If you register with the ARRL as a License Instructor, the ARRL offers a couple of benefits, including discounts on purchases of some instructional materials. They will also list your classes, which makes it easier for students to find you.
If you list a class, they ask you to report on the class results. One of the bits of information that they ask for is how much time you spent teaching the class. I always wondered what they did with the data, but this morning I found out. In my inbox this morning was this message from the ARRL:
Dear Daniel Romanchik, KB6NU
ARRL would like to recognize your contribution of 100 hours of voluntary service to Amateur Radio as an ARRL Registered License Instructor.
Thank you for sharing your time and experience to help others prepare for their Amateur Radio license, and/or to upgrade their license for more privileges and enjoyment.
Please log into the ARRL website and go to this page: http://www.arrl.org/instructor-recognition-certificate where you will find the link to print your certificate.
Please contact [email protected] with any questions. If you are unable to fill-in the online form, please provide the following information and we will enter it into our database for you:
Sincerely,
ARRL Lifelong Learning Department
When you go to that URL, you click on a link that automatically generates the certificate above.
I don’t want to seem ungrateful, but this “recognition” seems a bit hollow to me. Rick Roderick, K5UR, didn’t really sign this certificate, and he doesn’t know me from Adam. And, I rather doubt that anyone at the ARRL really gives a hoot about whether I got this certificate or not. It was just spit out by some computer. If the ARRL really wanted to recognize me, someone there could have spent 5 or 10 minutes to actually sign and mail a certificate.
As I’ve written before, I realize that the ARRL is under-staffed. That being the case, I hereby volunteer to head up the ARRL Instructor Recognition Program. I’ll even do this on my own dime. I’ll pay all the printing and mailing costs. I’ll also personally sign each certificate. All the ARRL has to do is send me the data once a month.
I’m not going to hold my breath waiting for the ARRL to accept my offer. I’ve also written before that one of the ARRL’s biggest flaws is its inability to work with volunteers, especially on programs not initiated in Newington. But, I think it would be a nice touch to personally recognize all the instructors out there who are working hard to teach the next generation of hams.
UPDATE 11/6/20
As I said, I wasn’t holding my breath waiting for the ARRL to accept my offer. Here’s the typically dismissive ARRL response that I just received from Kris, K1BIC, the ARRL’s Lifelong Learning Manager:
Hi Dan, thanks for reaching out.
We process dozens of these certificates each year and had not heard any other feedback prior to yours, so it seemed that our instructors were pleased with the process. In fact, typically our members appreciate the ability to download certificates on-demand (which we will keep in place for those who want). However, as you pointed out this is a special accomplishment, and deserves more personalized attention too. Therefore, we are working on a process that will let us personalize this recognition as much as possible.
Thanks for the feedback!
Kris Bickell, K1BIC
Lifelong Learning Manager
ARRL – The national association for Amateur Radio®
http://www.arrl.org/learning-center
To which, I replied:
Kris:
I hate to be a PITA on this, but it’s illogical to think that instructors are pleased with the process if they haven’t commented on it. In fact, I’d say that if no one has commented on it, it’s just as likely or more likely that they feel like I do that it’s really of little value. Do you know what percentage of the recipients have even bothered to download the certificate?
Having said that, I’m glad that you agree with me that this achievement deserves more personalized attention and that you’re working on a process to do this. I’ll look forward to a certificate personally signed by some ARRL functionary when I hit the 200-hour mark.
73!
Dan KB6NU
CW Geek, Ham Radio Instructor
Author of the “No Nonsense” amateur radio license study guides
Read my ham radio blog at http://www.kb6nu.com
Ed Jones K8MEJ says
Hi Dan, your offer is outstanding. Is this something you could work with our Director on after the election? In other words, I hope you make your offer other than your blog post :-)
Dan KB6NU says
If you’re insinuating that I’m making a hollow offer here, then you’re off-base, Ed. I’ve emailed our current director and the ARRL Lifelong Learning Program with my offer.
Dave New, N8SBE says
The do-it-yourself ‘participation certificates’ are in full swing. You can download certificates for just about any contest or operating thingy you’ve been in, and the server will happily synthesize a certificate for 29th place, single-op, Podunk county, 10w class, whatever, whatever.
Feel free to wallpaper your shack (literally) with all the certificates. It’s really not so bad, once you get used to the idea.
The last time I got a certificate that was actually signed by an ARRL official, it was my DXCC. They rolled it in a mailing tube with the good side out with some double-sided photocopied sales thingy rolled up with it, and the carbon from the photocopy stuck to the face of the certificate, and left black splotches on it.
I emailed and complained, and they apologized and they sent out another, this time without the offending advertising inserted.
Dan KB6NU says
>It’s really not so bad, once you get used to the idea.
Maybe, but I don’t think that we should get used to the idea.
John Rudolph says
I dont know why the ARRL doesnt do more with volunteers. The Red Cross is run by large amounts of volunteers in most positions and succeeds very well in its day to day operations and emergency responses.
John D. Tucker says
I was a part-time college instructor for decades. I have been teaching Technician classes for about a decade. While some sort of formal acknowledgement from the administrators (for either teaching role) would be nice, I have learned to take quiet pride/pleasure when I hear from some former student who indicates appreciation for my efforts.