From: jfk@eniac.seas.upenn.edu (Natasha)
Newsgroups: rec.radio.amateur.policy
Subject: Re:  all of this closed repeater stuff
Keywords: stuff stuff stuff stuff
Date: 28 Jan 93 20:30:14 GMT
Organization: University of Pennsylvania ARC, N3KZ

I must say, I was rather surprised to come back to this newsgroup
after a couple days absent to find 150 new messages with practically
the same subject.  Needless to say, my interest was piqued, but now, I'm
not so sure it was all worth reading.

First, my opinion on the subject of closed repeaters:

   They're allowed - and they're legal.  There's no rule that says you have
to let someone else use your station.  There's only a rule that you may
not accept or require reimbursement for the use of your station.  Now
club run repeaters...and even people run repeaters don't fall under the rule of
accepting or requiring reimbursement because they're made up of amateurs
cooperating on "co-owning" a station.  People may disagree with me, but
such club dues for repeaters are perfectly reasonable for a station you
have an investment in (seriously, how many clubs have ONE person owning a
repeater?  usually, it's the entire club...the club itself).

   Now, while closed repeaters may be legal - and I can even
see justification from a certain twisted viewpoint for their inception (though I
refuse to go into that here) - I find it hard to see how they fit into the
spirit of amateur radio.  I mean, amateur radio is primarily a public service.
Our primary charter is to be trained and prepared to provide communications in
state of emergency.  Beyond that, amateur radio was supposed to be a fun
(whether serious or not) hobby in which we as members of that community enjoyed
sharing information, experiences and resources (to a limited extent) with
each other.  In light of this feeling of comraderie, how is it we find
ourselves with closed repeaters?

  The line is thin indeed.  And as evidenced from this last set of
sometimes hilarious and sometimes not so hilarious flamethrowing messages, I
can see that we're all walking it.

  I find the legal issues discussed quite interesting...though wish to
make no comment on it now.  And I'm not even going to touch the SoCal
thing with a 40 foot tower - as there are many conflicting reports and
it sounds like it's a system that needs reevaluating - from within - and
from without.

  Now, as for the flamethrowing.  At risk of being put on Mr. Maynard's
personal hit list - I offer this advice:

  -- If you have nothing good to say - then silence is usually best - heck,
     silence is usually more powerful than words.

  -- And if you must express your feelings - don't waste bandwidth - use email;)

I agree with Mr Maynard's distaste at the "jammer".  I too agree that anyone
who has to resort to that sort of tactic is the lowest of hams.  And I don't
think that any qualfications made for jamming - such as operating on a closed
repeater, or QRM'ing a transmission - is any excuse.  Simply put, if you're
interefering with someone else's station - which includes the unauthorized
use of it - you are at fault.  I don't think there should be unauthorized
repeaters - but there are...and common curtesy from our side (two wrongs
don't make a right) would be to steer clear of closed repeaters unless you
want to become a member.

Mr Maynard - though I'm not personally offended by your use of bad language -
I can tell you this - it resulted in a wide waste of bandwidth.  Why, I
counted at least 20 messsages referring to that particular subject.  And for
those who wished to carry on about Mr Maynard's behavior, well, you're
in the same boat with him.  I understand flame wars pop up from time to
time - but it really gets ridiculous (and please....flames to /dev/null or
131.8 Hz - or my private mailbox).  That sort of thing - is best done in
private....if at all.  Heck, this portion of my mail could be considered
waste of bandwidth...but I might as well join the fun:) (I am not
greater than my own shit heap;)

I am no great saint at not calling the kettle black.  But I do know this - the
majority of the last 150 or so messages have put a sad feeling into my heart.
The feeling that we as a community of repspected collegues in Amateur
Radio have degraded into a bunch of petty beaureaucrats who have forgotten
what being a Ham is all about.

--Soapbox off---

Private replies welcome...as well as tasteful public ones;)  I'll summarize
the flames for people who are interested;)

73's - in the true sense of the meaning,
James - KB8DPV

--
James F. Kennedy			jfk@ee.upenn.edu
University of Pennsylvania		jfk@seas.upenn.edu
N3KZ ARC				146.685- and 442.700+(pl 131.8)
"These are my opinions - I make no apology for that."
"Tact:  The UNSAID part of what you are thinking."