From: richardm@runx.oz.au (Richard Murnane)
Subject: Where ARA the volunteers? (was Re: VK2WI Broadcast, etc.)
Organization: RUNX Un*x Timeshare.  Sydney, Australia.
Distribution: aus
Date: Sun, 13 Sep 92 06:21:50 GMT

In article <terryd.715905996@extro.ucc.su.OZ.AU> terryd@extro.ucc.su.OZ.AU (Terry Dawson) writes:
>True, Terry [Ryeland] didn't exactly detail how many [written submissions]
>there were, or what they
>suggested .. :-(
(Pardon the [] above... did anybody ask about them?)
>
>>bad luck to have a hobby populated with a large number of people who expect
>>the WIA to hand them everything on a plate. They won't join the WIA or get
>>involved in any of the work it takes to run the show, but you'll certainly
>>hear them on air whining about how the WIA don't do this, and the WIA
>>ought to do that...
>
>But it didn't used to be like that .. when I originally joined the WIA in
>81 ? 82 ? sometime about then .. it wasn't like that, it was well represented,
>it was only when it decided that it should be the self-regulating body that
>people began steering away from it ..
81-82 is a bit before my time (I was EI6BTB back then), so I don't know
why self-regulation has led to being less well-represented. (Not being
sarcastic here, by the way). Anyway, isn't self-regulation something being
promoted by DoTC to get this hobby stuff out of their hair, or is it
perceived as being a WIA-inspired plot?
>
>>As you know, Terry, I had to leave early. How many volunteers did YOU
>>see put their hands up?
>You mean aside from me ? Um, well there was that guy that volunteered for
>the repeater committee, and that other guy that was happy to organise the
>12(?)m dish .. Then there was of course Ashley vk2xso who volunteered heaps
>of ideas, at least a few of which I thought were great .. and I'm sure Ashley
>will assist in any packet movement that takes place .. 
It was something of a rhetoric question, as the information I had was that
NOBODY volunteered to DO anything. Maybe I'm misinformed. I meant how many
people volunteered to put in time and effort to achieve particular goals?
Volunteering ideas is not much use unless somone goes to the trouble
of implementing them. So, Terry, what did you volunteer to do?

>Mostly what I heard
>were a contingent of 'devout' members behind my right shoulder muttering under
>their breath how "it'll never work", "They're just talking, they wont do
>anything" etc .. Now there is loyal membership if ever there was some.
Pity that's not grounds for kicking them out of the WIA (assuming of course
they're IN the WIA). I thought we made it clear on the broadcasts that we
wanted IDEAS and ACTION; we seem to have got a lot of WHINGES and DEFEATISM
in the bag as well. Who needs "DEVOUT" members - I'd rather they were just
"OUT".

>The real issue was the very one that was swept under the carpet every time it
>was brought up .. and that is one of credibility .. Terry didn't want to discussthat one ..
Shame I missed that particular conversation. The Institute has plenty of
credibility in my eyes; the amateur community I'm not so sure about! Let's
talk about credibiilty here then.
>
>Don't get me wrong, I'm not a knocker .. 
Jeez, you had me fooled! :-)

> but I've been involved in enough
>groups to realise that better a dead one, than one moving in the wrong
>direction.
Well, as long as it's moving, you can always CHANGE the DIRECTION, if you're
willing to put in the effort. Breathing life back into a dead organisation
is a lot more difficult, but it has been done. I think WICEN is a case in
point, but then I might be biased :-)
>
>
>>Never mind, I have a feeling there'll be other forums in the near future,
>>hopefully on-air as well as at Parramatta. Hopefully more people will get
>>the message...
>
>I hope so too .. I hope that people will realise that they really do have to
                     THERE'S THAT BLOODY WORD!!!! -----^^^^
                                vvvv-----------------:
>do what they want to make what they want happen ..

THERE is the problem: "THEY". Too many people waiting for THEM to hand
it to them on a plate. I think if the entire amateur population looked
up the word "amateur" in the dictionary, and asked themselves if they're
acting in the best interest of the hobby, things might tale a turn for
the better.

"THEY" can't do it. "WE" can, or could if there were enough of us.

73 de Richard VK2SKY

-- 
Richard P. Murnane                     "Making it up? Making it up? Why should
Internet: richardm@runx.oz.au          I want to make anything up? Life's bad
UUCP:     uunet!runx.oz.au!richardm    enough without inventing more of it."
Packet:   VK2SKY @ VK2RWI.NSW.AUS.OC   - Marvin the Paranoid Android
Newsgroups: aus.radio