On Sat, 30 Jun 2007 07:49:18 EDT, Klystron wrote:

Long story short: Once upon a time, hams were viewed as 'rocket
scientists' and were a force for progress and innovation. Now, they're
viewed as cranky old geezers who are living in the past and pounding
Samuel Morse' old telegraph key while whining about young
whippersnappers who don't respect their elders. A new organization would
break free of that past and move forward. It goes without saying that
ARRL types will not want this and will try to stop it.

Why, when I read stuff like this, and I reminded of Robert Heinlein's
classic short story "The Roads Must Roll" ? (If you are not familiar
with it, READ IT before your next posting.)

This "cranky old geezer" was licensed with that call sign since 1952
and is on the air daily with HF and VHF digital data and voice while a
WW-II J-38 telegraph key sits next to a modern kit-built HF SSB and
data transmitter with all the bells and whistles. I've mentored more
hams than I can think of and have testified for and represented quite
a number of hams in hearings and court trials over their right to
operate their stations.

None of that would have happened without the ARRL teaching me, helping
me, and backing me. None of it.

"Cranky old geezer" ? Hardly. And there's a lot more folks like me
out there.

If you think that the League is "static" then you aren't looking in
the right places. It's your problem, not the League's.
--
73 de K2ASP -- Phil Kane
k2asp [at] arrl [dot] net

ARRL Life Member
ARRL Volunteer Counsel
ARRL Volunteer Consulting Engineer
ARRL Northwest Division Assistant Director
Trustee of several radio club stations