After the launch of Hampedia and HamWiki.info, it was evident that the founders of the respective sites were onto something big. Publicity was launched by both sites, including an e-mail to the ARRL news.
After we contacted the ARRL, informing them of the launch of the Wikis, I got a message back from Rich Lindquist N1RL, acknowledging reciept of my news submission request, and asking a few questions about Hampedia (is it a commercial site, etc.). I responded back and informed him that we don’t even solicit advertisers on the site, and that Hampedia’s mission is 100% for the betterance of the hobby.
Today, we find out the fruits of our efforts have been squashed by the infamous “Hamsexy stigma”. A news bulletin was posted on the ARRL website extolling the virtues of Hamwiki.info, but with absolutley no mention of our venture. Upon questioning by a few of our members, the ARRL.com editor Stan Hortzpa, WA1LOU wrote back with this response:
The ARRL’s policy is not to publicize web sites that are even remotely
associated with anything pornographic. Since Hamsexy contains pornographic
content, I cannot write about Hampedia.
So, there you have it. Hampedia.com suffers because of yet another ham who would rather listen to the rumours and speculation about Hamsexy rather than investigating the matter for themselves. It’s the OF mentality that makes people think that Hamsexy is a porn site. Let me say it again, for those who might not have heard:
I hope that’s clear.
Hamsexy has NEVER intentionally featured *ANY* porn on it’s site. Sometimes we use rather, well, suggestive photos against those who refuse to stop stealing out bandwidth by hotlinking our photos, but we are NOT a porn site. Unfortunatley, those who do accuse us of being a pornographic site either have an agenda or know absolutley nothing about Hamsexy. And even then, Hampedia.com has nothing to do with Hamsexy. Other than being a side project and being hosted on the same server, the same no-pornography rules apply to Hampedia as they do to Hamsexy. We don’t even allow our members to use profanity on the forums (our system automatically filters such words out of each and every post). That sure doesn’t sound like a porn site to us.
but, then again, to those who are overly sensitive, a photo of a girl in a bathing suit or a dress without sleeves could be considered pornographic. Unfortunatley, people would rather tow the party line and listen to what others scream about it rather than investigating it for themselves. It just looks like that Stan WA1LOU’s threshold of what he considers pornographic doesn’t follow the accepted norm (Oh, I don’t know.. nudity…. penetrative sex… I’ll give $1000 to the ARRL’s Keeping the Pants Up Fund if he can find any penetrative sex shots on the public areas of the forums).
Because of this very unfortunate situation, many of our members are weighing in. Some are writing comments, while others are protesting by refusing to re-up on their ARRL membership. Here’s a small sampling of the comments from the Hamsexy Forums:
KC9ECI: Just another reason not to renew my membership. I’m really not all that impressed with the ARRL. I can’t see the point in renewing. The ARRL is a special interest group that promotes the special interests of a very select few.
N5KSK: I thought I was the only one… (not!) I haven’t even read the last 3 copies of QST I got. I thumb through them, see the same old articles on building intergalactic antennas from plumbing, contest team du jour, glowing reviews of advertised equipment, spots about the ISS as if it’s something new and exciting, and NOTHING HI-TECH AT ALL. At least when packet was new there were always leading edge articles, now, squat.
KC2OSF: I’m a Diamond Club member, too. They won’t be getting a nickel from me next year, and I’m going to write them and tell them that, too.
Grem467: As a guy at work said: “what is it with QST? every month they have an article to build another fox hunt antenna” haha
WD5KCA: In all fairness they should have mentioned both.
N5RLR: Hampedia’s mere association with Hamsexy is enough to give it a bad name, in their opinion. It makes no difference how stellar Hampedia’s content is; it’s a Hamsexy work, and therefore unfit for the “mainstream.” Let’s face it…Hamsexy pokes fun at the Amateur Radio establishment, and they don’t like it. Period. Nothing is going to change their minds.
KG4CGC: I haven’t picked up a copy of QST in about 5 or 6 years because I don’t see the point in paying good money for a bunch of contest scores that that can be looked up for free or why such importance is placed on these scores.
N3JFW: The ARRL is a lobbiest group, that’s all. The ham radio equiv of the NRA.
BLOCKHEAD: The ARRL has basically become nothing more than spokesmen for Icom, Kenwood, Yaesu, etc. They will do whatever the FCC tells them to do. They are an EXTREMELY political organization. QST has become nothing more than a catalog. Hamsexy pornographic? I’m sorry, when did the Purists take over ARRL? I, too, will not be renewing my membership.
KC0UVA: See, I have never joined (and never will, if I have anything to say about it) the ARRL because of crap like this. I’m going to spell it out here for the ARRL to read – the ARRL is the root of the reason that Ham Radio is dying. The ARRL is afraid of change, and afraid of the younger generation it so wishes and strives to bring into this “hobby”. The same thing can be said for a large number of ARCs, who are seemingly terrified of a younger group who pushes the envelope on the radio.
AE6IP: My ARRL membership is due to expire in a few days. Because my VE credentials and mentor credentials go with it, I was dithering about whether or not to pony up the tiny fee. This pretty much settled my mind. Bye ARRL.
If you, too want to weigh in, please e-mail us at submissions@hamsexy.com. As well, feel free to CC your message to the following e-mail addresses: Stan Horzepa WA1LOU, Steve Ford WB8IMY, mhobart@arrl.org, [email protected], membership@arrl.org and Rich Lindquist N1RL.
Please, we urge you to be responsible if you choose to communicate with anyone outside of Hamsexy. Any attempts at nonesense will be dealt with.
