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Post by Boomer on Feb 21, 2018 5:59:35 GMT
Whew, I wondered what happened, seeing the maintenance page all day, but realizing it can happen when things get messed up on the server. Usually it's a graphic of an angry bear tearing into a server, this was the first time I saw Maintenance Mode.
Glad it's back, a surprising change though, it seemed like things were on the way up over here. Personally I like this forum, I see it as easygoing and less authoritarian than other forums and boards I've read. I like to see how Part-15 is special, the same as with the solar power systems we recently discussed, do-it-yourself technology in in a time when so many are passive entertainment receivers and buyers.
With that, it might be a sticky situation to weed out politics or other seemingly off-topics, because radio people are generally concerned about speech.
I can't think of any extras that I think the site or forums should have, but promotion of Part-15 in some way can always help. Shortwave listeners would seem to be a good radio-interested audience, and WBCQ covers the country. A few of us are working on the idea of putting out a new transmitter kit, now that several of the kit makers have exited the scene. It might just turn out to be a web page or document with plans and schematic to build from, as Carl has suggested, so we'll see what happens.
My best wishes to Bob Felmly, I've known about MRAM 1500 for a long time and have actually heard it over the air before.
Boomer
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Post by mark on Feb 21, 2018 6:32:48 GMT
Sorry to hear about Bob Felmly and I do agree that some discussion regarding the "other" website could be considered slander(and risk a lawsuit) and understand he wanted none of that. We all contributed(well, not all literally) so I guess we are all a little at fault.
Welcome Davidc as Chairman and taking on the tough task of judging what goes and doesn't...not an easy job.
Hope this forum stays on even though it's similar to Part15.US.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 21, 2018 14:36:59 GMT
Now and Then
The next meeting of the ALPB on March 3rd will be the 129th meeting since Bob Felmly launched all this over five years ago!
Bob made it seem easy the way he opened a TeamSpeak channel, established a website rich in resources, founded this Forum, and chaired the meetings. He did all this virtually overnight while also building an LPFM station for his home city.
We are very lucky that DavidC/Artisan Radio, hereafter the Admin, is available and ready to guide the ALPB into its future. None of us liked the day of void when the website went dark, then the New Admin got the lights turned back on and here we are again.
Make him your choice for permanent Admin and Chairman!
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Post by Admin on Feb 21, 2018 14:51:21 GMT
This Forum is only one small part of the ALPB, and is meant to support its activities. It was never supposed to be an end unto itself. After all, there are already two very good other Forums, each with their unique take on our activity - Hobbybroadcaster & Part15.us.
What has happened, and you can view it as either good or bad, is that the Forum has taken on a life of its own, and become the main focus of activity for most ALPB members, as opposed to the biweekly meetings. Structurally, the biweekly meetings were intended to be that main focus.
One of the main questions facing us is whether that should continue. Should things change to reflect reality? Can they realistically?
As for Forum content, there are rules regarding ad hominem attacks. It's OK to criticize actions and words; it's not OK to name call. If that hasn't happened, then it certainly wasn't intended. There are reporting mechanisms if someone feels that a post goes over the line.
When it comes to politics, it's even more difficult, and words can become even more heated. Everyone has a political opinion.
Perhaps the Forum needs to be more heavily moderated, not allowing any criticism of others, and absolutely no hint of politics. But then, what makes it different than the others? Can it be made different? Should it?
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Post by Admin on Feb 21, 2018 16:24:30 GMT
***Please Note: I somehow managed to delete my initial post in this thread when mucking about with the Admin tools. It was just luck that I had another window open to the old thread, and I was able to cut and paste to create a new post. Unfortunately, I have not figured out a way yet to move it to the top of the thread. As I state in it, please have patience as I learn the tools ***
ALPB Chairman Bob Felmly has stepped down for personal reasons. I (formerly DavidC/ArtisanRadio) have been appointed Temporary Chairman (as per the ALPB Charter) until such time as a new Chairman can be elected.
Change can be very daunting. And yet change can also create opportunity.
I'd like to ask each member of the ALPB and this Forum to consider what we can do as an organization, moving forward, to create new opportunities and to better achieve our mission of assisting Low Power Broadcasters with radio programming.
Here are some examples. Structure. Can we better structure ourselves, and divide the workload? Who should be the new Chairman? Do we want to grow? How?
Communication. Do we need twice a month Facetime meetings, which can be cumbersome at times if large numbers show up? Are there better ways of communicating, such as through this Forum? Perhaps we only need meetings for special occasions, such as important votes or an AGM or ?
Ideas. I liked the shortwave broadcast idea, and perhaps it can be resurrected in a different form. I've been thinking of an ALPB Radio Stream, featuring programs supplied by ALPB members and other commonly available ones - that one remains only an idea, and it may never fly due to workload, copyright restrictions, etc. but maybe there are other gems out there.
I also have to bring forward the very real possibility that maybe now is the time to recognize our 5 year run, and fold the tent.
So let's get the discussions started here.
In the meantime, I ask for patience as I learn the Forum Admin ropes.
I will also ask that future postings, at least until things are sorted, be restricted ONLY to radio and radio broadcasting. Politics continues to creep into various discussions here (which isn't always a bad thing), but there is now even less time to moderate than previously.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 21, 2018 17:51:13 GMT
The Perfect Forum
Questions about making the ALPB Forum distinct and somehow different from the other low power radio forums have come to the fore. Let's think about it.
Confining discussion strictly to low power radio is easy to say, but not so easy to clarify.
Low power radio starts with federal rules and regulations in a station's home country, but we don't have legal educations, therefore our opinions about rules amount to guesswork, knowing nothing about case law nor other dimensions of legal practice that we've never even heard of.
The rules we know, for example in the U.S., are confined to a few measurements... 3-meter antenna, 250 uV at 30-feet, and aspects not stated in the rules like ground radials... My point here is that what little there is to say is soon said and oft repeated making forum traffic light if that's all that gets talked about. The main responsibility of the writer is to speak only in terms known to be "within the speed limit".
But then there are programs, with music being the most common format of most stations. How deeply into music can the conversation drift? Lyrics often make political, religious, racial, or sexual statements. Meaty stuff.
By way of friendly sharing we offer links to program productions stations might like knowing about, but shall moderators stay close to the delete key when programs are too polarized over certain controversial issues? For example, I'd like some programs in support of Planned Parenthood. Might a moderator be inclined to be more lenient if he sympathizes certain biases?
There's been talk at some ALPB meetings of being "democratic", always meaning that the "majority rules", but is that not a polite form of mob rule? If the bulk of the membership happens to be zealous in some extreme might the ALPB mutate into a neo-fascist propaganda voice?
If you can swat a lot of flys all the time you might be able to shape a perfect internet forum, but it has yet to be done... unless...
Unless you accept that I am always right.
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Post by Druid Hills Radio on Feb 21, 2018 18:18:03 GMT
The Perfect ForumCarl Comments: "There's been talk at some ALPB meetings of being "democratic", always meaning that the "majority rules", but is that not a polite form of mob rule? If the bulk of the membership happens to be zealous in some extreme might the ALPB mutate into a neo-fascist propaganda voice?"My recommendation is to operate like the Electoral College. Each member gets a specific number of votes based on what state he or she resides. For example, since I'm in Florida I would get 29 votes. Carl would get 10 votes. Now for the folks living in Canada the vote count would be based on the population of the Provinces. We can assign an arbitrary number such 10 votes for the largest (Ontario) and 1 for the smallest. (Prince Edward Island) David would get 8 votes. Those living in the Territories would get 2/3 of a single vote. Seems fair to me. |
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Post by Boomer on Feb 21, 2018 20:37:38 GMT
I didn't know that the forum was supposed to be a small annex to the rest of ALPB. As a more recent member, I came in when the forum was already established and active and thought this was the main voice. I know there's a main website and have been there many times for information and manuals.
I like that a website is part of the ALPB experience, most forums don't have an accompanying site, they just exist as forums.
One change I'd like to see would be to port the forum off of ProBoards and on to the local website, to make it the ALPB's own.
Boom
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Post by jimhenry2000 on Feb 22, 2018 5:13:33 GMT
So for the first time tonight I am reading that Bob Felmly has stepped down for personal reasons. When we were told the forum went into maintenance mode it was for "liability reasons". Without prying into anyone's personal business, is there any more information on what is going on?
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Post by Admin on Feb 22, 2018 5:59:53 GMT
You can contact Bob if you like; he may be willing to share his personal reasons for stepping down. Unfortunately, the communications surrounding this were a bit confusing, which is why I attempted to clarify the situation in what was the first post of the thread (which was accidently deleted as I was learning the Admin tools, so it reappeared as the 4th post, I believe).
In the meantime, the purpose of this thread is to discuss how the ALPB should move forward. I'm not sure its beneficial (or fair to Bob) to beat a dead horse.
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Post by jimhenry2000 on Feb 23, 2018 5:59:36 GMT
You can contact Bob if you like; he may be willing to share his personal reasons for stepping down. Unfortunately, the communications surrounding this were a bit confusing, which is why I attempted to clarify the situation in what was the first post of the thread (which was accidently deleted as I was learning the Admin tools, so it reappeared as the 4th post, I believe). In the meantime, the purpose of this thread is to discuss how the ALPB should move forward. I'm not sure its beneficial (or fair to Bob) to beat a dead horse. No, no need for that. I was just curious about the sudden change. Just 2-3 days ago I responded to a couple of his posts, in kind, as I agreed with him, and now he and the posts seem to have gone into the ether. I wish him the best. |
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Post by cthuskyman on Mar 3, 2018 2:40:27 GMT
So for the first time tonight I am reading that Bob Felmly has stepped down for personal reasons. When we were told the forum went into maintenance mode it was for "liability reasons". Without prying into anyone's personal business, is there any more information on what is going on? Say what? Wasn't aware of this....what's happening with that? |
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Post by cthuskyman on Mar 3, 2018 2:49:53 GMT
The Perfect ForumCarl Comments: "There's been talk at some ALPB meetings of being "democratic", always meaning that the "majority rules", but is that not a polite form of mob rule? If the bulk of the membership happens to be zealous in some extreme might the ALPB mutate into a neo-fascist propaganda voice?"My recommendation is to operate like the Electoral College. Each member gets a specific number of votes based on what state he or she resides. For example, since I'm in Florida I would get 29 votes. Carl would get 10 votes. Now for the folks living in Canada the vote count would be based on the population of the Provinces. We can assign an arbitrary number such 10 votes for the largest (Ontario) and 1 for the smallest. (Prince Edward Island) David would get 8 votes. Those living in the Territories would get 2/3 of a single vote. Seems fair to me. Uh, no. If we're going to hold votes on things, it should be "one person, one vote". That's how our system works....or is supposed to work, LOL. |
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