Dave, "vindictive act" might be a better descriptor than hostile act. There could be a e-mail vote of the Board if time is of the essence. 73, Art ----- Original Message ----- From: "Sumner, Dave, K1ZZ" <dsumner@arrl.org> To: "arrl-odv" <arrl-odv@reflector.arrl.org> Sent: Tuesday, December 23, 2003 7:11 AM Subject: [ARRL-ODV:9818] More on American Samoa Yesterday Jim Haynie sent the attached letter to Larry Gandy, AH8LG, in American Samoa. It was in response to a letter dated November 4 that simply said: "Dear Jim, "Following Kan Mizoguchi, JA1BK (Founding Director of IARU Reg. III) approach regarding American Samoa Amateur Radio Association to become an IARU member. As you did not seem to have any problems with this suggestion, we request the ARRL to support our membership application to the IARU Region 3. "Due to transport difficulties from and to American Samoa, we would appreciate if the ARRL would continue to represent American Samoa Amateur Radio Association at IARU conferences. "Many thanks in advance for your support. "Best regards Lawrence A. Gandy AH8LG President American Samoa Amateur Radio Association." The first time that this letter was received directly from Larry Gandy was yesterday, by FAX to HQ. Other copies of the letter were in circulation and had been forwarded to us, but we did not think it appropriate to respond until the letter was received directly from someone in American Samoa. The main reason for that was that the letter obviously was not written by someone whose native language is English. Also, it bore a remarkable resemblance to a letter sent on March 11, 2001, to then-president of the RSGB, Don Beattie, on behalf of the Pitcairn Island Amateur Radio Association: "Dear Don, "Following Jim Smith, VK9NS approach regarding Pitcairn Island Amateur Radio Association to become an IARU member. As you did not seem to have any problems with this suggestion, we request the RSGB to support our membership application to the IARU Region 3. "Due to transport difficulties from and to Pitcairn, we would appreciate if the RSGB would continue to represent Pitcairn Island Amateur Radio Association at IARU conferences. "Many thanks in advance for your support. "Best regards Tom Christian VP6TC President Pitcairn Island Amateur Radio Association." In the case of PIARA, RSGB did give its blessing and PIARA was voted into IARU membership with one vote to spare. As Jim states in his letter to Larry Gandy, despite the letter's statement that "you did not seem to have any problems with this suggestion" no one had apprached him prior to the letter being written -- and clearly we do have very big problems with it. The common thread between Pitcairn Island and American Samoa is Kan Mizoguchi, JA1BK, who is the IARU liaison for PIARA. As I said before, his interest is in creating DXCC entities. The admission of PIARA created Ducie Island as a separate entity. The admission of American Samoa would create Swain's Island as a separate entity. However, having American Samoa separately represented in the IARU would mean that the ARRL would no longer have the right to represent the interests of amateurs in American Samoa to the U.S. government, which is not acceptable for obvious reasons. Applying the same reasoning, Guam, the Northern Marianas, and other U.S. territories in Region 3 would be able to "secede." Now Kan, in the guise of the PIARA, is proposing an amendment to the IARU Region 3 Constitution to disqualify ARRL from Region 3 membership. That proposal is also attached, and is something that Rod Stafford and I will have to deal with when we go to Taipei in February for the Region 3 Conference. There is no way to interpret this as other than a hostile act. Clearly things are getting out of hand, and all because of a DXCC rule that provides "parent" status to an entity that is separately represented in the IARU. This is a self-inflicted wound on our part; it's our rule. We need to eliminate this provision. While DXCC rules changes normally go through the DXAC, in this case the need for the change is not driven by DX considerations but rather by more fundamental ARRL interests. It would be extremely beneficial for this change to be made prior to the Region 3 Conference, February 16-20. So Jim and I request that at the January meeting, the Board adopt a change in the DXCC rules to eliminate this provision. Specifically, it is 1.c. in the list of "DXCC List Criteria." The provision was needed originally in order to provide a basis for Taiwan being a separate DXCC entity. Eliminating it will not affect entities that are already on the DXCC list but will prevent future outside pressure to create IARU member-societies in places where there is no reason for them to exist. 73, David Sumner, K1ZZ Chief Executive Officer <<PIARA proposal #2 Suppl #2.JPG>> <<PIARA proposal #2 Supple #1.doc>> <<PIARA proposal #2.doc>> <<ah8lg.doc>>