[FRC] Florida Repeater Council Information

Mon Oct 3 09:01:23 EDT 2016

One problem with Hams new to repeater building and the FRC, new Hams have this idea they have a Ham license and can operate anywhere they wish within their privileges.  And they cannot see why they cannot have a repeater pair just for the asking.  Of course if they did put on a repeater and got interference they would be complaining to hell and high water.

Repeaters technically and operationally are totally different animals than typical Ham stations.  And when put up high they get into issues not encountered by the typical Ham.

The FRC is caught in the middle, but has shown they can handle the problems.

73, ron, n9ee/r a know code Extra

Ron Wright, N9EE/R
BSEE
Micro Computer Concepts
352-683-4476
mccrpt at tampabay.rr.com

________________________________
From: FRC-Info <frc-info-bounces at lists.keekles.org> on behalf of rick.pemble at outlook.com <rick.pemble at outlook.com>
Sent: Monday, October 3, 2016 12:08 AM
To: 'Florida Repeater Council Discussion'
Subject: Re: [FRC] Florida Repeater Council Information

Seems to me that there is a FRC meeting 3 times a year,  at the Tampa Hamfest,  the Orlando  Hamfest, and the Melbourne Hamfest (this weekend).  Minutes  are sent out to members via email.

All are invited to attend the meetings, members or not.

The FRC site is at http://florida-repeaters.org/ - which used to have the entire database available for perusal and download – not sure what this current notice is all about.

Florida Repeater Council Home Page<http://florida-repeaters.org/>
florida-repeaters.org
Florida Repeater Council. The Florida Repeater Council, Inc. (FRC) is the ARRL-recognized amateur frequency coordinating body for the State of Florida.

But the point is – I have been a Ham here since 1975 – I don’t know of any problem with the FRC – I notice those that do right now, are new guys with non-florida call signs.     I would be hesitant to throw in with a group of carpet baggers unless there was some real reason that it was necessary.   A few complaints and accusations is not enough for a coup.       The Amateur service has not completely degenerated into CB yet.   Although I can understand that the new guys don’t know of any difference on the air, I think if you are serious  - show up at the Melbourne hamfest FRC meeting and make your complaints known and addressed.

I don’t have a dog in this fight,  don’t have a repeater, don’t want one,  but, damn,  if I see one more ‘2’, or ‘KA’ call  screaming for revolution….. I would at least like to hear how YOU would run the coordination activity in any improved fashion first.

(and saying you have been a ham since .. so and so, no-code era, doesn’t cut any fat off your arguments – best leave that one out).

W4RP

From: FRC-Info [mailto:frc-info-bounces at lists.keekles.org] On Behalf Of DWFComm at aol.com
Sent: Sunday, October 02, 2016 11:53 PM
To: frc-info at lists.keekles.org
Subject: Re: [FRC] Florida Repeater Council Information

    I'm pretty sure that I am not an FRC member, though not certain..as I have not had any form of  "Minutes of meetings" in ages -if ever.

    I had thought that the unusually slow processing speed was a "due diligence" effect , and a nuisance at best ..however I have heard of "Paper Repeaters" existing and even a story of certain frequencies/pairs being held from general use only to be "sold" to some well healed or politically influential entities.

    How any of the above -if true- equates  to the proper management of  frequency assets worries me , and throws the otherwise best  practices book into the Chipper.

     If your efforts would include  an immediate  sweep for DEAD WOOD and Paper machines ...count me in.

     If it was truly the best the current FRC  could do, God bless them for the effort , but If stories of malice are true ..an intervention is clearly needed.

      However , I can't help thinking that previous performance of the FRC and the attrition of  Hams capable of ginning up a repeater .,constitute a rapidly approaching drain.

      In my travels over the last few years , I have heard a shocking ebb in repeater activity ,and even the once friendly  VHF Spx 146.52 is near desolate of  travel companions.

  I fear that  HAMS willing to put up with the "WE SAY SO Company " ethic of the recent FRC...are likely to believe a new FRC would be  just rearranging the deck chairs on the "S.S. Minnow"  .

       Yours,

 Dave Fragale

   KA4CNP

 444.4/449.4 192.8

  Seminole

In a message dated 10/2/2016 10:23:54 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, Bryan at bryanfields.net<mailto:Bryan at bryanfields.net> writes:

Greetings and welcome to the Florida Repeater Discussion List,

I am Bryan Fields, W9CR.

I’m involved in amateur radio in the Tampa Bay area, with membership in four local clubs and chairman of the Technical Committee for my local group.

Professionally I am a Network Architect with a major telecom company.  I’ve been a licensed amateur since 1995 (over 2/3 of my life), hold a GROL+Radar and have a background in cellular/microwave networks.

Fellow Amateurs, the FRC is an organization run amuck.  Incompetent directors are managing it, flouting the bylaws, violating Florida Law, and ignoring member needs.  I am asking for your proxy for the upcoming FRC meeting.

It has failed in its ability to coordinate operations of amateur radio repeaters in the following ways:

  *   <!--[if !supportLists]-->Publication of the FRC database on a public website

     *   This database dump in MySQL format and the associated webpages show without a doubt the level of incompetency in the programming behind the database.  This is nothing but gross negligence on the part of Director Rodakis and Director Lavender.
     *   Per the coordination policy, locations are to be kept secret, however a Reddit user was kind enough to post a Google earth KML showing the coordinated location of every repeater in the state.
     *    All your personal data, phone, email, home address, repeater site address and Repeater Site GPS coordinates are published.

  *   Length of the coordination process is unacceptable!

     *   As of this writing coordination applications post 1/25/2016 have not been processed.  It’s October!
     *   If the coordinator cannot process applications in a reasonable time, he needs to step down.
     *   Renewals have not been processed post 5/7/2016!   As most coordinations expire on 9/30/2016, this means no members may vote under the bylaws!  This applies to the board as well.

  *   <!--[if !supportLists]--><!--[endif]-->Violation of the coordination policy by the directors
  *   Willful violation of the bylaws by the directors
  *   Willful violations of FS 617 regarding members request for information

     *   Acknowledged receipt of this by President Kassis

  *   Publicly stating the policy of the FRC is “is unable to search for available frequencies”, when this is the FCC definition of a frequency coordinator.
  *   When they do suggest frequencies there active repeaters on them, some even coordinated well under the radius.
  *   Inventing new coordination polices on the fly without approval of the board

The FRC must be reformed if it wishes to keep its legitimacy.  Frequency coordination is voluntary in amateur radio, and there is little reason for amateur radio operators in Florida to seek coordination from the FRC under this current administration.

My goal is to transform this organization into a healthy helping hand for repeater operators and other amateur spectrum users.  No one should be answered with contempt for months after putting an application in for coordination only to be told “fill it out again, we can’t edit it”.  This should not be an organization which exists as a good-ol’-boy system breading contempt; rather one which operates in the open, in accordance with its bylaws, and accountable to its members.

The FRC should ask how to say “Yes” rather than saying “No” in working with their members and other amateurs.

•• •••• •• ••• •• •• ••• ••••• ••••• •••

  *   <!--[endif]-->Remove the current directors for gross incompetency and exposing the organization to liability:

     *   Ray Kassis, N4LEM
     *   Dana Rodakis, K4LK
     *   (Glenn) Mike Fletcher, NI4M
     *   Chuck Lavender, W4CLL

  *   Demand new elections for existing directors in compliance with the bylaws.
  *   Establish a bylaw committee to rewrite the bylaws and change the organization structure to better serve all amateurs in Florida.
  *   Establish a development process for new policies from the membership
  *   Encourage input from the membership based on sound technical policies
  *   De-centralize coordination by having a web enabled database be accessible to the public showing all history of an application through coordination.
  *   No one person should be the gatekeeper of the database.
  *   Make all records of the FRC open to the public, as any non-profit serving the public interest must be.

I will make a motion to accomplish this at the next meeting at the Melbourne Hamfest meeting.   To make this happen, I am asking for your proxy, if you’re a member of the FRC.   You will need to print out this form and sign it, then send a scan or legible picture of it to me via email or text message. If you can attend the meeting, please do so.

It’s $10 to become a member on the FRC website and it buys the right to have a say in the future of amateur radio in Florida.

http://florida-repeaters.org/donate.htm

I fully expect to be shouted down by the board, but as members we cannot be ignored.  I wish to resolve this via the membership, but if ignored I do intend to comply the board, by any legal means, to follow the bylaws and FS 617.

I need your proxy by the Friday, October 7, 2016.

73’s and see you at Melbourne,

Bryan Fields, W9CR

P.S. Please feel free to discuss this on list.  If you wish to not be a part of this discussion you can remove yourself using the link at the bottom.  I'm happy to oblige your wishes via direct email as well if you have any questions.

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