Taken from the Baltimore amateur Radio News Letter......
Riley Hollingsworth
to Amateur Radio
Community: “Lighten up!”Sometimes, amateur radio demonstrates
that our technical skills are a little
sharper than our “people” skills. Riley Hollingsworth
spoke about this at Dayton. We
reprint from the ARRL, August QST page
64. Thank’s to Bob, W3TRG for pointing
this column out, it bears repeating
Special Counsel in the FCC Spectrum Enforcement Division Riley Hollingsworth
advised those attending the FCC forum at Dayton Hamvention 2006
to try kindness instead of confrontation when problems arise on the bands.
Hollingsworth spoke May 20 to a nearly full house at Hara Arena, and for the
most part he praised the behavior of the majority of Amateur Radio operators,
especially those who volunteered in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina
last year. But, he noted, radio amateurs still could be more courteous and less
inclined to fly off the handle at some perceived on-the-air offense.
“You need to lighten up and not embarrass the Amateur Radio Service,” Hollingsworth
advised. “All of us make mistakes, especially with the new features
you have on radios today. It’s very easy to make a mistake, to be on the wrong
frequency or be operating split and not know it--there’s a hundred ways to
make mistakes.” Hollingsworth said experience has shown him that at least
75 percent of the interference complained about is absolutely unintentional.
In Hollingsworth’s view, radio amateurs all too often are hypersensitive and
rude. “We have a radar going to detect offenses at all times, we assume the
worst in people, we rarely give people the benefit of the doubt,” he said. He
joked that if there were three amateurs in a town, there would be two Amateur
Radio clubs.
“And there’ll be two hamfests with 20 people each, because they wouldn’t
dare consolidate them,” he added.
“Stupid Filter”
Hollingsworth acknowledged that “certain problem operators” remain, but
the real troublemakers are rarely the newcomers to Amateur Radio. “If there’s
a downfall in Amateur Radio, it won’t be caused by no-code Technicians or
June 2006 5
codeless anything else,” he said. “It’ll be caused by the microphone--no doubt
in my mind.” He advised his audience to ignore the troublesome operators
and not give them the attention they crave by engaging them on the air.
“Now, think about it: If what you’re hearing annoys you, or angers you or is
stupid, use the ‘stupid filter,’ which is that big knob—that VFO that will take
you somewhere else,” he quipped. “It’s the largest knob on the radio.” He recommended
moving to another frequency or even another band altogether.
Riley Hollingsworthto Amateur Radio
Community: “Lighten up!”Sometimes, amateur radio demonstrates
that our technical skills are a little
sharper than our “people” skills. Riley Hollingsworth
spoke about this at Dayton. We
reprint from the ARRL, August QST page
64. Thank’s to Bob, W3TRG for pointing
this column out, it bears repeating
Special Counsel in the FCC Spectrum Enforcement Division Riley Hollingsworth
advised those attending the FCC forum at Dayton Hamvention 2006
to try kindness instead of confrontation when problems arise on the bands.
Hollingsworth spoke May 20 to a nearly full house at Hara Arena, and for the
most part he praised the behavior of the majority of Amateur Radio operators,
especially those who volunteered in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina
last year. But, he noted, radio amateurs still could be more courteous and less
inclined to fly off the handle at some perceived on-the-air offense.
“You need to lighten up and not embarrass the Amateur Radio Service,” Hollingsworth
advised. “All of us make mistakes, especially with the new features
you have on radios today. It’s very easy to make a mistake, to be on the wrong
frequency or be operating split and not know it--there’s a hundred ways to
make mistakes.” Hollingsworth said experience has shown him that at least
75 percent of the interference complained about is absolutely unintentional.
In Hollingsworth’s view, radio amateurs all too often are hypersensitive and
rude. “We have a radar going to detect offenses at all times, we assume the
worst in people, we rarely give people the benefit of the doubt,” he said. He
joked that if there were three amateurs in a town, there would be two Amateur
Radio clubs.
“And there’ll be two hamfests with 20 people each, because they wouldn’t
dare consolidate them,” he added.
“Stupid Filter”
Hollingsworth acknowledged that “certain problem operators” remain, but
the real troublemakers are rarely the newcomers to Amateur Radio. “If there’s
a downfall in Amateur Radio, it won’t be caused by no-code Technicians or
June 2006 5
codeless anything else,” he said. “It’ll be caused by the microphone--no doubt
in my mind.” He advised his audience to ignore the troublesome operators
and not give them the attention they crave by engaging them on the air.
“Now, think about it: If what you’re hearing annoys you, or angers you or is
stupid, use the ‘stupid filter,’ which is that big knob—that VFO that will take
you somewhere else,” he quipped. “It’s the largest knob on the radio.” He recommended
moving to another frequency or even another band altogether.