On 4/14/2011 7:49 AM, Joe from Kokomo wrote:
On 4/13/2011 9:01 PM, John KD5YI wrote:

I've been paying:

ARRL membership $39
QEX for members $24
------
Total $63

If I drop my ARRL membership the cost would be:

ARRL membership $00
QEX non-member $36
--------
Total $36

Almost a 43% reduction in cost to get the cream of publications. Of
course, I'd be giving up QST. Somehow, that doesn't bother me too much.

John

I would respectfully suggest that you are missing the big picture. It's
not just the magazine(s).

Well, maybe. I think that the big picture depends on the desires of the
observer.

Like them or not, the ARRL is the ONLY organization that supports ham
radio on a national level, going to bat for us before Congress and the FCC.

73,
Joe

It is not that I do not like the ARRL. I've been a member for many years.

But, just being a member doesn't pay for that support. Notice from the
cost of membership shown on the ARRL site that only $8 per year is left
over after paying for QST. I'd bet that that $8 barely pays them to
maintain their records and Web site. What they apparently depend on for
money to represent us in Washington is donations. Along with volunteers,
perhaps.

So, does this mean that those of us who do not send in donations are
missing the big picture?

73,
John