I have decided that I will not be a part of HF Link, in the formal sense. Many members of the Yahoo group HFlink have been helpful over the years and Steve especially has been of tremendous help to all. However, I have concluded that the rigid control and moderation of that group, have contributed to the failure of ALE to take hold as an effective method of amateur radio communication. Despite years of efforts, ALE remains perhaps the least used method of ham radio contact management, and is regularly used by less than 75 hams world-wide. I know of no other amateur radio method that is dependent solely on one group , and that one group has such prohibitive practices that it essentially dictates terms. The copyright policy of the HF Link group is directly contributing to a lack of openness that is rarely seen in the amateur radio world. PSK and digital modes have many organizations and email lists, CW has lots of groups, SSB-phone a zillion clubs, RACES/ARES accepts a wider choices of systems, weak signals modes like JT65A have varying groups, but ALE on hams bands remains centralized via HF link. Winmor has tight control on the software but is generally open to input and openly allows dissent. ALE should be allowed to flourish in an "open market" where hams take the idea and help it evolve and succeed. Steve and Charles Brain have made huge contributions but the warehousing of it via HF link have reduced it to a little understood concept . I will continue to use ALE both PC-ALE and Multipsk . but no longer associate with HF Link. I have raised this matter before , and have received constructive comments the suggest that the "control" is to prevent "ALE bashing" . I think that there is not a lot to "bash" about ALE...it is a very effective system, However the protectionism exhibited by HF Link has harmed ALE more than the occasional ALE bashing would ever do. So, the problems of "busy detect" and unattended operation notwithstanding, I will remain an advocate of ALE and hope others will help it get rid of its shackles. Heck , lets get rid of ALE as an "emcomm " concept , it isn't really (it could be , one day). ALE might be more "sellable" as a DXing method or net control software!
Andy K3UK
