XPost: rec.radio.amateur.moderated, uk.radio.amateur, free.uk.amateur-radio

Real-World Amateur Radio

///////////////////////////////////////////
Blog prompts IARU engagement

Posted: 28 Dec 2021 12:54 AM PST https://mw1cfnradio.blogspot.com/2021/12/blog-prompts-iaru-engagement.html


Following my recent post concerning IARU's aspirations for the future, I
was interested to receive contact from a IARU R1 representative by e-mail.
If, as it seems, someone was trying to cause trouble between myself and
IARU by advising them of my blogpost, then they didn't have the required
effect - at all.




Instead, I've been pleased to find that, at least in the person who
contacted me, an open and transparent approach that accepted some of the criticism that I levelled at IARU. They've even gone as far as to say that they want to take some of my, admittedly pretty simple ideas forward for further development.
A few key things have come out of the so-far brief but positive discussion, which I'll try to summarise.
IARU's aspirations of how it wants amateur radio to be were written in a present tense in its recent report.
So the aspiration 'we want ham radio to be inclusive', for example, was
written as though this is already true: 'ham radio is inclusive'.

As IARU have written it, it can be seen as a form of denial of the problems
we face in radio, even though, as I've accepted, that was not the intention. I've suggested that IARU should clear-up the confusion and, moreover, show
it is up to the task of looking at ourselves squarely in the mirror by accepting the problems we have. Most of these are a real threat to the
future of amateur radio, if not addressed.

I thought it would be a good idea to re-write the aspirations in the
following manner: 'Amateur radio has a number of problems: a lack of inclusivity amongst gender, age and ethnic backgrounds. IARU wants to help change this, quickly'.
I think that, written in this way, the IARU statements gain a much greater degree of honesty, which can only assist it get to where it - and the ham
radio community - wants to be, because the problem is properly defined from
the outset.

I've also suggested that IARU is not very well understood by a typical
amateur radio operator, and that a key aim of IARU should be to address
this.
I'm persuaded that IARU has an important role to play, and should work a
lot harder to make us all aware of what this role, in practice, is. If it doesn't do this, it could lead to a lax approach to accountability and, ultimately, a loss of relevance. Neither of these things are of benefit to
our hobby.
In coming months, I hope to be hearing a lot more from IARU, what it has
been doing and, especially, how it is going to achieve those aspirations
for the future of our hobby. But this is not a love-in; I've already told
IARU that I don't warm to any attempts, should they be made, to control the narrative.

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)