The 2016 ARRL Annual Report is now online. Everyone, not only ARRL members should read it. This is, after all, the only national organization that really speaks for amateur radio.
Understandably, the report concentrates on the ARRL’s achievements. One of the things that the ARRL pats itself on the back for (and rightly so) is the National Parks on the Air (NPOTA) operating event. The report devotes six of the report’s 68 pages, or a little less than 10% of the report to NPOTA.
It also spends a great deal of space on emergency communications (emcomm) and public service activities. One thing that I didn’t like is that they talk about both emcomm and public service activities in the same breath. It probably would have been better if they’d separated these. Both are vital, but separate, functions.
One thing that I did agree with is counting the ARRL’s support the Teacher’s Institute as a public service activity. Support for STEM education is one area in which the ARRL could really shine.
Membership is down
One thing that I was very disappointed in was the Membership section of the report. Basically, the ARRL used this section to apologize for the dues increase. This section was a scant four paragraphs and did not mention membership numbers. The report spent more time talking about its new podcast and the N1BCG special operating event, both much less important than membership.
You have to dig way down in the financial summary to find any mention of membership numbers:
ARRL membership declined in 2016, although this was expected because of the dues increase, and followed the historical pattern seen after previous dues increases. Total membership at the end of the year stood at 164,070, which was a decrease of 3.8% from the end of 2015. Despite this drop in membership, dues revenues increased by 6.4% to almost $6.4 million, however, the full impact of the increase won’t be seen until 2017 and beyond.
What this means of course is that the number of licensed radio amateurs who are ARRL members continues to decrease. Am I the only one who thinks this is a serious problem? Why isn’t anyone at the ARRL addressing this issue?
I’ll reiterate my challenge to the ARRL that they make it a goal to have 25% of licensed radio amateurs also be ARRL members. I don’t think that’s asking too much. I also think that without a goal like that, membership will continue to slip as will the ARRL’s relevance.
Message from the president
On a related topic, ARRL president, Rick Roderick, K5UR, in his message, tells the story of how his stump speech to a group of high school students about ham radio fell on deaf ears. He writes, “I realized that I had to change my approach to the presentation if I was going to keep the attention of these young people.”
A couple of paragraphs later, he says,
Many hams are traditionalists. I count myself among them. Change generally doesn’t come easy to us. But when I looked out at that group of young faces and saw their disinterest in traditional ham pursuits, I realized that I had to change. We have to change. It won’t come easy, but it’s essential that we get to work on it now.
It’s not just kids that aren’t interested in traditional amateur radio pursuits. There are lots of licensed radio amateurs out there who the ARRL is not serving. That’s why the membership numbers are so low.
Join, not give
Finally, I’ll note that seven pages, or slightly more than 10% of the report was devoted to how to give money to the ARRL and listing those who did. While I think that these generous donors should be recognized, and that the various ARRL programs they donated to are important, more emphasis should be placed on getting members to join rather than to give.
Too much emphasis on giving drives away members, not attract them. If you do the right things to attract members, the giving part will take care of itself. The members will be engaged and supportive of the ARRL’s programs and will give generously without any arm twisting or pats on the back.
sinclair says
I’m not a member of the ARRL, or any club actually, for any of my hobbies. Being an engineer, I have a habit of doing cost analysis of things. By being a part of the ARRL, or any club, has no value added to my enjoyment of the hobby. What do I get for my dues by being a member of any club? Not much really. I have no desire for podcasts, magazines, or newsletters. Clubs just seem to be busy trying to get the most out of their members, like dues and members’ time at events and meetings being requirements to join. And it’s all just to be able to say I’m a member of such and such. I don’t need clubs to meet people, just being on the air is good for that. There are many informal groups that add more to my enjoyment than actual clubs do. So I don’t need clubs for the social aspect either. If they want more members, they need to come up with something truly of value that people would be willing to join to get as they couldn’t get it elsewhere. When you have something like that, then due amounts don’t matter.
J. Kevin Hunt says
The purpose of a ham club or unit may be social, public service, technical, ARDF, etc., or general interest; the point of such associations is to advance the enjoyment (or service level) of all members through the synergy of group activity. Some folks are not the social type, in an in-person, crowd-joining way. The latter might still consider that donating to the common advancement of the Amateur Service is its own reward. If, however, one wishes to approach League membership as one would look at, say, AAA Membership, then there is one benefit – eligibility for special insurance for all ham gear against a very broad spectrum of potential loss — which more than pays for itself in terms of low premiums, low deductible, and full replacement value of station gear, including antennas, towers, computers, and other devices devoted to operation of the station. It’s a great benefit. The claims process is not burdensome.
Frank Howell says
Good post, Dan. I concur with the spirit of your sentiments.
Walter Underwood says
There is is a real benefit to doing public service as an emcomm-related activity, liability coverage and worker’s compensation for injuries.
In California, the Disaster Service Worker program effectively makes you an unpaid employee of the sponsoring agency for the duration of an activation, including drills.
http://www.caloes.ca.gov/cal-oes-divisions/planning-preparedness/disaster-service-worker-volunteer-program
Here is something the ARRL could provide, secondary liability insurance for club activities. Would be nice to have that for Field Day, right? Clubs would be quick to require ARRL membership to participate.
This is one of the huge benefits of doing youth activities under the Boy Scouts of America. Want a youth boating program? Start a Sea Scout Ship. Want to work with SAR? Start a Venture Crew. Both Sea Scouts and Venturing are coed and open to youth from 14-21.
K6WRU
ARRL says
ARRL Club Liability Insurance Plan
This Plan Provides Complete Protection
This comprehensive general liability policy provides coverage for lawsuits resulting from bodily injury and property damage at ARRL Affiliated Club-sponsored activities. This includes concession stands, dances, banquets, parties, auctions, raffles, picnics and meetings, to name just a few. Coverage would also apply for official Club participation, for instance participating in a community-sponsored event. Plus, in addition to the policy limits described below, this plan also pays the court and legal costs of defense for covered claims.
The plan reimburses expenses for first aid to others at the time of an accident. And, an owner of a premises used or rented by the Club can also be named as an additional insured.
Up to $2,000,000 in Coverage Each Year
The basic ARRL Club Liability Insurance policy provides up to $1,000,000 in coverage for each occurrence and up to $2,000,000 in aggregate coverage each year. Higher limits can be obtained, if necessary, for an additional premium. Please contact the Program Administrator directly for additional limits and premiums.
There are no deductibles to satisfy prior to receiving benefits.
Affordable Protection
For most clubs up to 1,000 members, the annual premium for the general liability coverage will be $200. (Add an additional $100 if the club requires non-owned or hired automobile coverage).
This Plan Covers the Club, Members and Officers
The Club is insured when named in a covered lawsuit for acts committed by members working for the Club and under its direction.
Officers and members are insured when named in a covered lawsuit as a result of Club activities when they are acting on behalf of the Club.
Coverage is for All These Types of Lawsuits
Suits for bodily injury which occur on the premises or as a result of Club activities.
Suits for damage to property of others resulting from Club activities.
Suits for personal injury and advertising injury, including libel, slander, defamation of character, false arrest, invasion of privacy, detention and malicious prosecution.
Suits for liability resulting from the sale of foods and beverages or other products.
Suits for host liquor liability when serving or giving alcoholic beverages at functions incidental to your Club. Clubs should check with individual states regarding liquor law regulations.
Suits for real or alleged faults in work completed by or for your Club, which result in bodily injury or property damage.
Suits involving the use of automobiles not owned by the Club but used for official Club activities.
Suits arising from injury caused by the rendering or failure to render health care services by nonprofessionals.
Suits arising from fire damage (up to $100,000) to premises not owned by a Club but used for Club sponsored activity.
Defense against such suits even though the charges made are groundless, false or fraudulent.
Most Meeting Facilities Require This Type of Coverage
If your Club typically rents space when it needs to gather for a meeting or special event, you’ve probably discovered that the owner of the property requires your Club to purchase a “special events” insurance policy, a policy that is typically very expensive to buy or does not protect you fully for the event you’ve planned.
With the ARRL Club Liability Insurance Plan you don’t have to deal with this disappointing aspect of planning. This Plan provides you with the insurance coverage you need to hold your event — you don’t have to apply for a separate policy every time you are in the midst of organizing. This Plan is with you all year long with Liability coverage.
A liability plan protects you and your Club from the lawsuits that could result if the Club or someone in the Club is accused of negligence that results in bodily injury, property damage, or personal injury.
Dave New, N8SBE says
ARRL keeps repeating a tactical error by delaying their dues increases, until it becomes a largish jump. If they instead set about increasing dues yearly, based on some formula that meets their needs, then it would be more ‘boiling the frog’ rather than ‘scalding the cricket’.
I recently became a life member, and without knowing that a dues increase was coming, I managed to do it beforehand. As a long time member of ARRL, I’ve been happy with the various services they provide, but then I’m just an ‘old fart’, having been licensed for nearly fifty years, now.
Dennis LaPierre says
I agree with those that advocate doing more to increase membership. There are ~ 800,000 licensed amateur radio operators in the USA. Why are only 150,000 of them ARRL members? I for one thought it was much higher. Less than 20% is sad and says a lot about how the ARRL views itself and operates. Get the membership up, quit trying to sell more magazines and books, and do more for the hobby, not for yourselves!!!