On Wed, 13 Aug 2003 13:57:42 +0000 "Rob Atkinson, K5UJ"
<k5uj@hotmail.com> writes:
(Relating to Broadband over Power Lines)
> unfortunately I suspect a lot of hams either don't think it's that
> big a
> deal, are not HF operators and don't think they have to care about
> it, or
> think someone else will take care of it.
>
> It's too late to set this up now (or maybe not) but perhaps ARRL
> should
> consider setting up a grass roots ham organization like what the NRA
> has. I
> understand any time some new proposed gun regulation looks like it
> might
> have legs, the NRA calls, faxes, emails its members who respond by
> calling,
> and writing legeslators. If we assume BPL won't be the last massive
>
> widespread attempted invasion of our spectrum allocations it might
> be wise
> for someone at ARRL to write a tutorial in QST on how to comment to
> FCC,
> what the process is, etc. so we don't have these botched filings,
> and set up
> a network involving the membership. It would work like this:
> Members who
> wish to volunteer, would be placed on a contact list with their
> preferred
> communication--it might be phone no., email addr., postal addr., fax
> no.,
> whatever. Everyone would be assigned specific legeslators at all
> levels
> depending on the particular threat. so for example since I live in
> Illinois, I'd have on my list the IL congressman from my district,
> senator
> etc. with their phone nos., email and postal addrs. and so on, along
> with
> the FCC. When needed, we'd all get the message to contact these
> people,
> with a suggested text or we could make up our own with it as a
> guide. NRA
> does something like this and it is quite effective I understand.
> While we
> don't have their numbers, we might get several thousand responses
> instead of
> a few hundred, and more important, they would be sent to the right
> people
> and filed correctly because we'd be more coordinated, organized and
> have
> better instructions. just a thought.
>
> Rob Atkinson
> K5UJ
This is actually an excellent idea.
Perhaps it could be patterned after www.moveon.org, which is
a highly effective and growing group related to furthering a
more liberal political agenda. Member input can be as simple
as "signing" an electronic petition, or can be more involved,
such as initiating letters to the recommended politicians/bureaucrats.
They also encourage members to solicit new members, which would
work exceptionally well in the Amateur Radio community, and would
include ARRL non-members.
Effort expended by the ARRL in setting up and riding herd on this
program would be highly leveraged, since member inputs would be
effectively organized and on-target.
Dave Hachadorian, K6LL
Big Bear Lake, CA
.
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