wrote:
From: "wavetrapper" on 13 Feb 2007 10:38:16 -0800

Their IRS Returns show the amount they've spent on services
from a professional lobbying group and a law firm. One of
the law firm's partners is Chris Imlay, a member of the
ARRL's high inner circle. ARRL's recent IRS Returns
show a multi-million dollar PROFIT for their "non-profit"
organization.

Do you believe that the ARRL is breaking laws which govern what a
non-profit organization may or may not do?

I think any objective observer would conclude that
their ability to influence legislation, FCC rules, etc in recent years
has been pretty dismal.

The ARRL hasn't gotten carte blanche on what IT wanted,
true. But, it was never a god of radio...

Then again, you've never been able to make up your mind on who or what
is or is not a god of radio. You've been divided on the issue.


...and really did
NOT know what was "best" for US amateur radio...but it
seemed to know "what was best" for the Leagues' inner
commanders and their core membership.


What is an "inner commander"? How is it that you've become an expert in
what is good for amateur radio? You bandy terms like "core membership"
but you've never been a member of the ARRL. You must not be aware that
Leagues members span all classes of license, all age groups, all U.S.
geographic areas.

Earlier in their history, the ARRL had the ability to do this.

So, they've convinced you they did? :-)

Back in the 1920s and 1930s the League had trumped their
organization competitors in the USA.

Don't gloss over things, Len. How did such a thing come about?

At that time there
was little in the way of citizens communicating quickly
to DC and getting replies back.

I seem to recall that the Post Office was moving mail in those years.

ARRL provided the
opinion-courier services, a nice letter-head and all the
appearance of "being important."

What is an "opinion-courier"? Anyone is free to form an organization or
come up with a nice letterhead.

The ARRL has always presented strength in numbers.

It certainly didn't hurt
that H.P.Maxim had personal resources to make trips to DC
to do his lobbying efforts.

Didn't anyone else in amateur radio have the resources to drive or take
a train to Washington, D.C.?

ARRL was able to (profitably enough) publish a monthly
magazine (purportedly a 'membership' periodical) of
special interest to radio amateurs.

Why did you use the word "purported", Len. I'm not the only fellow who
has copies of the magazine. It was and is a membership periodical--less
so today than in years past, because much of its membership content has
been moved to the internet.

The IMAGE of "being
all for amateur radio" took hold in the limited ham
public eye.

Amateur radio has never been very much in the public eye.

It stuck, rightly or wrongly. There were no
real competitors in amateur radio publications before or
just after WW2.

There were numerous other amateur radio magazines in those periods.
"Radio" and "R-9" come to mind in the pre-war period.

Times change.

No kidding? :-)

The appearance of RIVAL publications soon after end of
WW2 (CQ, 73) plus the 1960's "question authority" mood
began to erode the League's carefully-manicured IMAGE.


As I told you previously, "CQ" is the result of the post-war sale of
"Radio" magazine and the move by Cowan Publications from California to
New York. "73" didn't come into existence until 1960. It was created
by Wayne Green, who was fired the previous year from his job as editor
of "CQ".

Those magazines did not represent "RIVAL" publications because they were
not magazines put out by membership organizations. Wayne Green did
attempt to start the "Institute of Amateur Radio". Wayne kept the money
and the organization folded.


ARRL increased its efforts to present the authoritative
"mission" of them knowing what was best for amateur
radio...

Anyone at the ARRL knew much, much more about what was good for amateur
radio (on even a bad day) as Leonard H. Anderson (on his best day).

...consistently that being "work DX on HF with CW."

You are the individual espousing that view. Radio amateurs and League
members have done and still do very many things not associated with CW
or DX.

VHF and above was a dark, mysterious region to the
League and they generally avoided that new area or just
didn't bother much with such things...it wasn't "ham
radio" as they knew it.

You've just made another in your rather long line of factual errors.
The facts do not support your claim. QST has published a VHF column for
decades and decades. The Handbook has had a great deal of information
on VHF/UHF contruction, antennas, propagation and operation. Ed
Tilton's primary focus at ARRL was VHF/UHF.

Once the Internet got going and the US government joined
up, the common folk COULD talk to DC at the speed of
light without any intermediaries to selectively sort/
sanction their words.

Common folk have always had the Post Office, Len. A lot of 'em could
even use a telephone--and it worked at the speed of light.

No more did US radio amateurs
have to go through their "district directors" to talk to
Washington.

The ARRL has never had "district directors".

The capitol began to "listen" more and more
to citizens through the Internet.

They still "listen" though the post office too, Len.

Dave K8MN

ARRL's recent IRS Returns show a multi-million dollar
PROFIT for their "non-profit" organization.

Despite what people think, 'non-profit' organizations are not required to
operate at a "zero sum" or "deficit" each year. It is perfectly legal for a
non-profit organization to have a surplus (i.e. "profit") in each year of
its operation.