QRZ Callsign Database Policy Change

Dad, C'mon, that's an argument?? Google, Yahoo and whoever else, have never sent me a bill for all the searches I've done from information they have processed. And they dont set a 150 a day quota. Yup, just another dumb statement, just like yours Dad.

 

Google sends the bill to those who by the demographic data they compile, i.e., who searches for what, where they are, what they buy. You would be surprised, and probably concerned, if you know how much information was being compiled and who was using it.

Each business has a different model. Google, Yahoo, etc., make their money off the advertisers and the demographics they sell. Other sites charge a subscription. As a photographer, I belong to several sites that charge annual dues for access. Of course, it's always a choice as to whether it's worth the bucks.

One thing that I've noticed about QRZ.com: As long as it's been around and as successful as it's been, I don't see anyone else trying to break into the business.

 

Im sure it has shown steady growing...up until this policy happened Bill. Sorry you don't like my post but the facts are the owner makes money from advertisements like all other search engines and when it becomes subscribers only good luck with it. It will die a slow death.
73's Bill

 

An XML subscription costs slightly more than 8 CENTS a day. For 8 cents a day, you have unlimited lookups that includes The FCC database and many DX hams. Inded, I find few DX hams that are NOT listed, as the majority of active hams recognize the benefit of QRZ lookups.

If someone *truly* can not afford 8 cents a day, how in the world do they afford the electricity to run their rig and computer?

............Bob

 

Bet you any money I wouldn't be surprised, but concerned, Oh yes, spot on.

Yup, familiar with business models. It is always the choice factor that makes success or failure

Maybe its because there is a perception that the market is close to saturation. In the wider world, ham radio is a minority hobby. QRZ.com is a well know site amongst all hams, and widely respected. Those that do not use QRZ.com, it is probably down to choice, they probably dont use email, and have none or a verly low interest in the internet, and they are likely to be older people. Given that the average age for ham operators, in the UK for example, is getting older, rapidly, then that is a worrying trend from a business point of view. Anything to do with ham radio, is life limited, with little or no prospect of scalability. So if the current owner, Fred, who has a great web site, but finds the overheads tight for a one man show and no corporate mouths to feed, with no prospect of up-scaling, I'm not at all surprised that Fred has few competitors. We see QRZ.co as a huge success, and it is, but it's going no where in the commercial stakes. There is just no money in it. So we have to pay to use the service. I hope people can understand these concepts that you and I have discussed.

 

Subscription Service = QRZ owners option. Good luck with it. Anyone that feels its worth the subscription FEE by all means subscribe and pay the FEE.

The case can also be made that the entire HAM community supports QRZ by supporting its advertisers and sponsors, and thereby paying the fees the advertisers pay to QRZ, but that tid-bit seems to be completely ignored in this discussion.

So be it. Decision made. 73's all and Good luck with it.

 

Same here All A-OK

 

I think the implemented changes are a good thing. What you get for free is still quite generous. Good luck to Fred in making a good income from the site.

I know that's a common perception but I don't think Google sells data to third parties. If you go to google.com and look at services for businesses it's all about selling ads. I don't see any "data for sale" area. If you look at their privacy policy and scroll down to "Information sharing" it appears that they do not sell data.

I think one reason is that qrz.com has reached a critical mass. It's the default place online for callsign lookups. As others have pointed out, its pretty easy for any other startup site to provide the FCC data but that's only one country. All the non-US stuff has been built up over time by people wanting to contribute their details and that's the real value. It would be quite difficult now for another site to have the same success. Of course nothing lasts forever. MySpace is a good example of meteoric rise and fall.

As you can see, I haven't joined but... maybe I should at some level just to support the site but the free service still gives me all I really need. I use the HRD logbook and I must admit I never really looked into how it pulls the information. It's set to "web" by default but... the data is not particularly important to me. I know there's a trick to keep the web option working for your 150 lookups per day but I hope Simon removes it as a support gesture to qrz.com. 8 cents per day is really cheap for the XML option. Someone's name and country is about all I usually want to enter and I often need to overwrite the name anyway as Robert becomes Bob and William becomes Bill etc. I use the forums but ... I don't find the ads at all intrusive so I haven't found the need to buy a no-ad subscription or use an ad blocker.

Cheers
Ross

 

I have no problem paying for the service, lets face it, what can you get for £18.00 nowadays.

I've just started dipping my toes into the world of contesting so it's a service I will need, 150 lookups won't be enough for me at times.

£18.00 well spent in my opinion.

73 and keep up the goood work!

John MM0LBX

 

"Bravo Zulu" Fred & QRZed. (old Navy term meaning "Well Done"). I usually check the callsign data following a QSO. Fun to read the Bios. Can't imagine the Zed not existing. As I told Fred once; QRZed is like having your favorite "band" open 24/7. Keep up the outstanding work. Muchly appreciated.

 

Good luck with QRZ Fred, you can't expect everybody to support the change. Its the owners option.

 

Very true. Those who want something for nothing clearly are miffed. You don't seem to understand the change helps those who pay for and expect good service verses those who abuse what they feel should be something free.

..........Bob

 

Fred, thank you for your continued great service. As the Illinois STM I have been the receiving station for many "training" messages that were generated by an "auto" search of the QRZ data base. These auto generated messages have increased the volumn of traffic into Illinois to a point that we have lost many good traffic handlers because Traffic handling has become a job and is no longer fun. I whole heartedly support your decision to tighten the access. Roy R Eades KA9MZJ STM Illinois

 

Keep up the good work, I use your service a lot and sure do not want to help spread information where it is not wanted.. Thanks guys

73 de W5QI
Tom Wilson
Hamlin, TX