[Dstar] Comment from a D-Star Rptr Project person

Thu Sep 3 16:17:24 CST 2009

Hi Rob,

That's fantastic, noisy bearings get lubrication as the saying goes so we will all be looking forward to speedy progress with the Dstar system.

Being honest about how your feeling and not keeping things bottled up is important.

I should have spat the dummy earlier. It's re-assuring to get a fast positive response and for others to know they are not alone in their frustrations/feelings. Good news is we can and should all speak up freely and move on understanding each other.

73'

James

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Sent from my iPhone
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On 03/09/2009, at 1:51 PM, "Robert McKnight" <mcknightr at winnsw.com.au> wrote:

Hi All (especially to my fellow often unfairly criticized D-Star repeater project people),

Mark Kyle has just posted a polite email to those questioning the commitment, roll-out, quality & functionality of the Australian D-Star repeater systems.
Congrats to you Mark for being so nice to the many that have been so sarcastic & critical of these systems over the past months in not meeting their lofty expectations.

My take on these unwarranted, ignorant & self-centred comments is the following…..

Many of you have bitched & whined about buying your D-Star radio & not (in your opinion), being supplied with the service that you feel you deserve & are entitled to.
All I have to say to you is - what a load of crap!

All you have managed to do is:
1) Buy a radio
2) Connect it to power & antenna
3) Decide that things aren’t up to YOUR expectations
4) Then whinge, bitch, whine, blame & complain to anyone who will listen (or are forced to)

Many of you have contributed ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to the many D-Star repeater projects & installations, but you feel it is your God-given right to then air your feelings in the most public way (eg: over the air & via emails) while also “feeding” off each other with your stupid, ill-informed, opinionated, smart-arse & sarcastic comments.

I’ve heard & seen you blame:
1) The WIA
2) Icom
2) Richard VK3JFK
3) The wankers in Melbourne who don’t care about the rest of Australia
4) The D-Star hierarchy (whoever they are)
5) The local D-Star repeater project people (because we’re useless/lazy/stupid/lack technical knowledge/beyond our ability/don’t care/don’t contribute enough effort/etc).

Some of you are so funny (not) with your “e-waste” comments or how about “Actually I've got the s-its too so me is spitting the dummy, being geared up for Dstar close to 2 years, WIA member 11 years, donated some cash to the local Dstar club project and my ID-1 purchased in good faith may as well be in the ------- trash can.”

Ignoring the lack of ability in typing a grammatically correct sentence, if you really feel that way, why don’t you actually chuck your radio in the trash can?
Have you not heard that actions speak louder than words?

I couldn’t care less about how long you’ve owned your radio or been a WIA member. Those of us who are working on getting the D-Star repeaters (both WIA & non-WIA) on the air & running 24 hours a day, who quietly work away in the background, spending our own money, repeatedly driving to repeater sites, organizing ACMA licensing, dealing with site access & legality issues, up late at night trying to figure out connectivity issues, climbing towers to install feed-lines & antennas, giving up our own family time, making dozens of phone calls, etc etc etc are sick of hearing your crap.  

Most of you offer nothing but criticism & aim your unfair comments to people who are doing all of this TOTALLY VOLUNTARILY & who don’t forget, are also your fellow Amateur “brothers”.   

If you feel you can do better than us, the WIA, Richard or whomever, why don’t you put your money where your mouth is & go to the effort of putting a D-Star repeater & gateway on the air & connected to the internet……then many months later, when you’ve outlaid considerable money/time/frustration/effort & it’s still not on the air, maybe you will start to understand how rude & unfair your comments have been.

And those that have tried to blame Richard VK3JFK for his lack of commitment, effort or ability should hang your collective heads in shame.
You may have opposing opinions & think he should do things differently (like the D-Star dashboard crap), but to suggest it’s his fault in some way or he has some sort of political motivations, is downright rude & shameful.

Yes, you are entitled to an opinion (as we all are), but perhaps you should be a bit more considerate of your fellow volunteer Amateurs & also get yourselves a bit more involved & informed, rather than sitting back in your chair, firing-off your nasty, vitriolic, rude, sarcastic & mostly ill-informed opinions to all & sundry. They serve no purpose but to put a smug smile on your face & perhaps make you feel better about your lack of actual help & involvement, but in turn alienate & upset the very people who are working their arses off trying to get these systems on the air for your friggin’ benefit.

Of course some of you will now feel compelled to fire-off strongly worded replies to my comments, but may I suggest that only those who are guilty of the above should feel that way & by replying you are only exposing your own guilt.

Let’s all work together, help each other, offer support, speak kindly of each others efforts & get D-Star flying in this country.

Yours in Amateur radio,
Rob McKnight – VK2MT

D-Star Project Officer (VK2RDS)
Repeater Chairperson (VK2RMP/VK2RUW/VK2RIS/VK2RBT)
& Vice President
Illawarra Amateur Radio Society inc

PS: I have included my email address if you wish to discuss any of the above off the mail list.

This email may be confidential and/or privileged. Only the intended recipient may access or use it. If you are not the intended recipient, please delete this email and notify me promptly. We use Virus scanning software but exclude all liability for viruses or similar in any attachment.
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