You can't continually give away the store for free. You say it is a great addition... then you ask what it does to entice people... can't have it both ways. I have no problem with any organization that puts out any type of product and requires membership, fees, or dues to access it on a continuing basis. None of this stuff is free to produce, even the electronic version. People have to be paid. The web sites and apps cost money. If it is a good product, you pay for it. I would be very annoyed as an ARRL member if it was given away for free to everyone on the member's dime. Even if you're a new ham, you're buying into a hobby- you pay your way. The ARRL already has things like LoTW, the ARES program, and their podcasts that are free.
Perhaps they will send at least one issue to all new hams when they get licensed. You used to get lots of stuff like that. Catalogs, QSL card samples, and other mass mailings would often arriv befor your FCC license did.
I agree to an extent, however, you must realize 80% of current hams won’t see it once they start charging and 100% of those with no current interest in the hobby won’t see it and therefore not incentivize their interest in becoming hams. Maybe it isn’t the intent of the League to generate interest and elicit new members but I thought as a member, we should want it to increase both. Creating interest will generate more revenue for the League. Charging $50/year for a publication they will never see generates nothing.
The ARRL publishes several books for the new ham, but their new magazine format is likely to have a lot more impact. The approach is informative without being condescending. I particularly liked the fact that much of the acronyms and jargon that we "seasoned" hams take in stride are defined for the newcomer. I agree that ARRL (and the ham community) would be well served if this were made available without cost on the ARRL website and if ARRL allowed free reproduction and distribution without having to jump through any permission hoops. Good job, guys. I think you have a winner. de K9OHI
I hope the ARRL will let you subscribe to both QST and ON THE AIR for a few dollars extra. Hard copies of the magazine are a must for me. I'll loan them out to recently licensed hams.( I hate the term newbie.)
- ARRL membership is $49 a year, $95 for two years ($47.50 per year), and $140 for three years ($46.67 per year). Not $50. - ARRL membership is more than QST or "On The Air" magazine. It also gives online access to QEX and every issue of QST back to Vol 1 No 1. Plus everything on the website, discounted insurance, and many other benefits. - Nobody does the in-depth testing of Amateur Radio products that ARRL does - and they use anonymous buying methods so they get the same run-of-the-mill unit any of us would get. The Product Reviews in the magazine are just the beginning; there is usually an expanded one online. If a QST Product Review helps one avoid a bad purchase, the money saved can pay for membership for years. - CQ Magazine is $25 digital only, $42.95 print only, and $61.95 combined (1 year). - Electric Radio is $36 a year, print only. 73 de Jim, N2EY
That's the problem; too many folks think of it as just a magazine subscription -- rather than membership in an organization that --not withstanding the Nay Sayers-- provides an array of member benefits, as well as activities that benefit the entire Amateur Radio community, non-members included.
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