that drives me nuts when big players in a club don't actually have anything 
to do with "radio"
Or if they're never on the air.
Around here it's mostly because they are members of a bunch of clubs and 
just don't have the time between work, family and club events.
It also bugs me when they are expected to make decisions about the club's 
operations, without having a clue of the feeling of the general 
membership...because they don't turn a radio on and listen to the membership 
talking about stuff on the club machines.
Our entire executive with our club might get an hour of PTT time a week 
between all of them.
And most of that is talking about other drivers, the pot holes, and the 
weather on the way to and from work on the freeway.

I figure if your going to be part of a club, and that club operates 
repeaters designed for use by the membership, then you should, especially if 
you are a director or part of the operations team or an executive, make a 
special effort to at least monitor the club machines to keep an ear open to 
the membership and the general goings on within the ham community in your 
area.
If you abhor clubs, then don't ever get into a ham club...the gosip and 
politics, and separate agenda's are like bad junior high.

73
Colin, V A6BKX
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Richard Fiorello" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Tuesday, May 03, 2011 4:11 PM
Subject: dumbing down


>I just can't resist.  I don't think things have  dumbed down at all just
> changed.  I'm not talking so much about the exams but day to day
> activity.  Radio has become more and more computer dependant whether I
> like it or not.  My drake tr4 back in 1973 didn't know what a menu was.
> It was wonderful.
> As someone else very correctly mentioned problems are made worse by the
> fact that more and more hams are living in locations where antennas are
> a problem.  Also the average age in many clubs is getting much older and
> there just isn't that zest to tackle that 60 foot tower.
> In my locality I have found that eager helpers for those projects I find
> challenging aren't nearly as available as they were in yester year.
> Partially because life is more busy and partially because many folks
> just aren't up to the task.
> The club I belong to has a number of extras who have no station and
> other than limited club activity haven't operated from their own qth.
> Something really dumb like a requirement to work all states prior to
> taking the extra exam would start a lively debate.
> The club president who teaches classes for new hams has no station or
> antenna.
> I don't think he is into echo link either.  Ham radio for the sake of
> ham radio without ever turning on a radio is a interesting thought.
>
> -- 
> richard