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Author Topic: Cut your ARRL membership cost in half, with QEX only, no QST Yea !  (Read 107210 times)
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Steve - WB3HUZ
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« Reply #100 on: July 27, 2009, 10:43:02 AM »

What about a chicken coop?


Steve said:
Quote
Is the top of the bird cage OK?

No it isn't!! Its not suitable anywhere in a birdcage!!!
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k4kyv
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« Reply #101 on: July 27, 2009, 02:52:04 PM »

QST?!? Why I wouldn't even use it on the bottom of my bird cage..... if I had a bird with a cage. But ifn' I did, I still wouldn't use it. Where's Phil, K2PG when you need him Wink



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« Reply #102 on: July 27, 2009, 03:23:39 PM »


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« Reply #103 on: July 27, 2009, 07:55:21 PM »

Steve said:
Quote
What about a chicken coop?

I had a chicken coup and I wouldn't have used it there either. Although I did store a lot of boatanchor stash there. Wink
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Steve - WB3HUZ
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« Reply #104 on: July 28, 2009, 01:28:02 PM »

Stash? You said stash?
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« Reply #105 on: July 29, 2009, 02:46:05 PM »

is that any relation to John Oates' Mustache?

OK, someone else's turn to get weirder and more off-topic than this? I could have sworn this thread was about QEX originally...  Grin
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ka3zlr
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« Reply #106 on: July 29, 2009, 03:03:03 PM »

A Sad Saga it is too... Smiley

Something about QST...it just makes people act up...it's just a magazine right..an inanimate a multi-paged visual conveyance for the sharing of Amateur Radio Information and for some reason there is a multitude humans that have a vendetta against it. Isn't that interesting a Magazine that moves people in strange directions and actions...

It should be studied, This and The cause of it. Tongue

73
Jack.

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Pete, WA2CWA
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« Reply #107 on: July 29, 2009, 03:37:37 PM »

I think some hams have their priorities somewhat screwed up with the notion that "I'll become a ARRL member (or a happier existing member) only if you send me a magazine where I can build neat things because I'm a smart and seasoned techie person".

This covers many of the ARRL membership benefits:

ARRL as Advocate
ARRL supports legislation that preserves and protects access to existing Amateur Radio frequencies as a natural
resource for the enjoyment of all hams. ARRL is the strong voice of Amateur Radio in government matters. As a
member, you contribute to the struggle to preserve our privileges. We can never afford to do less than what is
necessary to protect the future of Amateur Radio.

ARRL on the World Wide Web
ARRLWeb carries the latest Amateur Radio news bulletins, a hamfest calendar, exam schedules and much more.
We're always adding new features to the ARRLWeb, so check it often! Order books, CD-ROMs, software and more on
the ARRLWeb Catalog.

Foreign Outgoing QSL Service
Let us be your mail carrier and handle your overseas QSLing chores. The savings you accumulate through this
service alone can pay your membership dues many times over. The cost of airmail postage makes this service
a necessity to avid DXers and contesters.

Operating Awards
ARRL sponsors the most popular operating awards. If you live in the US or its possessions, Canada or Puerto Rico,
you must be an ARRL member to participate.

Regulatory Information Branch
■ FCC/regulatory questions
■ Antenna/tower/zoning restriction problems
■ Reciprocal licensing procedures
■ Legal and engineering referrals

Members-Only Web services
Enjoy exclusive access to the Members-Only services
on the ARRL Web site. You’ll find information and
services that are not available anywhere else.
■ NEW! QST Archive – ARRL Members can access
fully downloadable digital copies of QST articles.
View and print your favorite article and project.
■ Product Review archive. Download and view QST
Product Reviews from past to the present.
■ ARRL E-mail Forwarding Service. Sign up for
this service, and e-mail sent to your ARRL address
(“your-callsign@arrl.net”) will be forwarded to the
e-mail account you specify.
■ Member database. Change your mailing address
and other information on-line through a private,
secure link.
■ Current Product Reviews and contest results.
See them here before they are published in QST!

Member Benefit Programs and Discounts

QST delivered to your doorstep
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w3jn
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« Reply #108 on: July 29, 2009, 05:14:10 PM »

I'm happy to become an ARRL member, with or without QEX.  I do *not* want QST however.  Why should I buy something in which I have absolutely no interest? 

I can build neat things with or without QEX.  My interests do not depend upon ARRL membership,QEX, or lack thereof.  The ARRL does some things I'd like to support.  They apparently have no interest in having me as a member, and that's fine.

I could make comments about whose priorities are screwed up, but to each his or her own  Grin
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« Reply #109 on: July 29, 2009, 05:42:46 PM »

I'm happy to become an ARRL member, with or without QEX.  I do *not* want QST however.  Why should I buy something in which I have absolutely no interest? 

I can build neat things with or without QEX.  My interests do not depend upon ARRL membership,QEX, or lack thereof.  The ARRL does some things I'd like to support.  They apparently have no interest in having me as a member, and that's fine.

I could make comments about whose priorities are screwed up, but to each his or her own  Grin

A person doesn't have to be a member if they want to monetarily support some of the things they do.
Go here for info:
https://www.arrl.org/forms/development/donations/basic/

For even more specifics on ways one can support their activities, go here:
http://www.arrl.org/development/

There are many ways to skin the support cat without ever picking up a QST.

A person not wanting to be a member simply because the person's perception is that the monthly journal sucks, in my opinion, is a rather lame excuse. What does membership really have to do with getting a magazine once a month? I'll ask again, would you join the membership if there was no magazine?
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« Reply #110 on: July 29, 2009, 07:53:10 PM »

Yeah!  But not for $40

I'd join if it was $20, or the $40 or whatever with QEX instead of QST.  Hell, it'd *almost* be worth the $40 to be able to cast a vote against the current director in this region  Grin
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« Reply #111 on: July 29, 2009, 08:36:54 PM »

Yeah!  But not for $40

I'd join if it was $20, or the $40 or whatever with QEX instead of QST.  Hell, it'd *almost* be worth the $40 to be able to cast a vote against the current director in this region  Grin

Ah, but wait wise one:

As a non-member, QEX costs you $36.00
As a member, QEX costs you only $24.00. You save $12.00 but you have to become a member for $39.00. So at the end of the year, you take those 12 pristine QST's that had minimal fondling to the flea market and sell them (1 year's worth) for $12.00 or more. The net result is that by becoming a member, you also received QEX for a year and you recovered the majority (or maybe even all of it depending on your salesmanship) of the money you spent on QEX.

Several Director and Vice-Director terms are up this year.
Item 23 of the By-Laws:
Note, I updated the date to the current years.

23. In the year 2009 and every third year thereafter, a Director and a Vice Director shall be elected in the following Divisions: Central, Hudson, New England, Northwestern, and Roanoke. In the year 2010 and every third year thereafter, a Director and a Vice Director shall be elected in the following Divisions: Pacific, Rocky Mountain, Southeastern, Southwestern, and West Gulf. In the year 2011 and every third year thereafter, a Director and a Vice Director shall be elected in the following Divisions: Atlantic, Dakota, Delta, Great Lakes, and Midwest. The terms of Directors and Vice Directors shall begin at noon on the first day of January of the year after that in which they are elected.
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« Reply #112 on: July 29, 2009, 09:07:39 PM »

In my experience, nobody will buy post-1985 QSTs at hamfests.

Instead of this futile attempt to chance my mind, if it's important to you, why not use those powers of persuasion towards HQ to be a bit more flexible?  I'd write myself, but my director advised me that as a non-member my opinions don't matter  Wink
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k4kyv
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« Reply #113 on: July 29, 2009, 10:16:17 PM »

This covers many of the ARRL membership benefits:

■ NEW! QST Archive – ARRL Members can access
fully downloadable digital copies of QST articles.
View and print your favorite article and project.

Now, if they can do that for Queer Street Times, why not for QEX?

And I don't mean that limited handful of articles they do make available on line.  Why can't they make the whole thing available to members-only?
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Don, K4KYV                                       AMI#5
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Steve - WB3HUZ
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« Reply #114 on: July 29, 2009, 10:31:25 PM »

That archive thing is sweet. I've used it several times.
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Pete, WA2CWA
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« Reply #115 on: July 29, 2009, 11:00:17 PM »

This covers many of the ARRL membership benefits:

■ NEW! QST Archive – ARRL Members can access
fully downloadable digital copies of QST articles.
View and print your favorite article and project.

Now, if they can do that for Queer Street Times, why not for QEX?

And I don't mean that limited handful of articles they do make available on line.  Why can't they make the whole thing available to members-only?


Why don't they make the ARRL Handbook, the ARRL Antenna Book, or the hundreds of other publications they handle, available for download by members? Duh, because some enterprising entrepreneur will become a member just to download the book or magazine and then drop them on a CD or DVD and sell them for 1/10 the price on ebay, hamfests, nonmembers, etc. The publications, which QEX is part of, are revenue generations for the organization. It wouldn't make business sense, or any sense for that matter, just to give them away. QST is part of membership benefits. Big difference.
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« Reply #116 on: July 29, 2009, 11:49:29 PM »

In my experience, nobody will buy post-1985 QSTs at hamfests.

Instead of this futile attempt to chance my mind, if it's important to you, why not use those powers of persuasion towards HQ to be a bit more flexible?  I'd write myself, but my director advised me that as a non-member my opinions don't matter  Wink

You must be going to the wrong hamfests. Two weeks ago, at the Sussex hamfest I sold 3 complete years worth of QST's (2001-2003) in great condition, from a silent key friend, to a newly licensed ham (I think he said he got his license in December 2008). He joined the ARRL but wanted to pick up several years of back QST's at least from the 2000's. He had no interest in QST's from the "good old days". He got the three years for $30. He went away thrilled. Of course, it could have also been my winning personality that helped close the deal.

In my opinion, I believe the ARRL is handling the membership/QST grouping properly. As Pete, ZJH, pointed out in an earlier post, advertising rates are probably mainly based on circulation. Monthly QST's generate a lot of ad revenue. If you cut back circulation, ad revenue is going to suffer and advertisers tend not to be happy if their ads are now reaching less people. Amateur Radio advertisers don't have many magazine alternatives to place their ads to reach the people they want to reach. Individual membership dues are generally once a year whereas ad revenue rolls in month after month after month.

QST is also Bulk shipped which is based on certain quantity levels. If the quantity goes down beyond a certain level, the bulk ship cost per magazine generally goes up. The same holds true for printing costs. If you pay a certain price to print 150,000 copies of one sheet, and now you drop the quantity to 100,000 copies of that same sheet, you will generally pay a higher price to print that sheet.

So, if the ad revenue goes down, printing costs go up, ship costs go up, and probably on going costs will rise with managing two membership lists (who gets QST, who doesn't, or who gets something else, all the other mailings in addition to QST, etc.). The only way to recoup the losses from this activity, if it was implemented, would be to raise membership dues or raise the advertising charges, but then again, advertisers aren't going to pay more to reach less people.
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k4kyv
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« Reply #117 on: July 30, 2009, 02:51:55 AM »

The publications, which QEX is part of, are revenue generations for the organization. It wouldn't make business sense, or any sense for that matter, just to give them away. QST is part of membership benefits. Big difference.

Perhaps they know that nobody would download QST and and try to sell it on CD/DVD, because there is not enough left to the magazine for anybody to want to buy.

But they could offer QEX in restricted pdf format that wouldn't allow it to be copied.  I have seen pdf's on websites that would only let you view them on screen but you couldn't copy them or even print them, or that would only let you print a limited number of pages.  I'm pretty sure it is possible to stamp a watermark on each page of a pdf that identifies the computer that downloaded the file. 

So, if there is that much of a demand for bootleg QEX's, why doesn't someone just subscribe to the dead-tree edition, scan them and sell the CD's for 1/10 the price on ebay, hamfests, nonmembers, etc?  There aren't that many pages to QEX, it comes out only once every two months, and extremely high quality scanners are now available at moderate cost, so one person could easily do it.

The technical and construction articles should be part of the membership benefits, as they always had been from 1915 on.  That's not the same thing as sales of the Handbook, Licence Manual, FCC Rule Book, and all the other non-periodical publications.  They never did issue the Handbook, Hints and Kinks, etc. free of charge to members.  But when they moved the technical and construction articles out of QST and pigeon-holed them into another periodical, a membership benefit was taken away.
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« Reply #118 on: July 30, 2009, 03:38:06 AM »

The publications, which QEX is part of, are revenue generations for the organization. It wouldn't make business sense, or any sense for that matter, just to give them away. QST is part of membership benefits. Big difference.

Perhaps they know that nobody would download QST and and try to sell it on CD/DVD, because there is not enough left to the magazine for anybody to want to buy.

But they could offer QEX in restricted pdf format that wouldn't allow it to be copied.  I have seen pdf's on websites that would only let you view them on screen but you couldn't copy them or even print them, or that would only let you print a limited number of pages.  I'm pretty sure it is possible to stamp a watermark on each page of a pdf that identifies the computer that downloaded the file. 

Sure, there's probably a number of things that could be done, but why give up a revenue stream. QEX magazine stands on its own. It's not part of membership.

Quote
So, if there is that much of a demand for bootleg QEX's, why doesn't someone just subscribe to the dead-tree edition, scan them and sell the CD's for 1/10 the price on ebay, hamfests, nonmembers, etc?  There aren't that many pages to QEX, it comes out only once every two months, and extremely high quality scanners are now available at moderate cost, so one person could easily do it.

I'm sure the ARRL guards its copyrights and would hopefully pursue ligation against anyone violating them.

Quote
The technical and construction articles should be part of the membership benefits, as they always had been from 1915 on.  That's not the same thing as sales of the Handbook, Licence Manual, FCC Rule Book, and all the other non-periodical publications.  They never did issue the Handbook, Hints and Kinks, etc. free of charge to members.  But when they moved the technical and construction articles out of QST and pigeon-holed them into another periodical, a membership benefit was taken away.

This "membership benefit" was never taken away. There are technical and construction articles every month in QST. However, there are probably a lot less amateurs today that have any interest in reading in depth highly technical/bore-me-to-death type articles. QEX came on the scene almost 30 years ago as a subscription based magazine. I think it's about time to let the "good old days" rest in peace.

If you're a member, it's $24 a year; rolled down to $2 a month or less then $.07 a day.
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« Reply #119 on: July 30, 2009, 07:50:16 AM »


Why don't they make the ARRL Handbook, the ARRL Antenna Book, or the hundreds of other publications they handle, available for download by members? Duh, because some enterprising entrepreneur will become a member just to download the book or magazine and then drop them on a CD or DVD and sell them for 1/10 the price on ebay, hamfests, nonmembers, etc. The publications, which QEX is part of, are revenue generations for the organization. It wouldn't make business sense, or any sense for that matter, just to give them away. QST is part of membership benefits. Big difference.


It's already been done....
Except you can download them for free.
Anything that has been digitized by either the ARRL, or someone with a scanner and free time has shown up out there, free for the taking.

QEX, QST, antenna books, the handbook etc.

The only thing that is difficult to find, is the most recent publicatios...(the past 4 or 5 years)

As for the PDFs that can't be copied... well that's a lot of huey...
Anything, I mean anything that can be viewed on your screen can be copied....

Anyone that tries to copy protect their work is simply hoping that most people will be honest enough not to steal their work for free....
But lets face it, there are more than a few who will take what is there, and not think twice about it.
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ka3zlr
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« Reply #120 on: July 30, 2009, 09:21:19 AM »

Hello,


Keeping up with this is Tedious, yea that's the word..Tedious...but I understand both arguments. Ya know from the Early Days on to Say the 80's I can see QEX being a Main gotta Have every month Rag with all the growth and changes that was taking place...but today circuitry arrangements is where SMT & "Software" OK not everybody will understand that but after awhile it's not new any more Throw away toys now computer driven transceivers..., antennas, feed lines, same same..... after awhile....the only thing that changes is the new people coming in.

That's pretty much it,The League does have a payroll to meet and bills to pay so the only way I see anything getting done is to get together enmass and do a protest directly with the League I'm for that and try to effect change within the system. One at a time is a waste of time but do it publicly and Large and they'll move I'm sure of it..either that or some folks just like bitching about something  Grin.....and keep it going...

73
Jack.



 
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k4kyv
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Don
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« Reply #121 on: July 30, 2009, 11:05:09 AM »

This "membership benefit" was never taken away. There are technical and construction articles every month in QST. However, there are probably a lot less amateurs today that have any interest in reading in depth highly technical/bore-me-to-death type articles.

Replaced with bore-me-to-death fluff and drivel.

Many of the technical/construction articles are fine if I want to build "novelty" items like a miniature QRP transmitter in a cat-food tin, a speaker selector switch or bluetooth adaptor for my receiver, an "on the air" light for my station, etc.  I'm surprised  they haven't published anything yet on building echo boxes and roger beeps. When was the last time they ran something on synchronous detection?  Didn't someone who is a member of this board once say they offered to write a construction article on class-E transmitters or pulse-width modulators a few years ago, and the editors weren't interested?  Some of the antenna projects are OK, buy why was the series on vertical antenna efficiency and ground radials not published in QST?

Quote
QEX came on the scene almost 30 years ago as a subscription based magazine. I think it's about time to let the "good old days" rest in peace.

If you're a member, it's $24 a year; rolled down to $2 a month or less then $.07 a day.

It's not the money; I could easily afford a subscription.  It's the principle of the thing.  Maybe a clue why membership numbers are so low compared to the number of licensed amateurs in the FCC data base.  I hear a lot of grumbling over the air and in other amateur radio related message boards on this very same topic and how much QST "sucks".

Quote
Sure, there's probably a number of things that could be done, but why give up a revenue stream. QEX magazine stands on its own. It's not part of membership.

Another area where AARP and ARRL have something in common.  AARP is largely an insurance broker.  ARRL is largely a publishing company.  Somehow they both manage to qualify for "non profit"  status.
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Don, K4KYV                                       AMI#5
Licensed since 1959 and not happy to be back on AM...    Never got off AM in the first place.

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« Reply #122 on: July 30, 2009, 01:20:24 PM »

Another area where AARP and ARRL have something in common.  AARP is largely an insurance broker.  ARRL is largely a publishing company.  Somehow they both manage to qualify for "non profit"  status.

A so called, "non-profit" corporation can make as much profit as they desire. Some make $billions.   They are all corporations of some form or another. The thing is no person can own the company or stock. Officers and the board are really trustees. However, if you look at the salaries that some of the execs pull down, they rival "for profit" corps.  I think some of these "global warming" type non profits are set up simply to provide the founders with cushy salaries and benefits from donations.

These "501(C)(3)" companies are exempt from some federal income taxes. It's pretty easy to qualify.  They can qualify as "not for profit - 501(C)(3)" if they pass review that they provide a public service to the community and this service is not covered by the government already.

Another point: If you are the founder and later the board votes you out, you will forfeit all and any investments you made in the corporation.  ie, If Hiram was still alive and they voted him out, he would have no claim whatsoever of equity in the ARRL.. Notwithstanding things like building rental that he owned previously, etc.   That's all I know, caw mawn.


T
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