1/10/2009
Introductions
Names and callsigns
Discussion of the mechanics of the ARRL board meeting
Purpose of the cabinet meeting – information gathering
Getting on the air
More emphasis this year on state QSO parties and other “low pressure” Get on the air (GOTA) activities
Triple play award is a success
Could some GOTA type program be set up to encourage ARES membership?
What motivates people to get licensed
Disconcerting number of people getting licenses with no intention of using them (W1YRC)
Many served agency professional getting licensed, but not getting on the year
Note apparent decline of manners and behavior
People don’t seem to be interested in learning
Dxing is very concentrated with the low sunspot numbers, so tempers flaring ??
Emergency operations
With more served agency professionals getting licensed, interesting questions arising about appropriate use of ham radio
In general, good faith and sensible activities are fine
League should engage with the broader question of the position of ham radio within the emergency services
Denis Dura, K2DCD, ARRL Emerg Coord, is trying to work us into things more at the Federal level
League is doing more coordination where events build up from local to regional scope
Coursework
Cost of the EMCOMM course ($45) – can it be reduced/eliminated? – base cost to the League is around $25
FEMA Emcomm courses cover some, and are free. IS-700 is one. http://training.fema.gov/IS/crslist.asp
Should League fund these ?
FEMA Regional Emergency Communications Coordination Working Group (RECCWG’s) were set up by law in 2008 – the League needs to engage them.
Consider strengthening the League’s hand in dealing with section emergency management groups
ARES database – complete version not needed, but something tracking appointees and leadership would be good
New hams
Licensing served agency people (police, fire, hospital, etc.) is producing some number of new hams
New hams licensed in
2007 – 866 new hams
2008 – 1059 new hams
Despite the significant increase, NE is running behind most other ARRL divisions
28000 new hams nationally, a net of about 8000 over attrition
What are League membership retention stats?
VE sessions a very good contact point for new hams !
We should consider trying to attract technical innovators to the League, regardless of license status
Contesting
EME contest – proposed changes to digital rules
VHF contests – proposed changes to rover rules to limit grid circling, add club competition
Remote station discussions still underway
Status of Kosovo still under discussion – at the moment, it doesn’t meet DXCC criteria
CW skimmer creating controversy over assisted vs.unassisted
FCC
Riley Hollingsworth has retired, and not replaced – rumor is that it will happen in a few weeks
FCC not functioning well at the moment – bottleneck in the Chairman’s office
Digital TV is sucking up large FCC resources
Note increase in issuance of experimental licenses
Pave Paws
Problems continue in
Ethics and elected officials
Could we use a more formal code of conduct
The SM recall mechanism should be reviewed
Risk management in general
MRaisbeck