We receive all kinds of email, as you can only imagine. Here was one written to the staff, and to me, that is worth a read. David From: Bob Fox <masspropers@bob-fox.com<mailto:masspropers@bob-fox.com>> Sent: Wednesday, November 2, 2022 12:29 PM To: Weinberg, Maty, KB1EIB <mweinberg@arrl.org<mailto:mweinberg@arrl.org>> Subject: fox A Happy and Grateful Renewal, De Bob Fox - AB2OE Dear friends at the League: This week I celebrate my 50th year as a federally licensed amateur radio op. I celebrated by renewing my membership earlier this morning with the League (I lapsed in 2018 and was unenthusiastic even before then, as the letter below explains). I am sending a letter of salutation (my way of this e-mail) to you all, but which is directed at Mr. David Minster and it compliments the whole staff of the League, actually over the decades. Feel free to print it in QST if you would like. Shorten it and do what ever you like with it for what it is worth. I hope it puts a little smile on your collective faces. Dear Mr. David Minster: Many years ago, I wrongly let my ARRL membership lapse. This was because I have always been an avid CW lover and rag chewer. When the League did not oppose the dropping of the 5WPM CW requirement... I became disenchanted and "left the reservation". I rejoined here and there as funds would permit but with any great devotion. I'm here to say, nearly 2 decades later, that the League was right and I was wrong. I hear more CW ops on the bands now who were not even hams when the requirement was dropped. The numbers don't lie. Dropping the requirement actually helped CW and helped Amateur Radio as a whole. I can turn on my rig at 3:00AM (regardless of band conditions) and hear lively CW stateside any time. That is actually a vast improvement over 1999! This is partly due to the League actually going against the grain of some of the oldest members at the time. But there is more! Today, I am celebrating my 50th anniversary as an Amateur Radio operator. Much of what I have been able to accomplish as a father, a husband and a professional software engineer today, came by way of the confidence that I got while repairing my very first transmitter: A broken and even then, very used DX-100, which I purchased from Mal Speer, WA2TWA, at Harrison Electronics, when I was a kid on Long Island. QST and the League as a whole, gave me the interest. But the lively technical AM banter in what we now respectfully call the AM windows on the HF bands gave me the encouragement to pursue engineering. So when the ARRL took the slightly risky step YEARS AGO of building out their AM footprint, I began to think again about the League. The work of Bob, WB1GCM and the drafting of Tim, WA1HLR and the terrific efforts of guys like Paul, WA3VJB did make me stop and think about my hasty decision to leave. In 2020 when I worked Stephanie (WX3K) while she operated the W1AW AM transmitter during the AM rally I REALLY started rethinking my decision to leave. So many amazing gals and guys make up this hobby. They are from all walks of life. Although nothing is perfect (not even the League) I once again believe the ARRL has the furthering of the art of radio as a core value. I will try and keep my membership current for as long as Social Security holds out, hi hi! And I hope to hear W1AW on the air during any AM event... and especially the rally. Very truly yours: Robert L. Fox, AB2OE - Richmond, VA. “Fight all error, but do it with good humor, patience, kindness, and love. Harshness will damage your own soul and spoil the best cause.” ― St. John of Kanty