The ALPB Going Away?

Reservations

Speaking from the camp that wants to see the Part 15 hobby survive and grow I also have been disturbed by recent behavior at the ALPB.

The power grab referred to took place at the exact time when Jim Henry was undergoing critical surgery, making the act especially ugsome.

The thread regarding the renaming of the surviving forum is put in the form of a contest but without a vote among members.

The self-claimed "admin" did not, so far as one can glean from the thread, call a vote to democratize his appointment.

What appears to be forming is another "hobbybroadcaster" under a tyrant coupled with a replica of part15.org, putting itself in direct competition with this forum.

The small cadre of remaining members seem unaware they are being hijacked.

That's not the impression I get. From what I understand the ALPB remains with a focus on it's original intentions, but is separating itself from the forum and to do that it is simply renaming the forum to something like 'Micro Broadcasters Community Forum' (or something similar) and allowing it to stand on it's own without affiliation to the ALPB.

Basically, the ALPB is doing away with being connected to a forum, but not eliminating anything which is existing.

OK I've got a gripe about why the ALPB is failing!!  NO Tyrant ever Ran the ALPB unless you're calling Bob a Tyrant?  Bob has always given his fair share of time to part 15 and Tyrant, Dictator, King or whatever you want to call him is surely not correct.

The ALPB's forum is FAR from what HobbyBroadcaster.net does its links are open season and your not judged before you have a membership there.  Some tried to say The Initiative was such a place too but even that is far from the truth as all of our links are FREE to view except the petition (which is only for the Ride-Or Die folks who want something other than Yeardcasting on a dying broadcast band called Medium Wave (Called AM Radio by the lame non tech folks).

The part 15 hobby has become a narc fest whereas if you don't like someone's station you'll try and take them down for running an ASMAX2 kit transmitter.  Yes I was visited by the FCC AGAIN (Hey I hope they like my Album Rock Station) but this time they looked at my antenna, took spectrum readings (my Wife saw it and asked me "Troy who are you interfering with now)? and before I could even meet the agents to ask about my Transmitter's performance on the analyzer they were Gone.  I've no doubt it was a narc who didn't like I was broadcasting in C-Quam AM Stereo as I advertise C-Quam AM Stereo WAQM The Legacy Deltaville, VA  Some get jealous it just means The Legacy is a great station as the FCC didn't have any problems with it nor will they ever because I have a broadcast engineer who knows his stuff and won't allow my station to cause harmful interference to a legal licensed station, 160 meter Ham Radio, or Short Wave.  So whatever issue someone has with The Legacy they need to chill out.  I don't have any FM transmitters anymore nor will I go on FM its too bloody crowded and too easy to interfere with other bands that could cause harm to Aircraft, Fire, Public Safety.

Its suppose to be a Hobby but its a cut throat take out the competition if their better than you or maybe get out 1 1/4-2 miles The FCC said I could and that is what the station shoots for on a Good Radio like a Tecsum, Grundig, Sangean or Car Radio.  That 2 miles is NO THREAT to anyone.  All The Legacy wants to do is get Good Album Rock out to the masses.

By The Way Hobby Broadcaster Does have some Good Invormation on it, but due to some animosity they may have towards me I doubt I'll get in.  I had a membership but list my pass and my New IP provider Email address is not the same as my old Century Link one.  But I'm probably labeled over their as some sort of nut job or worse.

Part 15 (dot) org has had numerous issues with its software and so there are two other micro broadcasting sites now.  The Initiative (My Site), The ALPB soon to be changed forum.  Both forums don't lock folks out and don't act like tyrants and both treat its members with respect.  Not saying Part 15 (dot) org is a bad place but for some reason some may think we're trying to steal their thunder.  Its another micro broadcasting forum that is it.

Sorry I went in a tirade but I'm sick of all the petty bickering on these sites and I don't appreciate Bob Falmly being called a tyrant.  He is one of the most easy going people I've met and I sure wish I had a chance to work at WCFI and do an Album Rock show their.  I'm sure he'd let me if I were close to him.

Now I'll return you to your regular scheduled gossip.

Thelegacy, you really have no idea what you are talking about.

You've never been involved in the running of the ALPB - I have, first as Forum Moderator and then Chairman when Bob walked away from the position.

You weren't involved in the behind-the-scenes machinations when Bob came back and decided that he didn't like what was being posted in the ALPB Forums - I was, as somehow he (and a few others) still thought that I was a Moderator (I resigned when Jim Henry was elected Chairman).  And my advice was solicited by yet others who felt they were under attack.

As a Forum Moderator here, I stopped the in-fighting from spreading to Part15.us, and saw another, non-public side of the situation in the form of several rather nasty, private, e-mails.

The existing Part 15 Forums serve different types of individuals, with different types of needs.  If you don't like one, you are more than welcome not to participate in it.  I've certainly chosen where I lay my hat.

However, I never intended this to become a name calling thread.  So let's keep it on topic.

RichPowers, the ALPB seems a rather grandiose name for several people meeting informally once or twice a month over Teamspeak.  That's one of the reasons that an attempt was made to expand the use of the ALPB Forum - to involve more people in decision making, as the organization was always intended to be a full democracy, with each member having an equal say (although that intent appears to have fallen by the wayside).

Separating the Forum from the meetings (which I personally felt were mostly a waste of time anyway) just takes the group back to what Bill DeFelice once described as a "coffee klatch".  I agree with him on that.  Not that there's anything wrong with coffee klatches.  I just don't think that that was, or remains, the objective of the ALPB.

I brought the topic up because I really don't want to see the circle of Part 15 broadcasters, organizations and web-sites shrink further than it has in the past several years.  Maybe there are plans to greatly expand the ALPB membership, but focusing primarily on meetings as a group vehicle is always going to be self limiting (you can only pack so many people into a meeting and be effective - that's just Management 101).

I thought it was just changing it's name to and was interested in feedback about new names.

I and a few others gave some suggestions but nothing was mentioned about shutting down. I wouldn't like to see it close as it would be missed.

@ thelegacy....If you got another visit it wasn't necessarily because someone reported you for something it was because you are on their radar as you were visited once. So follow up checks may happen. Be good with them and they will be good with you.

You are too quick to assume someone is a "narc" and that's why you got a visit.

Also they didn't say you can't go on FM, they just said don't cause interference. They even recommended the Decade. Maybe you won't get any more visits and you know that no one will complain of interference on AM as it's normal and expected on AM as I've said before but don't assume you got a visit because of a "narc".....you got a visit because your 7 watt Chinese transmitter was wiping out someone else's radio.....could have been someone down the street, and you were all over the map with interference.

And the only reason for the most recent visit was a follow up.

Impression Over Witness

First hand observations of what transpired in the takeover of the ALPB are swept aside by Rich Powers proclaiming: "That’s not the impression I get."

And, as we've now heard from the remaining three "associates" who express no displeasure with changes being made, perhaps I'll join the "impression" and wish everyone well.

We'll call it the radio version of the movie "Lord of the Flies" and keep a lookout for FCC agents in the garden.

I have no animosity towards the FCC at least I'll stop having bad dreams about my transmitter wiping out everything.  I still do frequent checks as well as monthly checks from my engineer friend.  The fact the FCC did not find my equipment faulty is a good thing but I won't get lazy I'll still do routine checks.

I think the good thing about the ALPB is the forum as Artisan has informed is staying with a new name, even though there will be no ALPB or if there is it will be a separate from the forum. Micro Broadcasters is a good name and accurate of unlicensed broadcasting.

Unanswered Questions

I just re-read every comment in this thread and see no explanation of the original questions.

1.) Why does the ALPB need to be split apart into separate components? The combining of the resources made better sense. Most members never attended meetings but could participate in the forum.

2.) Will the Teamspeak Meeting part of the organization continue to function? If not, who is actually deciding. It looks like the self-appointed admin has done away with the democratic voting of membership to make decisions and places his judgements above everyone.

3.) Thoughtless support has been given to the simple fact of having more part 15 forums, but a little thought will realize that diluting the field with more forums weakens every forum because the few hobbyists will be spread around. More than that, the renamed "micro" forum will be a blend of this website and hobbybroadcaster, all rolled into one. There will be nothing new or unique about it.

Along with most of you, I strongly believe in this hobby but I see it breaking up into fragments and splinters.

I'll answer that with some armchair speculation, and based on the way I understand it.

1. As said previously, apparently the forum veered from the actual original objectives of the ALPB (to be honest I never was really clear about what those objectives actually were). Since the forum views did not correspond with the ALPBs mission the natural remedy was to separate the two into two separate entities and allow both venues to continue along it's merry way.

2.  It is my understanding based on the comments concerning the matter that the Team Speak meeting will continue and will be the primary medium used for the ALPB meetings.

3.  I'm unsure how to respond to your third question/point, because I completely disagree that an additional forum dilutes the prior, for one thing it is not another forum being added, it already existed but is only changing the name. I've heard the same type arguments made about a new restaurant being opened in the neighborhood, because it's going to decrease people eating in the existing ones.. but in reality that's not what happens, the more selections results on a higher overall popularity.. people are always going to have their favorite hangouts, but they are going to move around and participate elsewhere just the same.

It's never better to have only one spot to congregate, it can actually lead to stagnation.

Oh, one other thong..

I've seen a few announcements come an go about a scheduled Team Speak meeting and no one attended.. Myself, I never was much of a participant, I think I attended one a few years ago, but the point is the announcements were made but no one bothered to participate. Also request were made on the forum to vote, again only a couple bothered to give a response.. So, it seems the complaint about decisions being made without a vote is unwarranted.. no?

Deeper Thought

Thank you Rich Powers for the background information.

On this remark I have more to say: "Also request were made on the forum to vote, again only a couple bothered to give a response.. So, it seems the complaint about decisions being made without a vote is unwarranted.. no?"

In a democratic system if voters don't make a suitable turnout is not a reason to discontinue democracy. It doesn't give the vote-counter the right to name himself a dictator.

Then there's this: those who don't participate in their democracy deserve what they get.

I can also answer some of Rich's questions, and respond to his comments about ALPB member participation.

I was one of the original members of the ALPB (not original original, but joined a few months in) and stayed until mid last year.  That was for a period of multiple years.

The ALPB meetings were always sparsely attended, with a few staunch regulars, and a few dropping in and out.  Probably an average of 5, sometimes a few more, sometimes less.  I found that if there were any more than 5, the meeting topics wandered, and little was accomplished.  My opinion anyway.

It was always a question why so few attended the meetings, although many stated the usual - at an awkward time, had other things to do, etc.  I also suspect that some felt like me - they didn't like meetings and felt that they were largely a waste of time.  That's why an attempt was made to incorporate the Forum into ALPB decision-making.  Utilizing the vote mechanism of the Forum did make a difference, and there was often double digit participation.  So, relatively, a success, although of course better results were hoped for.  It has to be remembered that even now, the number of registered members (via the Forum) is only 100, and that includes some duplicates, as well as many dropouts.  Usually, an active participation rate in any Forum of 5-10% is good, so take that for what you will.

I personally am disappointed that the ALPB never managed to grow more than it has.

I'm also disappointed in the political in-fighting that occurred, as well as the power play that was enacted and the apparent disregard for the ALPB charter.  I'm not surprised that few people are participating after that fiasco - it all left a rather bad taste in the mouth, and the group lost some of its most active members and most prolific posters.  Contrary to what was said in an earlier post, I wouldn't hold my breath about those same people drifting back.  Remember the saying - fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me.

That being said, I wish what remains of the group well.