Is Amateur Radio as an art form resting in peace ever since the mid-50s and, instead; are we merely technicians improving upon mature technology? I'd like to add to the conversation that is beginning to bloom between two long time bloggers.
Is Amateur Radio a program or is Amateur Radio a project? Or, given the number of programs and projects at different organizational and personal levels, when I talk about our hobby; I'm actually talking about a portfolio labeled Amateur Radio.
A project is defined as a temporary endeavor that creates a unique product, service, or result.
A program is a group of related projects, subprograms, and program activities managed in coordination to obtain results not possible by managing them individually.
A portfolio is projects, programs, and/or subportfolios managed as a group to obtain strategic objectives.
Has our avocation clearly defined its activities as project, program, or portfolio? Has leadership defined its strategic objectives in relationship to the portfolio it manages?
I transmit this question into the conversation. Is advancing Amateur Radio as an art form considered a strategic objective? If so, why are we not managing or coordinating objectives, to that level?
For example, is RadioSport a project or program, given above definitions one might conclude RadioSport is best defined as a program. Is World Radiosport Team Championship a project within the RadioSport program? Given its charter, as a short term endeavor producing a specific result, I'd categorize as project. Likewise, are sponsored events, categorized as projects afterall an event produces a specific result.
However, continuing my example, are nets considered either a project or program? Perhaps, a net is categorized within Amateur Radio's Emergency Communications program, subsequently; both RadioSport and Emergency Communication programs share one common resource.
Consider Radio Spectrum and the future demand of wireless devices on this finite resource. Likewise, RadioSport and Emergency Communications compete on an almost weekly basis, for limited spectrum space. Both, at least under the umbrella of regulation, have equal right until an emergency. Yet, we are unable to reach an agreement between both programs, as to how spectrum space is managed during a sponsored event.
Perhaps, Amateur Radio is losing the battle at advancing radio as an artform not because of the people at a grass root level, rather; its organizational and strategic vision.
73 from the shackadelic near the beach.