Personal Radio Association (PRA) Membership drive.

[jwilkers]

The Personal Radio Association is now accepting applications for
membership. Membership is currently free, with no dues collection,
until such time the group is incorporated and a dues schedule is
approved.

The PRA will become the primary voice of the GMRS community. Already,
PRA members have reported many FCC violations to the FCC, who is
initiating enforcement action.

GMRS users, and users of any of the services the PRA supports
(FRS/MURS) are urged to check it out.

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The PRA Mission Statement

The Personal Radio Services are limited radio spectrum resources set
aside by the United States government for use by the general public as
licensed and unlicensed radio services. The PRA is a mutual-interest
organization of Federal Communications Commission licensees of the
licensed General Mobile Radio Service and interested persons using the
radio services delicensed by rule, the Multi-Use Radio Service, and
the Citizens Radio Service. The PRA's mission is to fairly and
accurately represent its member's interests in these radio services
before government agencies, the various representatives of the radio
industry, private or public organizations, and the public-at-large in
order to protect and preserve the growth, regulation, and continued
usability and effectiveness of each radio service.

The PRA Ethics Statement

The PRA supports the lawful use of the Personal Radio services as
defined in the the Federal Communications Commission's Rules and
Regulations and the various Communications Acts as amended.

The PRA supports the Basis and Purpose, as well as the Definition of
each radio service as written in the Federal Communications Commission
Rules and Regulations and remains loyal in this regard during any
deliberations before federal or private organizations.

The Personal Radio Association proactively supports and openly defends
the core interests of personal radio users before government and
private decision makers.

PRA and its members subscribe to an Operating Code of Ethics that is
consistent with the FCC’s Basis and Purpose for each radio service,
all applicable FCC Rules and Regulations, and with an emphasis toward
expected growth, continued usability and the cooperative use of each
radio service.

PRA promotes cooperation among members and non-members sharing the
same radio spectrum in the same geographical areas.

The PRA promotes a Radio Industry Code of Ethics that encourages
industry to act responsibly toward the Personal Radio Services.

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PRA Focus in Brief

FCC rule making and enforcement issues with an impact on the radio
service(s)

Commercial actions toward the radio services that effect members
continued enjoyment of their investment in a negative or a positive
way.

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PRA Initiatives

Reporting retailers using false, misleading, or deceptive advertising
to market two-way radio, or that advertise illegal radio hardware to
the Federal Trade Commission and Federal Communications Commission
respectively.

Public education regarding use of the Personal Radio Services.

GMRS Intruder reporting via PRA form through the PRA Intruder
and FCC Enforcement Committees.

Encouraging FCC enforcement of GMRS FCC Rules in problem areas of the
United States.

PRA's Reliable Retailer Program. We focus attention on retailers doing
the right thing applying the Radio Industry Code as a standard.

Keydown Focus Group. This group gathers information on illegal CB
radio keydown events and reports findings to the FCC.

The PRA is headquartered at Huntingtown, MD.

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Link to PRA Website:
http://www.popularwireless.com/pra.html

Membership Form Link:
http://www.popularwireless.com/downl...Application.pd
f

[kurtsdca]

Folks,

Please read this link and then tell me what YOU think of PRA -->> www.prweb.com/releases/2006/5/prweb382228.htm

You can email me privately at LakeHodgesRadio@Cox.net if you prefer not to air dirty laundry in public.

I was seriously considering joining PRA before I read this message. I think this press release is very unprofessional (and VERY tacky) and would encourage anyone considering joining this group to re-consider.

In 27 years in the PR profession, and nine years as a working journalist before that, this is one of the sleaziest press releases I have ever read, timed deliberately to follow the recent press campaign by NationalSOS by only a day or so.

The radio communications community is a very small community, in the grand scheme of things. We don't need any low blows, back-stabbing or public bickering.

NationalSOS has spent hundreds of hours (and recently thousands of dollars) to promote the orderly use of two-way radios for emergency use. The people involved with NationalSOS are upstanding professionals who deserve a lot of praise for what they are trying to accomplish. They seem to be VERY willing to listen to constructive suggestions on how they can serve the public interest.

NationalSOS is attempting to mobilize trained teams of hams and GMRS licensees and is working towards a unified, professional effort to save lives and property.

If PRA has objections to this, it seems like they should have contacted the NationalSOS leadership privately and quietly discussed their concerns, then formed some kind of alliance to work together harmoniously to further the "public interest, need and necessity," as it is often called.

From what I can tell, PRA has only a handful of members after a "membership drive" that began sometime around April, 2004. I invite any of those PRA members to email me privately and tell me of their experiences with this group. Have they done other, similarly tacky things? Are you glad you joined? Do you plan to renew your membership?

Thanks for reading this.

Regards and good luck!

-- Kurt, California