ALPB MEETING 6 DECEMBER 2014

The Holiday Social Season kicks off with tonight's ALPB Meeting with low power attendees from all around the world.

If you can't attend, we will raise a glass to you, your station and your family.

One member will receive a door prize... MRAM likes to give away doors recovered from an upgrade at his city departments snow plow building.

Dress casual.

Did I forget to mention the next TeamSpeak Meeting of The ALPB is Saturday, December 20th at 9:00 pm Eastern Time (Sunday 0200 UTC.)  Ooops, that's today!

My how the time escapes me although I did update The ALPB Calendar page to reflect this coming meeting.  

I always have good intentions to produce some type of presentation but life always gets in the way.  Join us if you will for our usual short business meeting followed by an hour or more of great, casual conversation about whats happening in the world of license free, low power broadcasting.

To join in simply read over The ALPB Charter.  If you find it to agreeable-download/install TeamSpeak 3 Client.  Links to both are available at The ALPB home page.  Let me know and I'll send you the TeamSpeak server address and password.  To bashful to speak?  Simply listen and type your comments/questions into the Chat Box.

Hope to "hear" everyone there.

In about half an hour we will gather once again in the TeamSpeak Highrise in Downtown Cayahoga Falls, Ohio, for another ALPB Meeting, shaping the future of radio.

I'm sitting here preparing my Agender, uh, I mean, Agenda, and I imagine the others are doing the same thing.

If you don't, you should.

Join the ALPB.

Well, I didn't want to be late again with the notice.

The next regular TeamSpeak meeting of The ALPB is scheduled for Saturday January 3rd, 2015 at 9:00 pm Eastern Time (Sunday 0200 UTC.)

Yes, a New Year and The ALPB is still here.  A few members stronger, we have a way to go though.

There are no guidelines in our Charter regarding elections or how long a person may serve.  As I was appointed Chairman by The ALPB founding member Joe Martinez upon vacating his post, I've done what I can to advance The ALPB.  I'm thinking a new Chairman may bring new ideas.

Mostly I've brought forth ideas to stimulate an interest in the organization with a desire to attract new members.  The ALPB website being the main vehicle for these ideas, it has morphed into a rather cluttered display of many good intentions.  Perhaps it is time to streamline that site with a new look in the new year.

While featuring our Member Stations, giving us a chance to boast, the primary goal of The ALPB is to improve our stations by sharing technical expertise and content.  The featured Member Station and Content pages let people see who and what our stations are doing.  The More Links page provides external sources of media and information. The How To Do It page has problem solving ideas.  Other incentives such as The ALPB Station Certificate have been offered to foster a sense of pride and authority in our stations.  But, there is still something missing.  New people...

It's a New Year and hope springs eternal.  Join The ALPB...

As one of the Charter Members of the ALPB I have been continuously impressed and amazed by the excellent Chairmanship provided by Bob Felmly, alongside his nonstop operation operation of his combination recording studio and part 15 radio station known as MRAM 1500, and the quickest buildout and startup of an LPFM radio station for his hometown.

I have never before met someone who could do so many things and do them all perfectly well without missing a beat.

The thought of making a change in chairman is disturbing because, to quote Bob Felmly, "If it ain't broke don't fix it."

Perhaps we could spend the next year holding discussions about the questions raised by Bob in his post, without rushing into unknown territory.

The ALPB needs YOU!

Last night (Dec. 27) I showed up at the TeamSpeak Meeting Room and was surprised to be the first one there... I'm usually the third or fourth.

By 8 PM no one else had shown up. How could everyone have forgotten?

Then I checked Bob MRAM Chairman's notice... the meeting is set for Jan. 3.

Lesson learned: Dec. 27 is not Jan. 3.

Carl, you're just used to my Meeting Notice showing up on the day of the meeting.

I even checked out the meeting room at some point last night.  

Too bad we didn't meet up.

The 1st ALPB Meeting of 2015 will be held Sat. Jan. 3, 2015 at 9 PM EST and this year we will consider big questions:

- How can we increase the interest in low power radio?

There are more of us than it seems, because many broadcasters do not often post at the part15 websites, but they are on the air and programming their stations;

- How can we attract more participation in part 15 forum activity?

It matters whether part15.us gets traffic, otherwise the website might fade away;

- How can we attract women to part 15 radio?

For some reason all the part 15 stations seem to be the work of males. Yes, the males of low power radio have wives and girlfriends, but the people owning and running stations seem to be only males; 

- How can we bring more business to the vital transmitter makers?

We would be up a creek without the transmitter makers, but will they stay in business if sales are slow? We need to buy more transmitters.

- Finally, and most important, how can Carl Blare get rich?

Think of it. If Carl Blare were rich he could spend all his time promoting part 15 radio. What could be better than that?

Yes, it's already January 3rd!

Five hours from now and counting!