Comments on: RAC President joins the conversation

By: David VE3UZ

David VE3UZ — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 00:05:48 +0000

Geoff,

I for one, am very appreciative of the time and effort put in by all the RAC Executive volunteers. I agree, too often, tried and true methods are written off as being “old technology”, instead of being considered a strong supplement to a newer approach. One fear, is the traditional ways will be forgotten. Many years ago, a senior engineering manager told me, what he valued most in new hires, was a good grounding in the core basics. The rest, he said, can be added.

By: Geoff Bawden ve4baw

Geoff Bawden ve4baw — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 02:54:27 +0000

Hello David ve3uz

Sorry to take so long to get back to you but business before pleasure [work business and RAC business]. I am very big on education and feel that RAC needs to play a leadership role in education especially as it concerns helping build new hams, also RAC needs to be educating the public on the value of what some media [inaccurately in my view] calls “old technology”. TCA contains articles on new technologies and experimentation…. the RAC organization is composed of members and requires leaders champions and enablers to own issues and move them forward.

By: David VE3UZ

David VE3UZ — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 00:31:02 +0000

Geoff,

Thanks for your insight.

My view, is that building on the original roots is the way to go. The justification for Amateur Radio has been based on 3 pillars. 1) Learning and education in communications technology, 2) Development and experimentation in and with new communication techniques. 3) Providing communications support in times of emergency need.

It seems, in the last several years, too much emphasis has been placed on #3, and too little on #1 and #2 pillars. Are you going to take a more balanced path?

By: Geoff Bawden ve4baw

Geoff Bawden ve4baw — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 05:38:54 +0000

Thanks for the comment David ve3uz .. yep, I doubt that everyone is a budding ham and I completely agree that we need to attract and support those with the interest. We also need to find ways to engage the public in some way. When I told my father that I was going to become a ham he said “Hams have saved a lot of lives”. Now that is respect. If the public recognizes our value to the community we will face less issues around say distracted driver legislation, antenna laws ..

By: James, VE2KHC

James, VE2KHC — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 14:14:58 +0000

Greetings! Let’s hope that the RAC Financials for 2009 do NOT reflect the outrageous charges for ‘Legal’ and ‘Accounting’ expenses found on the past yearly statements.

One suggestion: lower the accounting fee by having a REVIEW rather than an AUDIT!!

Thanks!

James, VE2KHC

By: From the RAC President « VA3QV’s Weblog

From the RAC President « VA3QV’s Weblog — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 23:48:33 +0000

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By: David VE3UZ

David VE3UZ — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 17:46:35 +0000

Just a comment on young people’s views on Amateur Radio.

I got my licence when I was in high school, in the 1970′s. All of my fiends, except one, though I was wierd to want involvement in that type of hobby. That one friend got his Amateur licence about 10 years latter. The young people today are no different. To this day, friends say to me, oh, you still do that radio thing do you?

No matter what age, only a small percentage of society want to have involvement with Amateur Radio, even if they know anything about it, and most don’t.

I think we need to stop kidding ourselves that everyone wants to become a Radio Amateur. Some do, but most don’t. We need to find and help the ones who do want to take it up. They are there, but few in number.

Maybe you think I’m being negative. I just tend to be a realist.