On Jan 27, 5:13�pm, John Smith I wrote:
KH6HZ wrote:* ...

I think it obvious, the new amateur is not going to tolerate the ARRL,
many of the old ones couldn't ... I think even the ARRL has seen that
written on the wall.

"Tolerance" or "intolerance" develops later. The obvious huge
base of ARRL publications will attract most newbies. That and
the constant mention of the ARRL by all the olde-tymers.
Newbies haven't yet learned any better.

The FACT of the matter is that the ARRL has failed to garner
enough memberships from the largest class: Technician. They
acknowledge their existance but do little else, preferring to
go to their core membership of olde-tymers, the beepers.

While the above statement cannot be proven by "official"
pollsters, they can't be disproven either. A random sampling
of opinions is enough to secure that for discussion (except
for Cranky Spanky). ARRL is very, very secretive about its
membership demographics, won't even reveal total membership
but twice a year and then only for QST ad sales purposes.
It does not have to reveal anything since QST has the largest
readership number in the USA and is a virtual monopoly on
the ad market. Advertisers are what keeps all periodicals
afloat...including "membership magazines."

I am afraid the new crowd will need to come from here ... but hey, that
is only one mans' opinion.

Not at all, John, you be wrong there. ARRL has periodical and
publication racks on the floors of HRO and Radio Shack and
other stores to catch all eyes. They have ads on websites
but very few non-ARRL-produced periodicals having to do with
radio-electronics. ARRL depends heavily on olde-tymers who
were weaned on the League diamond and may know no other
source of amateur radio information. Those olde-tymers
are constantly mentioning the League. Word of mouth is always
effective and costs the League nothing.

For example, when someone asks for copies of the Question
Pools, olde-tymers invariably point to the ARRL. However,
the QP can be obtained directly from the folks who generate
them at www.ncvec.org. Part 97 of Title 47 C.F.R. can be
obtained free and are exact copies of their original printed form,
directly from the Government Printing Office website through
links at the FCC's website. Olde-tymers will invariably
point to the ARRL again as the "source" of federal government
information. ARRL "edits" the GPO copyright-free regulations
"to be more readable." "More readable?" These old eyes can
read GPO Codes of Federal Regulations just fine in their
regular form. Part 97 is one of the smaller Parts in Title 47.

Newbies will listen to olde-tymers since they haven't YET
learned who are what, hence they will be indoctrinated into
the League. That is part of the 'conditioned thinking' that
pervades US amateur radio. The ARRL "can do no wrong"
is a constant underlining to what nearly all olde-tymers say.
"They control the vertical, they control the horizontal" and
they have created their own outer limits which none can
breach.

But, look at some other things for change. Check
www.ncvec.org for the number of VECs in the USA. Only
one of them is the ARRL. Look at the recent (last decade)
decisions from the FCC on NPRMs...the League doesn't
get carte blanche on whatever it wants now...it was once
just pro forma to yield to ARRL desires. New, never-
before-licensed amateurs are and have been for the last
decade, coming more from the no-code-test Technician
class route. The ARRL was staunchly pro-code even to
just past WRC-03...despite the IARU taking up their stand
of having individual countries decide for themselves over
a year before WRC-03. Despite all that OPEN
INFORMATION, some of the League faithfull refuse to
acknowledge all that, giving more rationalizations
(incorrect ones at that) than a barrel full of red-hatted
monkeys going beep-beep all night long.

The final change will occur in February of this year. If
the ARRL wishes to survive with all its "free" services
intact, it needs to change with the times. It should NOT
treat newbies as little kiddies to be "educated the right
way." They MUST learn that their core membership
(of elderly beeping gentlemen) cannot last forever.
Excuses and myriad rationalizations don't cut it. It
WILL be interesting to see what they do.

Regardez silverplate,
LA

wrote:

...

I think things will never look the same, again ...

Regards,
JS

On 28 Jan 2007 13:11:46 -0800, "
wrote:


Not at all, John, you be wrong there. ARRL has periodical and
publication racks on the floors of HRO and Radio Shack and
other stores to catch all eyes.

Not really trying to change the subject, but I went to the local
bookstore and two Radio Shacks trying to get a copy of the General
Class Study manual. Both Radio Shacks said that they no longer carry
the study guides. So, I opted to download the questions and answers
from the net for free and give that a shot.

Did two Radio Shack managers lie to me? Has anyone seen the ARRL
study guides? I didn't even see any of the "Now Your's Talking" books
at the local stores.

"Bob Brock" wrote in message
...
On 28 Jan 2007 13:11:46 -0800, "
wrote:


Not at all, John, you be wrong there. ARRL has periodical and
publication racks on the floors of HRO and Radio Shack and
other stores to catch all eyes.

Not really trying to change the subject, but I went to the local
bookstore and two Radio Shacks trying to get a copy of the General
Class Study manual. Both Radio Shacks said that they no longer carry
the study guides. So, I opted to download the questions and answers
from the net for free and give that a shot.

Did two Radio Shack managers lie to me? Has anyone seen the ARRL
study guides? I didn't even see any of the "Now Your's Talking" books
at the local stores.

Radio Shack has basically gotten out of amateur radio. I haven't seen any
study guides there for a couple of years. Sometimes you can get them at
Barnes & Noble but you have to special order. In that case one might as
well order directly off the ARRL website.

The Technician license manual is no longer called "Now You're Talking". I
don't recall the new name.

Dee, N8UZE

"Dee Flint" wrote:

Radio Shack has basically gotten out of amateur radio. I haven't
seen any study guides there for a couple of years.

Me either. Radio Shack is pretty much cheaply-made, overpriced consumer
electronics these days. I go in there sparingly, it seems every 6 months
their focus seems to change. I think the last radio shack I went into had
50-75% of the store's floor space devoted to various cell phone accessories.

If any of them have ham radio manuals laying around, it is probably old
stock they haven't sold.

I believe for most people, the only viable option for buying a study guide
would be thru the ARRL or one of the other online sources, like W5YI.

73
kh6hz

"KH6HZ" wrote in message
...
"Dee Flint" wrote:

Radio Shack has basically gotten out of amateur radio. I haven't
seen any study guides there for a couple of years.

Me either. Radio Shack is pretty much cheaply-made, overpriced consumer
electronics these days. I go in there sparingly, it seems every 6 months
their focus seems to change. I think the last radio shack I went into had
50-75% of the store's floor space devoted to various cell phone
accessories.

If any of them have ham radio manuals laying around, it is probably old
stock they haven't sold.

I believe for most people, the only viable option for buying a study guide
would be thru the ARRL or one of the other online sources, like W5YI.

That says a lot about the growth of ham radio doesn't it?

"Bob Brock" wrote in message
news:CFovh.2878$ch1.1742@bigfe9...

"KH6HZ" wrote in message
...
"Dee Flint" wrote:

Radio Shack has basically gotten out of amateur radio. I haven't
seen any study guides there for a couple of years.

Me either. Radio Shack is pretty much cheaply-made, overpriced consumer
electronics these days. I go in there sparingly, it seems every 6 months
their focus seems to change. I think the last radio shack I went into had
50-75% of the store's floor space devoted to various cell phone
accessories.

If any of them have ham radio manuals laying around, it is probably old
stock they haven't sold.

I believe for most people, the only viable option for buying a study
guide would be thru the ARRL or one of the other online sources, like
W5YI.

That says a lot about the growth of ham radio doesn't it?


Not really. It says more about the fact that stores across the board have
little interest in serving the niche markets. Once upon a time, Radio Shack
did cater to hams. At that time not only were the hams fewer in number than
today but they were also a smaller percentage of the population than now.
At the time, Radio Shack did serve the niche market of hams (among others).
But time has marched on and most businesses can't serve the niche markets
cost effectively.

Ham radio isn't the only area where one must resort to the Internet to find
the products they want.

Dee, N8UZE

Dee Flint wrote:

...

www.ebay.com ???

regards,
JS

On Jan 29, 10:27 pm, "Dee Flint" wrote:
"Bob Brock" wrote in message

news:CFovh.2878$ch1.1742@bigfe9...

"KH6HZ" wrote in message
...
"Dee Flint" wrote:

Radio Shack has basically gotten out of amateur radio. I haven't
seen any study guides there for a couple of years.

Me either. Radio Shack is pretty much cheaply-made, overpriced consumer
electronics these days. I go in there sparingly, it seems every 6 months
their focus seems to change. I think the last radio shack I went into had
50-75% of the store's floor space devoted to various cell phone
accessories.

If any of them have ham radio manuals laying around, it is probably old
stock they haven't sold.

I believe for most people, the only viable option for buying a study
guide would be thru the ARRL or one of the other online sources, like
W5YI.

That says a lot about the growth of ham radio doesn't it?

Not really. It says more about the fact that stores across the board have
little interest in serving the niche markets. Once upon a time, Radio Shack
did cater to hams. At that time not only were the hams fewer in number than
today but they were also a smaller percentage of the population than now.
At the time, Radio Shack did serve the niche market of hams (among others).
But time has marched on and most businesses can't serve the niche markets
cost effectively.

Ham radio isn't the only area where one must resort to the Internet to find
the products they want.

Dee, N8UZE- Hide quoted text -

They have no problems serving niche markets (i.e., "press 1 for
English"). How many illegals do you think are interested in amateur
radio? Hola Hablo/Habla Porky Radio? ;^)

"Dee Flint" wrote in message
. ..

"Bob Brock" wrote in message
...
On 28 Jan 2007 13:11:46 -0800, "
wrote:


Not at all, John, you be wrong there. ARRL has periodical and
publication racks on the floors of HRO and Radio Shack and
other stores to catch all eyes.

Not really trying to change the subject, but I went to the local
bookstore and two Radio Shacks trying to get a copy of the General
Class Study manual. Both Radio Shacks said that they no longer carry
the study guides. So, I opted to download the questions and answers
from the net for free and give that a shot.

Did two Radio Shack managers lie to me? Has anyone seen the ARRL
study guides? I didn't even see any of the "Now Your's Talking" books
at the local stores.

Radio Shack has basically gotten out of amateur radio. I haven't seen any
study guides there for a couple of years. Sometimes you can get them at
Barnes & Noble but you have to special order. In that case one might as
well order directly off the ARRL website.

The Technician license manual is no longer called "Now You're Talking". I
don't recall the new name.

Right. Radio Shack pimps the hot products for the moment. The way I see
it, them not even carrying license manuals speaks volumes about demand for
them. Now, when you walk into a Radio Shack and see loads of HF antennas,
HF rigs, and a shelf of study guides; then you can say that Ham radio is
back in demand.

So, to bring this back on topic. I wonder if the intent of the average ham
is to make ham radio grow or to maintain a stale status quo? The way I see
it, a steady increase in qualified hams is a good thing. Ham radio needs a
good infusion of new blood and the no-code tech license as a good start.
However, it was only the beginning.