In article <7782@cbnewsm.ATT.COM>, rma@mhuxo.ATT.COM (atkins, robert m) writes:
> In article <321@ssc.UUCP>, tad@ssc.UUCP (Tad Cook) writes:
> >
> >
> > Despite what N8DGN said, QST has not "TOTALLY CUT all microwave coverage",
> > just as they have not banned articles about CW, AMTOR. or mobile. They
> > stopped carrying a COLUMN on this subject.
> >
> > Check out the 1990 ARRL Handbook. There is LOTS of microwave material,
> > probably even out of proportion with current interest on the subject.
> > The Handbook hardly qualifies as a "special interest publication", unless
> > you consider amateur radio itself as "special interest".
> >
> The handbook does indeed contain some microwave material, and I am glad to
> see it. The ARRL have had manuscripts in hand for about 3 or 4 years now to
> produce a microwave manual. Authors have been paid (in part) for work submitted
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> but we have no sign of any publication. They say (and have said for two years
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> now) it will be out RSN (Real Soon Now). It is taking on the characteristics
> of Vaporware (often talked about but never seen). If they are not careful the
> ARRL are going to have a lot of outdated information in hand and will spend
> more money and time in a never ending effort to catch up with technological
> advances. You have to move with some speed if you intend to publish information
> in such a field.
> If the ARRL really want to encourage development of the microwave bands
> (which they say they do, and I want to believe them), then they must make
> microwave information available to the general membership, and that means
> exposure in QST. The ARRL is in a position to lead, but they have an inclinationto follow. They can only be judged by their actions, not by their words. Look
> at a random issue of QST (Nov 89 and on). Are they actively supporting the
> development of the microwave bands? If not, then microwave experimenters may
> have to look elsewhere for such support.
>
> Bob Atkins, KA1GT
SOME authors have been partially paid. I, for one, have not. My article
was accepted for publication in the "Microwave Handbook" nearly two
years ago and it has gone no further than that. Others have received half
their pay, with the rest due on publication- this is standard, but many
of these articles were written 3-4 YEARS AGO. KK7B told me at Microwave
Update in Dallas in October that he doesn't want them to publish his
submissions because so much has changed since he wrote the articles. Many
(well, some) of us are threatening to pull our submissions out for
possible re-submission to Ham Radio. (I also was not required to sign
a release- some others did, some didn't). I agree that the Microwave
Handbook is "Vaporware". If and when it appears, it will be so outdated
that it won't even be representative of the stations of those who submitted
the articles on which it will be based.
Rinaldo's (QST editor) response to my letter expressing displeasure with
the recent decisions to change the format of QST and the loss of real
microwave coverage was a form letter, the content of which has been
previously discussed here. Suffice to say, my decision to pull back
my support for the League was not one made overnight. I have been a
member for many years and have generally been supportive of ARRL
positions. However, this one really has me torqued in the wrong direction.
It is so obvious to me that we should be working to expose the bands
above 1 GHz to the general Amateur public, that I can't understand
why they could make a decision like the one they did. Therefore, in
light of that decision, I remove my vocal and FINANCIAL support. When
they deserve it again, they'll get it. If we all want to become members
of TOFC (The Old Farts Club) hanging out on 20 or 75m and bitching
about the weather and the QRM and the "damn space-cadets" (apologies
to W2OY SK), then let's support the League in all its "wisdom". If we
want to continue (or really, to start again) being at the forefront
of communications technology, then we'd better wake the League up
before it's too late and all we have left are 20 and 75m!
I really don't care how we use the microwave bands- be it weak signal,
FM, Packet, ATV, Spread Spectrum, or anything else you can think of-
BUT WE NEED TO USE THEM!!! The management of these pieces of spectrum
is another issue, but much less important than our ability (or
inability) to hold on to them.
'Nuff said. I'm off my soapbox now. I had promised myself I wouldn't
ever post here again after some of the recent flaming, but I just
couldn't ignore this thread- it's too important to the future of
