As one of the dinosaurs at the ARRL and a Quarter Century Wireless Association member to boot, please allow that:

1.  The ARRL is only one repeater directory publisher.  As mentioned earlier, 

http://www.repeaterbook.com/ where I am a moderator

and

http://www.artscipub.com/repeaters/ are just two.

I don't see many nodes listed on the latter two, though coordinated REPEATERS are.  After all, it is a REPEATER directory.  I have our simplex resource listed on RepeaterBook because I am a moderator.  If you are interested in getting your NODE listed there, become a moderator yourself.  It's easy work.  Help is always welcome.  

OH ... and the Android and IOS app for RepeaterBook is GREAT for the traveling ham who is as averse to paper as I.   :)

2.  As an AllstarLink user, I have achieved a number of pleasant QSOs on my computer and phone.  I like AllstarLink because it works on any phone, including landline.  

Conversely, I have been offended by AllstarLink users who were just as welcoming as some on Echolink and IRLP groups.  In fact, one trustee of a popular linked system told me publicly, over his system broadcasting RF to all and streaming over the AllstarLink system, that my laptop connection was not welcome.  I was happy to tell him that I was disconnecting.  I sent him a nice email challenging his QRZ.com profile verbiage about welcome connections and offered to meet him for coffee sometime.  I'm still waiting.

... and this is an example of how a fairly new user was treated.  In other words, there was no clear lines regarding allowed use.  As a result, I am cautious to to connect to some repeaters because they don't reveal their network connections.

Nevertheless, amateur radio is a BIG hobby.  You are welcome to your corner of it while I occupy mine.    :)

I will smile at you in person and by email.   :)

3.  The American Radio Relay League is the biggest US ship sailing the Amateur Radio Sea.  The Radio Society of Great Britain and Radio Amateurs of Canada offer similar services in their countries.  The ARRL has been a strong proponent of new technology, ex. article on Page 92 of November 2013 QST addressing remote base, i.e. remotehams.com use for DXCC operations, use of Echolink to send Morse Code practice http://www.arrl.org/echolink-irlp so those without HF stations can still participate, etc.

If you are not a LEAGUE member, you are letting the membership set the direction of amateur radio for you.  I feel the ARRL membership is worth the attorney at the Washington, DC office and the radio insurance that covers my cellphone because, after all, it IS a "radio device" that I can use to talk to people on AllstarLink, Echolink, APRS, and IRLP.  If there's something the League is not doing right, I have the ear of the Section Manager and the Division director.  I know an email to either does not go to spam.  I am a regular participant in the Section Leadership conference call.

I hope to connect to you on the local node WX5ASA-R on Echolink and IRLP 8115 with AllStarLink being added as I have time, money, and patience, not necessarily in that order.  Otherwise, please find me on remotehams.com enjoying HF operation, scanning local repeaters, and enjoying the social aspects of amateur radio, without degrading comments, over coffee.

Oh ... and who wants to help me write the QST article about AllstarLink?

73

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