Dick Norton, N6AA, on the state of the ARRL
Every year, Dick Norton, N6AA, the Southwest Division Director, reports on the ARRL at Quartzfest. As one of the audience members noted, this is perhaps the bleakest report that Dick has ever given on the state of the League.
One item that you might want to especially note is that at the 25:30 mark, Dick comments on the ARRL’s shift from a membership-based organization to being a corporation. If we’re no longer a membership-based organization, why pay to be members?
Eric Nichols, KL7AJ, on the ionosphere
The ionosphere is more complex than just a simple mirror for radio waves.
New Quansheng HT has 10-meter SSB capability
OM0ET gives us a little teaser video about an upcoming release from Quansheng. The TK-11 will operate on 70 cm, 2 m, 6m, and 10 m, including SSB capability on the 10-meter band. He notes that he’s not sure whether the firmware will be modifiable as it is for the Quansheng UV-K5.
I’ve gotten into big arguments with the ARRL Lifers trying to sell memberships @ the hamfests. I haven’t been a member except at the beginning for the same reason as the NRA: I’m not rich and the little bit of money I sent for membership came back as junk mail asking for more money! Besides that it’s just publishing. I can’t think of anything else they do that can’t be done better including their precious advocacy. They have always been accused as long as I remember of being in their high castle in CT (the highest cost of living in the 48 states!) and refusing to listen to anyone but certain members and this cements that. (There’s an OLD story about the ARRL refusing to acknowledge the existance of repeaters back in the 50’s or 60’s; I think there’s something else to do with FM before that but I’m unsure. Both well before I was born!)
It’s gotten to the point that I’m ready to leave ham radio between the infighting of (some) clubs, the garbage on the low HF bands, emphasis on contesting and emcomm over everything else (except figuring out how to fleece the members yet more, of course), and the local frequency coordinators insisting that everything they do has to be ARRL approved. Ditto for hamfests, club bylaws, etc. It’s disgusting how much political power the ARRL has over ham organizations and yet they just bend over and ask for more!
Maybe would should get Elon Musk to reorganize the ARRL. LOL!
On a more serious note, I grew up in the 196Os with amateur radio, ARRL Handbooks, QST mags, and Allied Electronics , Lafayette Supply, and Radio Shack. I was an ARRL member as a teen. It was a little pricey then, but still affordable. I worked and saved for all. Amateur Radio is full of mysterious possibilities to have a place for new youngsters and families.
We need some talented business and marketing people, who could be hams, to help out the ARRL. The ARRL needs to offer some simple targeted surveys to actually improve the ARRL and get hams to take them seriously.
Also the ARRL could have a special convention with listening and written surveys and implement changes based on the results.
The TK-11 is receive SSB only, it transmits on AM, FM, or WFM. Pretty f_cking useless to be honest.