I wonder if things have changed

[KL7AJ]

I am thumbing through the May 1966 QST. There's a little ARRL reader survey about QST. Seems the most vociferous criticism from the membership is that QST is "articles and projects are at too high a technical level for the average ham...."

Eric

[N8YX]

The magazine at this point in time essentially one big advertisement. I wish it were more technical...or that QEX was made more voluminous, especially when it comes to usable, real-world projects.

[N7WR]

In response to the "too technical" claim, over the years the publication has shifted almost 180 degrees. With a few exceptions it is anything but technical. In fact it is so geared to the technically challenged that when an article uses even basic terms there is a whole section devoted to explaining what the author meant.

[WB2WIK]

In response to the "too technical" claim, over the years the publication has shifted almost 180 degrees. With a few exceptions it is anything but technical. In fact it is so geared to the technically challenged that when an article uses even basic terms there is a whole section devoted to explaining what the author meant.

::I like the "definitions" page in each issue now, too: Where they list words referenced in the articles, and explain what they mean.

Stuff like "power cord" -- a multiconductor insulated wire assembly with a plug on the end...

[N2RJ]

I support the ARRL but I throw away the rag when I get it. It's useless.

[KL7AJ]

I support the ARRL but I throw away the rag when I get it. It's useless.

You don't even read MY articles?

[K3WRV]

1966 was about the time incentive licensing came into it's own. Most of us were 18 year old High School kids. The ARRL went pretty technical back then about stuff most hams didn't care about - like Moon Bounce, sophisticated RTTY TU's and other stuff. 10 years later, they went heavy into digital, apparently unaware of the invention of the micro Processor. 10 years later, they got into newbie stuff, like Mr. Tongue and Mr. Socket don't like each other (tnx KY5U). After all, in 1966, they were trying to upgrade the skills of the ham population, and if you didn't have a W call, they wanted to punish you.

In the meantime, Ham Radio mag came along - long lamented, that put stuff into terms we could understand. Arrl started QEX, which was full of mathbabble designed to appeal to the Engineers amongst the unwashed crowd - what is ouuE (I think it's center frequency for a filter or something. But one QEX article stands out in my mind - written by some guy named Nochols in t he frozen north about how to build a polorimiter - something even us non Engineers or scientists could try at home - that article may have used mathbabble, but explained what it was doing in human readable terms - saying what the author meant and explaining it. HR offered some pretty impenetratable articles, but you could decode them if you took some time. QST tried to be indecipherable.

The League has, over time lost sight of it's readership. In the mid 60's most of us were teenagers and fairly new hams. Today, we have grown up and learned a thingertow. But there are still newbies.

What ever happened to Wacky Jacky?

[KL7AJ]

1966 was about the time incentive licensing came into it's own. Most of us were 18 year old High School kids. The ARRL went pretty technical back then about stuff most hams didn't care about - like Moon Bounce, sophisticated RTTY TU's and other stuff. 10 years later, they went heavy into digital, apparently unaware of the invention of the micro Processor. 10 years later, they got into newbie stuff, like Mr. Tongue and Mr. Socket don't like each other (tnx KY5U). After all, in 1966, they were trying to upgrade the skills of the ham population, and if you didn't have a W call, they wanted to punish you.

In the meantime, Ham Radio mag came along - long lamented, that put stuff into terms we could understand. Arrl started QEX, which was full of mathbabble designed to appeal to the Engineers amongst the unwashed crowd - what is ouuE (I think it's center frequency for a filter or something. But one QEX article stands out in my mind - written by some guy named Nochols in t he frozen north about how to build a polorimiter - something even us non Engineers or scientists could try at home - that article may have used mathbabble, but explained what it was doing in human readable terms - saying what the author meant and explaining it. HR offered some pretty impenetratable articles, but you could decode them if you took some time. QST tried to be indecipherable.

The League has, over time lost sight of it's readership. In the mid 60's most of us were teenagers and fairly new hams. Today, we have grown up and learned a thingertow. But there are still newbies.

What ever happened to Wacky Jacky?

Awww..shucks. Someone actually DOES read my drivel. :P

Jackie Pau is now a tenure track professor at UCLA. She's earned it.

Eric

[K8ERV]

The magazine at this point in time essentially one big advertisement. .

That's why I'm not renewing.

TOM K8ERV Montrose Colo

[KJ3N]

The magazine at this point in time essentially one big advertisement. I wish it were more technical...or that QEX was made more voluminous, especially when it comes to usable, real-world projects.

The problem for me is that QST is essentially what you say, but QEX projects are over my head in some respects. There doesn't seem to be much of a middle ground anymore where a guy without HP lab equipment and SMT soldering equipment can build things.