I’m always amazed when I look back in ARRL history at how some of the things we are dealing with today that seems like a “new issue” to some really isn’t that new at all. We really do come full circle over time!

While I was preparing my report on the FMRE Convention I needed to check a reference I made in one of my notes about the May, 1939 QST article. I pulled down my QST’s from 1939 and began thumbing through the May issue which, by the way, was the first issue where we transitioned from the red colored cover with one small photo in the lower right corner to a full cover photo with superimposed writing. That style lasted all the way until January, 1976, I believe.

Anywho, while perusing the May, 1939 issue I discovered that there were a number of election issues just prior to then with a couple of director candidates being disqualified that caused a brief uproar. There was even a move by one director at that time to pay each ARRL Director a salary $1000 a year! That, by the way, went down in Hindenburg style flames.

A big debate of the time was over homebrew vs. commercially built equipment. Guess what? ARRL was being accused of trying to run the homebrew aficionados out of amateur radio! That, of course, was false.

I’ve been able to spend the past two weeks in my office at home, for a change, catching up on a number of work and ARRL backlogged issues and unless I’ve completely gone brain dead or missed a to-do note I believe I have achieved my objective. Its now time to sit back and think about the new year coming up, enjoy some on-the air activity and do a little antenna work (you can do that in the south in December!). I still owe a couple of you phone calls and I do have notes to do that.

This has been quite an interesting year for ARRL. We finished 2006 by getting the FCC off their duffs and acting on 04-140 and 05-235 but then had to weather a number of issues starting early in 2007 dealing with the resultant 80 meter expansion decision, our regulation by bandwidth petition, election issues in both Director and SM areas and the misunderstanding that was created over the IARU Region 2 band plan. Aside from all that, we’ve experienced growth in the amateur service, growth in ARRL membership and the League is in good fiscal shape. Hams are excited about getting on the air, our HQ staff is more excited and pumped about our mission that I believe I’ve ever seen and that enthusiasm is being reflected in our membership numbers. Sure, there are problems that arise but I haven’t seen one issue with a member this year that wasn’t completely addressed and resolved.

I listen around the bands quite a bit. The past two weeks I’ve made it a point to do even more. I’ve been documenting some things and I’ll provide some statistics for you in my board report in a few weeks that may surprise some of you. In all of my listening to date, though, I have not heard one on-the-air complaint about ARRL. Oh sure, I’ve heard a few comments about ARRL but nothing that I would define as complaining. I’ve even been listening to some AM QSO the past few days and nothing from those guys either, just regular rag chew chit chat. The ones that are complaining are six guys that can’t seem to find how to get out of their AM radio internet chat room and get on the air, or at least I haven’t heard them yet.

During the next ten days I won’t be on email or the phone regularly, but I will be available in case an emergency occurs. Surely things will be quite for a few days!

Thanks for your service to ARRL during 2007. I want to wish everyone a merry Christmas and I look forward to working with each of you in 2008. C U in SKN!

73 Joel W5ZN