“No man’s life, liberty, or property are safe while the Legislature is in session.”

A centuries old truism often attributed to Mark Twain — it is applicable to any elected organization with the power to alter the lives and rights of others — public, private, or governmental — including the ARRL Board of Directors.

While the Agenda for the Board Meeting is always published before a Board meeting, the many motions to be considered by the Board have rarely ever been published before a Board Meeting. The most recent and notorious exception occurred before the January 2018 Board meeting when the Executive Committee and Lisenco motions intended to juice the 2017 “Code of Conduct” were leaked to the general Membership. The overwhelming Membership outrage resulting from the unintentional disclosure was instrumental in the punitive proposals being withdrawn. The 2017 Code of Conduct was itself overturned by a newly elected Board in January 2019.

The Members’ voices were heard — and their wishes were honored.

It is my belief, that of a small minority of Directors, and Vice Director Lee Cooper’s, that the Members should be permitted to have advance notice of the substantive matters to considered by the Board of Directors at its meetings.

To that end, the West Gulf intends to publish to its website the substantive motions scheduled to be considered at the January Board meeting and subsequent meetings.

It is our intent to discuss each known January 2024 motion in a separate email, although we will publish to the website each motion as it becomes available.

At present, there are three known motions. The Agenda for the January Board meeting and each of these three motions are available for review and download at:

https://board.westgulfdivision.org/motion/

The first motion we wish to discuss is the:

Motion To Honor Membership Contracts

In July 2023, the Board voted to raise the annual dues from $49 to $59 and to eliminate the delivery of a printed copy of QST or On The Air, effective January 2024, unless a Member paid an extra $25/year.

The West Gulf Division, the Atlantic Division, the Southeastern Division, and the Southwestern Divisions voted against both proposals, but the two proposals passed by an 11-4 vote.

While a dues increase was long overdue and actually needed, the West Gulf Division voted against it because it was tied to the termination of the delivery of a printed copy of QST/On The Air unless a Member paid an extra $25/year.

The four divisions argued it was a breach of the ARRL’s legal contract with those Members — both annual memberships and 3-year memberships — to terminate their promised printed copy of QST/On The Air before their membership contracts expired. The membership applications in use at the time promised, in writing, the delivery of QST/On The Air magazines by “standard mail.”

Besides the risks attendant upon a breach of contract, Article 11 of the ARRL Articles of Association prohibits the Board from terminating or reducing the rights of any Member. The stripping of the delivery of printed copies of QST/On The Air from unexpired Memberships constitutes a reduction in the rights of the affected Member.

Both the Membership Application and Article 11 are promises — and the League should stand on its promises. That is the reason we have filed the Motion To Honor Membership Contracts.

The ARRL is a membership organization, and the opinions of the Members are important.

I have been asked by each of the West Gulf Division Section Managers — NTX SM Steve Smith (KG5VK), STX SM Stuart Wolfe (KF5NIX), WTX SM Dale Durham (W5WI), and OK SM Mark Kleine (N5HZR) — to share that they each support the Motion To Honor Membership Contracts.

If you believe the Motion has merit and it should pass, it would be important for you to share your support for the Motion with the ARRL President, Rick Roderick, and the other Directors. All of their email addresses can be found on Page 15 of QST or at http://www.arrl.org/divisions . If you choose to share your views, please be respectful — we choose to disagree, but need not be disrespectful.

John Robert Stratton
N5AUS
West Gulf Division Director

Lee H. Cooper
W5LHC
West Gulf Division Vice Director

• OK – Oklahoma which has 77 counties.
• NTX – North Texas
• STX – South Texas
• WTX – West Texas  
• The three Texas Sections total 254 counties
• All four Sections, OK, NTX, WTX, and STX total 331 counties

I will have to find where the crap is that adds the date to the path for this article and turn that off

Qui quisquis. Omni possedit seductaque sibi. Densior undis habitabilis peragebant passim mea. Fossae et diffundi sive primaque. Nec sidera nondum fixo speciem pluviaque dicere montibus. Induit dixere terras titan solidumque aethere mixta illis. Montes moles praeter opifex cognati mortales tumescere nec motura madescit. Igni ponderibus nulli ultima. Consistere finxit sua. Eodem securae regio. Mundi terrenae tonitrua tuti consistere illis pontus nunc fulgura. Praebebat hunc perpetuum figuras contraria plagae poena. Cum quoque turba nuper tepescunt fontes quisquis fratrum inclusum. Origo aethere traxit surgere carentem permisit lumina nec.

Links to past months

Nov 2020

Oct 20202

Sep 2020

Aug 2020

The ARRL Board determines the ARRL policies that are implemented by the HQ staff. Each Division’s Director and Vice Director represent their Division on ARRL policy matters. If you have a question or comment about League policies, contact your Director or Vice Director. 

OK Section Manager – email; Mark Kleine N5HZR

• ARRL Oklahoma – HQ
• ARRL Oklahoma – Website
• ARRL Oklahoma – Groups.io
• ARRL Oklahoma – Facebook
• ARRL Oklahoma – Twitter
• ARRL Oklahoma – YouTube
• ARES Oklahoma – ARES
• ARES Oklahoma – Website
• ARES Oklahoma – Groups.io
• Last updated this list on; 9/22/2022

ARRL Section North Texas – NTX

NTX Section Manager – email; Steven Smith KG5VK

• ARRL North Texas – HQ
• ARRL North Texas – Website
• ARRL North Texas – Groups.io
• ARRLNorth Texas – Facebook
• ARRL North Texas – Twitter
• ARRL North Texas – YouTube
• ARES North Texas – Website
• ARES North Texas – Groups.io
• Last updated this list on; 9/22/2022

ARRL Section South Texas – STX

STX Section Manager – email; Stuart Wolfe KF5NIX

• ARRL South Texas – HQ
• ARRL South Texas – Website
• ARRL South Texas – Groups.io
• ARRL South Texas – Facebook
• ARRL South Texas – Twitter
• ARRL South Texas – YouTube
• ARES South Texas – Website
• ARES South Texas – Groups.io
• Last updated this list on; 9/22/2022

ARRL Section West Texas – WTX

WTX Section Manager – email; Dale Durham W5WI

• ARRL West Texas – HQ
• ARRL West Texas – Website
• ARRL West Texas – Facebook
• ARRL West Texas – Twitter
• ARRL West Texas – YouTube
• ARES West Texas – Website
• ARES West Texas – Groups.io
• Last updated this list on; 9/22/2022

Assistant Division Director for Radio Scouting

SCOUTING AND AMATEUR RADIO … it’s something we call “Radio Scouting”.  Scouting has incorporated projects, activities, and awards involving Radio almost since its beginning.  The West Gulf Division has taken the initial steps to further Radio Scouting in the Division through the appointment of positions at the Division and Section levels.

This is a Division level appointment.  This candidate will work with the 4 Assistant Section Managers for Radio Scouting.  We look forward to hearing from you.

Appointment Description:  Assistant Division Director for Radio Scouting

The ADD for Radio Scouting should be an active “Radio Scouter” in the Division and preferably be acquainted with the Radio Scouting activities and opportunities in both the Boy Scout and Girl Scout programs covered by the Division.  As such, the ADD is preferably a registered member of either the BSA or GSUSA, or, both.

The ADD for Radio Scouting shall establish contact with all Section Managers in the Division to encourage the appointment of Assistant Section Managers for Radio Scouting.  The ADD shall participate, as requested by the Section Manager, in the evaluation and recommendation of candidates for the ASM position.

The ADD for Radio Scouting shall act as a resource for the ASMs for Radio Scouting involving establishment, promotion, and maintenance of the Radio Scouting programs in each respective Section.  To that end, the ADD shall be thoroughly familiar with the Appointment Description for the ASM for Radio Scouting.

The ADD for Radio Scouting shall participate in regular discussions with ARRL HQ, National BSA and National GSUSA regarding the Radio Scouting program and how best to improve the program nationally and in the Division.

The ADD for Radio Scouting shall provide regular performance measurements and reports to the Division Director.

The ADD for Radio Scouting must be an ARRL Full Member, holding at least a Novice class license.

Recruitment of new hams and ARRL members is an integral part of the job of every ARRL appointee.  Appointees should take advantage of every opportunity to recruit a new ham or member to foster the growth of Field Organization programs, and our abilities to serve the public.

• Alan W. Cross, WA5UZB – STX –
• Jerome Doerrie, K5IS – OK –
• Dale Durham, W5WI – WTX – Section Manager
• Carla Dyer, K5RLA – NTX – Membership
• John Dyer, AE5B – NTX – Membership
• Clay Emert, K5TRW – STX – VE Activities
• Paul Gilbert, KE5ZW – STX – Public Safety
• Jo Ann Keith, KA5AZK – NTX – NTS
• Rick Kirchhof, NG5V – STX – HSMM MESH
• Frank Krizan, KR5N – NTX – 
• Gary Lewis, WG5L – WTX –
• Mark Kleine, N5HZR – OK – Section Manager
• Joseph C. Makeever, W5HS – STX – VE Activities
• Eddie Manley, K5EMS – OK- Legislative Affairs
• Dave Martin, K5YFO – NTX – MARS
• Jory McIntosh, KJ5RM – NTX –
• Mark Mireles, AD5CA – STX – 
• Kevin O’Dell, N0IRW – OK – Membership
• Wilma O’Dell, W5WRO – OK- Membership
• Glen Reid, K5FX – STX – EmComm
• Roger H. Runnels, WA5WCY – STX – 
• Steven Lott Smith, KG5VK – NTX – Section Manager
• Harris Swan, K5MWC – NTX –
• Lewis Thompson, W5IFQ – STX – MARS
• Bob C. Ward, WA5ROE – WTX – 
• Tom Whiteside, N5TW – STX – Digital Mode
• Stuart Wolf, KF5NIX – STX – Section Manager

Last updated on; 12/31/2023