious exceptions" . . .

bingo.

The guy was blind . . that was the worst of the
worst of the bad experiences I've had in the game. Madonna was right:
It's a material world. Yes, I fear for the future of ham radio.

I did not know that story. Makes me sick.

Oy! Just remember, Karma keeps a bank account, and pays back with
interest! Thank goodness you stopped to help the guy, Brian.

Gawd I was ****ed off at those jerks . . still am . . .

So the future of ham radio relies on those who are really interested
in radio for its own sake and are a lot more than "sort of"
interested. Those folks are out there, and will continue to be. But
they will not be attracted by lowering the requirements or trying to
make ham radio a sort of rf version of the internet.

Wow! That last paragraph is a real keeper, Jim. I may post it in my
shack, WYP of course....

Of course - just put my call at the end.

Jim's 100% on the money.

R R TU OM

73 de Jim, N2EY