I love it when the ARRL takes my advice. Almost ten years ago, I pointed out that the club commission for new memberships ($15) and renewing memberships ($2) was just too low. They recently upped that to $15 for new memberships and $5 for renewals.
On Thursday, the ARRL Learning Center hosted a talk by AB1QB about how to use the commission to help both your club and the ARRL.
In the video, Anita, AB1QB, explains the program, and how to apply for the commission. Currently, it’s a paper-based system. New and renewing members have to fill out membership forms, and on top of that, the club officer responsible for the program has to fill out a separate “reconciliation” form to actually get the commission.
There was a question during the video about whether or not members could renew online and designate a commission be paid to the member’s club. Someone (who didn’t identify themselves) quickly responded that it was something that the ARRL was working toward, but at the current time was not an option.
AB1QB suggests that clubs have quarterly “membership drives” to encourage people to join the ARRL. During these drives, clubs are supposed to extol the virtues of the ARRL, recruit new members, and collect the dues for those whose memberships expire during the subsequent three months.
While I applaud the increased commissions, I’m not sure that this program hits the spot. I think that the commission is still too low for the amount of work involved. If you’re a club officer, I’d be interested in hearing what you have to say about this.
What do you suggest for a ham being member in more than one club?
Good question. Give the commission to the one you like the best. :)
Seems poor on ARRL’s part to accept online membership renewals, but force renewing members to remember to fill out paperwork and somehow give the membership renewal money to their local club. Most clubs don’t handle credit cards, and dealing with taking in cash and changing it out for a check written to the ARRL is fraught with difficulties. There is just too much friction to make it work effectively.
I agree that ARRL should come in to the 21st century and make this work to the convenience of their membership, not the ARRL.
They’re dooming this program to failure before it even gets started.