Hi all, If you feel that you should be eligible and encounter any trouble applying, please send us a support ticket by clicking on "Contact" and then "Help Desk" from the homepage and we'll get back to you ASAP. Thanks for your patience and for your applications! We're very eager to get these Welcome Packages into the right hands. And thanks to everyone for the resounding support of this program. It makes us here at QRZ feel proud to be a part of the Ham community. 73 Jaime
Very creative program, QRZ/Giga. I hope you are listening to the feedback so that if you decided to extend the program beyond October 31 you can make improvements. Here's a few other improvements I would suggest: 1. Make it a DMR radio. Most new hams are getting started there. 2. Give a discount on an HF radio. 3. Backdate the program another 90 days. (to May 1) 73
(I'm not alone to think AR should/could not be discovered by means of VHF/HT) Thank you for erasing 4 pages of what I consider total nonsense in one comment. Oliver
Bravo to QRZ and GigaParts. This is a great idea and one that will have a real impact in getting new operators started.
I am a Laurel VE. Last week I has a total of 22 new Amateur Licensees total between two sessions. all have been forwarded this message from your forum. I salute you. I have in the past spent a little time begging for donations of new and used radios for new Techs and upgraded Generals. one of our new Techs is a person that had just turned 8 years old. Not just getting people licensed but on the air, and the fact they drag the average age of currently licensed operators back to closer to 65 does help. I read a few years back the average age was in the mid 70's year of age. That number hurts us all. I wish the average age of licensed operators was about 55.
The Rochester Amateur Radio Association had a similar program. They found that providing an HT to new licensees made members feel good but didn't accomplish the intended result with new licensees. The program was discontinued. I hope the outcome here will be different. Ultimately, anyone studying for a license already knows the cost of the hobby and can independently afford a multi-band FM HT. They are dirt cheap, after all. What is the "secret sauce" to retaining and growing new licensees? Getting VEC's to actively connect new licensees with local clubs and getting local clubs to have interesting meetings and activities. Also to a lesser extent, getting local clubs to "cross pollinate" by cross-posting announcements of club activities so that newly associated licensees can gravitate to what interests them the most. It is time that we realized that although our hobby is technical in nature, it is social-by-fabric.
Its a nice idea! Should help increase qrz membership & Gigaparts profits! Why not call it what it probably is.. A TYT TH-UV88 with hobbled frequency coverage, Re-badged with a vanity box & radio sticker. Free price i would think is just a loss leader for after sales. Bargain basement Radio, For the starter ham with $25 to burn!
