Just thought that since some of you were involved with last fall's Director election, you might be interested in this. I'm not sure what, if anything, should be done. ----------------------------------- Last fall insiders of the national Amateur Radio association conspired to deny due process to the most qualified candidate for Southwestern Division Director. In doing so, they kept their unpopular, boot-licking buddy in the office for three more years, where he will no doubt allow them to continue their mismanagement of League affairs. The "International DX Convention," sponsored by the Southern California DX Club this year, and held in Visalia, California this past weekend was chaired by the aggrieved potential director, and his acolytes were significant players on the convention committee. This presented an opportunity to show the bullies from Newington what happens when you mess with the good guys, and that opportunity was certainly exploited. ---------------------------------- The convention applied for and received recognition as an ARRL specialty convention. The League provided the convention with publicity in QST and on the web, a package of books for prizes or other convention use, and paid expenses for Ward Silver, N0AX, to be the Headquarters representative. In return, after a history of 20 or more years where the ARRL table was just inside the main entrance to the exhibit area, this year the ARRL was provided with a table in a hallway outside the exhibit area, away from traffic.A friend commented that he didn't think ARRL had a presence at the convention at all. Note that among others, the convention did provide an exhibit hall table the to the Northern California Contest Club, probably also for the first time in history. ARRL affiliation was not mentioned at all in the 60 page convention booklet. In the list of 40 prize donors, ARRL was not listed at all, although it appears that the books were indeed used as raffle prizes. On the posted lists of prize winners, ARRL provided prizes were identified only as, "book," not something like "ARRL Antenna Book." There was no indication that "book" even came from ARRL. In the box containing the books, was the usual kit of ARRL handouts. These handouts were never given to the ARRL exhibit, nor displayed elsewhere. The box was sent from Newington to Chairman Carl Gardenias, WU6D. The convention has characteristically reserved a table near the front center for ARRL people at the banquet. This year, a table was provided in the right field bleachers. There was an introduction of DX visitors and ARRL people at the start of Saturday's program. After individually announcing the callsigns of all non-USA attendees, 80 percent who were not in the room, the SCDXC president said something like, "I don't know who is here from the ARRL, but would you all please stand? You may all sit down now." At the banquet, special verbal recognition was given to both Worldradio and CQ Magazine for support. No mention was made of the League. Ironically, the two California ARRL Directors received significant face time with the audience at the DX Forum (see part 2, coming soon) and during a quiz-show-like game during Sunday's breakfast. Some convention committee members were apparently unaware of the need for total ARRL suppression. And, sadly the nefarious Southwestern Director, since he sits not at the ARRL table, but with a group of his long-term cronies, ended up seated at one of the best seats at the banquet. ------------------------- In case it wasn't evident, the first two paragraphs are worded sarcastically, and can be used to start a thread on QRZ.COM. 73, Dick, N6AA