Hi Rod,

This was on the ARRL website:

http://www.arrl.org/news/report-causes-concern-and-confusion-in-california-s-amateur-radio-ranks

We may have even discussed it here. 

Bob got a ton of views out of his videos on this, trashing the League all the way to the bank, dropping his membership and going on a campaign to get people to do the same. 

All based on a false notion that Calfire was disbanding amateur radio and throwing out repeater owners and that somehow the league was to blame for inaction to quell this non-crisis.








On Fri, Dec 25, 2020 at 10:56 PM Rod Blocksome <rod.blocksome@gmail.com> wrote:
Ria,
I can't see how David's gesture of reaching out to the folks you described is in any way "supporting what they do".

You seem to know a lot more about this crowd than I.  I simply don't have the time or inclination to go listen to these controversial You-Tube Channels.  But given the amount of "fake, hyped, & dramatized news" these days it doesn't surprise me there are disgruntled folks out there who exploit this "news" for their own purposes as well as folks who "consume" it without question.

Your last comment surprised me.  The board made a decision.  Speculation on "what might have been" contributes nothing going forward.
73,
Rod, K0DAS

On Fri, Dec 25, 2020 at 5:19 PM rjairam@gmail.com <rjairam@gmail.com> wrote:
Hi Rod,

This is not about vindictiveness. This is about a person who has demonstrated that he would harm the league for personal gain. 

There are many who criticize the league, and that’s fine. But he takes it a step further and invented a fake crisis to boost his YouTube channel at the expense of the league.

Absolutely can’t support this. None of us should. 

Also consider the message that this sends to our female members and radio amateurs - a guy who uses a blow up doll as his channel mascot, and who repeatedly objectifies women on his channel. We want to have him cooperate with us? You can’t see a problem with this? 

Compare this to others who have taken cheap shots - Jason Johnston (ham radio 2.0), Matt K0LWC, and the SOTA YouTube guy who says that the ARRL is a waste of money. Those I can see reaching out to and inviting them in. They seem to be reasonable people with a legitimate gripe with the league. But K6UDA is a shock jock, plain and simple, who saw an opportunity to harm us to make a few bucks. We should not be supporting shock jocks, who profit off of damaging our reputation. 

I also really, highly doubt that K1IR would have taken this tack. I had high hopes when it came to selecting a CEO. Now I’m having regret. 



73
Ria
N2RJ 

On Fri, Dec 25, 2020 at 6:03 PM Rod Blocksome <rod.blocksome@gmail.com> wrote:
Now Ria, let's stand tall and let David see if he can turn some of these folks around.  The ARRL absolutely cannot appear vindictive to those who voice opposition opinions - even if they have no basis in fact.  As the relatively new CEO, I think David is well positioned to be able to reach out and engage these folks.
BTW - Merry Christmas ODV,
Rod, K0DAS

On Fri, Dec 25, 2020 at 12:31 PM rjairam@gmail.com <rjairam@gmail.com> wrote:
To add, you have no idea as to the damage control that several of us had to do when his video making false claims about the California repeater made up scandal went viral.  I was bombarded with questions about this from members, and really did not have an answer as the whole story was more or less made up. 

So, no, and not just no, but HELL no. 

Ria
N2RJ 

On Fri, Dec 25, 2020 at 1:25 PM rjairam@gmail.com <rjairam@gmail.com> wrote:
David,

Thank you for your response but with all due respect you were not on the receiving end of some of his nastiness toward the League, and personally toward me. Furthermore he trashed the League brand to make a few bucks from his YouTube channel. It’s not that we did him wrong. It’s that he made up stuff to make a few bucks at the expense of the league. 

I STRONGLY oppose any interaction with him and will officially oppose it too, if necessary. 


73
Ria
N2RJ 

On Fri, Dec 25, 2020 at 1:19 PM Minster, David NA2AA (CEO) <dminster@arrl.org> wrote:
He is one of 32 YouTubers who received a card.
 
I felt he was important to include for 2 reasons:
 
  • His perception is that we did wrong by him
  • He can be moved from darkness into light
 
It is nothing more than that.  He is not an extremist.  He’s just a jovial guy with a pretty decent following in Southern CA who I want to bring back into the fold.
 
Inclusion…
 
David
 
_____________________________________________
From: Bob Famiglio, K3RF <RBFamiglio@Verizon.net>
Sent: Thursday, December 24, 2020 4:31 PM
To: Jairam, Ria, N2RJ (Dir, HD) <rjairam@gmail.com>; Minster, David NA2AA (CEO) <dminster@arrl.org>
Cc: arrl-odv <arrl-odv@arrl.org>
Subject: RE: [arrl-odv:31506] Re: Status updates
 
 
He is the guy who raised hell that ARRL was not doing anything about the (false claim) that California was kicking hams out of their tower sites.  Totally false and he did not have the facts right at all. Didn’t stop him though as he got lots of views.  They needed a lease document and the ham user had no documentation for being there. The way he made up stories about how he and some lawyer fixed it without the ARRL stepping up was so wrong in so may ways. Click bait. Opportunist without much depth.  But if David thinks he is the right guy. . .
 
 
Bob Famiglio, K3RF
Vice Director - ARRL Atlantic Division
610-359-7300
 
 
 
 
 
-----Original Message-----
From: arrl-odv On Behalf Of rjairam@gmail.com
Sent: Thursday, December 24, 2020 12:21 PM
To: Minster, David NA2AA (CEO) <dminster@arrl.org>
Cc: arrl-odv <arrl-odv@arrl.org>
Subject: [arrl-odv:31506] Re: Status updates
 
Hi David,
 
I'm very concerned about the engagement with K6UDA. Not only because of the criticism of ARRL, which I view as being based on wholly false claims, but also the content of his channel. I mean, look for yourself. Is this what we want to be associated with the ARRL brand? A person who puts a half naked doll(?) as his show brand and titles his show as "the ham radio show your mother warned you about?"
 
Next we need to invite Billy Crowell. The two of them can do a talk show. Call it "The amateur jam session." It would be perfect.
 
No charge for that idea, Merry Christmas.
 
In all seriousness, as if I wasn't serious here - I really hope we aren't seriously considering having some sort of content deal with Bob. Especially if we want to expand our base.
 
 
73
Ria, N2RJ
 
 
On Thu, Dec 24, 2020 at 11:34 AM Minster, David NA2AA (CEO) <dminster@arrl.org> wrote:
>
> One of the ideas I floated some time ago was a monthly status report to the board members, and I was told that “the board deals with policy matters, a regular status report isn’t necessary”
>
>
>
> I gave a full status report on the EC call, and also gave a status report on the A&F call – and in both cases every or nearly every board member was in attendance.
>
>
>
> I am currently working on my CEO Report for the January Board Meeting, but I have been asked about the status on a couple of things.
>
>
>
> We can get into a cadence of status reporting, but yes, there will be times when between status reports you will not “know everything” – and not due to anything other than timing.
>
>
>
> So, I will endeavor to figure out a way to create a monthly reporting mechanism.  To be fair, I am absolutely buried and with the way I am driving things at HQ, this is the new normal.  I do not anticipate time for personal endeavors, operating radios, or anything else frankly.  My evenings have become phone call times and weekends are for various forms of outreach.
>
>
>
> I will prepare an outline of everything that is going on or outstanding at the minute, and know that in the beginning of January you’ll be getting an advance copy of my report to read ahead of the board meeting.
>
>
>
> As a means of follow-up on one initiative, I committed to engaging with the YouTube community – to turn complaints into compliments and to partner on future video endeavors together.  There’s much traction there: we’ve brought on a YouTuber – who is also a teacher and actively teaches an elective course on ham radio to his students – as a consultant to work with Kris on the Learning Center and to build out a resource group on Youth; we are in discussions with a major YouTuber to become the face of a column in QST as well as featuring his content on licensing in the Learning Center; and I sent 32 YouTube video bloggers a holiday thank you card along with an ARRL mug (that we have tons of) and our new Field Day 2021 logo on a window slick to show on their programs.
>
>
>
> Here is a video posted last night of an interview with K6UDA.  He has been a vocal critic of ARRL and pretty nasty at times.  Take a look at his response to the outreach.  This is exactly where I am going with this engagement.  We want the entire social media community promoting the good works of the league and not getting fixated on the few shortcomings.
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Again, if you have any suggestions please let me know!
>
>
>
> David
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> arrl-odv mailing list
_______________________________________________
arrl-odv mailing list
 
_______________________________________________
arrl-odv mailing list
arrl-odv@reflector.arrl.org
https://reflector.arrl.org/mailman/listinfo/arrl-odv
_______________________________________________
arrl-odv mailing list
arrl-odv@reflector.arrl.org
https://reflector.arrl.org/mailman/listinfo/arrl-odv