On Thu, 12 May 2005 08:44:02 -0400, Cmd Buzz Corey wrote:

One example. In the mid 80s, ARRL members in Hawaii
requested the ARRL to bulk air mail QST to Hawaii to avoid
the three month delays in receiving QST. Virtually all
magazine publishers bulk air mail their publications to Hawaii,
but not the ARRL. Their attitude was To Hell With their
Hawaii members. Hawaii ARRL members responded by canceling
their ARRL membership. Cost to the ARRL would have been
pennies, instead the ARRL permanently lost members, and those
former members continue to curse the ARRL in Hawaii to this
day.

And your source for this information is?

Isn't it great that half-truths gets posted every day.

I (as well as others) were on the ARRL's Pacific Division committee
that looked into this. The problem was that CERTAIN Pacific Section
(Hawaii) members wanted their issues sent either by first-class mail
from the ststeside printing plant or alternatively bulk-mail from
the same source. In either case, they did not want to pay the
additional costs. "Pennies" it wasn't. By that time most magazines
were being printed on the Island but the very small circulation of
QST there didn't make that economical either. Bulk mail would have
required additonal sorting in Honolulu which was an additional
charge over and above the shipment.

The best recommendation was the bulk shipment with the members
paying the "offshore" rate to cover the additonal cost. This didn't
sit too well, and lots of "Hawaii IS in the United States" shouts
were heard. In the end, the members affected were given the choice
of status quo (surface mail at "basic" rate) or first-class airmail
delivery paying the extra charge. Some picked one, others picked
the other. Still others used that as an excuse to not pay ARRL dues
but still benefit from the regulatory work that the League did and
still does on behalf of all radio amateurs, members or not.

Case closed.

--
73 de K2ASP - Phil Kane