Originally posted by MustangFan
[B]Mr. Jim Branaum;
Sorry you spilled your coffee, but I don't understand that reaction.
I just don't see the "average" modeler using the new facility very often.
It's good for contest and people that go to large events such as giant scale rally's. Does that cover a lot of people? Maybe I'm naive. But I don't know of a lot of people that use this facility, and I belong to a club of over 200 members.
The average modeler that I know about goes to the field a couple of evenings a week maybe, or for a few hours on a weekend.
Out of 200+ members we see the same two dozen or so at the flying site. So 170,000 AMA members means very few "active" members and even less "very active" members that would use the AMA facilities. That leaves a lot of us "average" members in my opinion.
Jim, I have no ax to grind here. I love the hobby, I accept having AMA "insurance". I think it's good for all of us to be covered. I am not into politics ... no time ... want to use my time for the hobby.
If I offended you, I'll say publicly I'M SORRY.
This forum was a rant ... but I can be quiet in the future as most other AMA members are. Opinions are just that .....
As for the frequencies, maybe the manufactures didn't like spending $$$ to go to narrow band, but they would have had to anyway. The airways are crowded and their technology would have failed.
As for the Club/Members needs being met. Our needs seem to be insurance plus a place to fly. The AMA did not provide a place to fly. Now, if they are Very Very active in the securing and keeping of our sites .... that would be the greatest contribution. That we need ... plus a reduction in the noise quotient ( to keep sites).
I also don't think broad band will be stopped.
But the interference can and will either be minimized or eliminated, somehow ... someway. Or ... thechnology will move to other bands. Technology will prevail. It has so far .... look when we only had seven frequencies and AM at that. We are doing well with todays electronic technology.
P.S. send me your keyboard for cleaning, or the cleaning bill.
Dennis, it is like this. You whipped out that arm twister about the average modeler and I coughed the coffee I was trying to drink rather than choke on it. That kind of made it splatter. No problem, my oldest wanted a supplement to his allowance this week anyway so I will just add it to your bill <G>.
No, you did not offend me and I would prefer to hear your opinions as they clearly indicate some of the problem. I think that many of us tend to stay silent rather than rock the boat because everyone else does. Sorry but (as I am SURE many will attest to) that does NOT describe me.
You touched on a subject that is important to all of us and I have a question, if I may. What do you think the AMA could do toward acquiring and retaining flying fields? This is a subject that many have concerns over and all (reasonable) ears are open to well thought out approaches to the problem. I have had a discussion about something that might be possible with Dave Brown, but it would require some MAJOR changes that I am not sure the membership would be interested in.