I’m starting to get a bunch of email complaints and
discontinuing this.
I don’t have a problem with it and think it is the
right move, but why didn’t we put a story on the web site telling this
and why we were doing it????
Joel
From: Kramer,
Harold, WJ1B [mailto:wj1b@arrl.org]
Sent: Thursday, April 17, 2008
12:52 PM
To: arrl-odv
Subject: [arrl-odv:16671] Radios On
Line
To: ARRL ODV/ ARRL Department Heads
From: Harold Kramer
Effective April 30, 2008,
the Radios On-Line
website will close. We discussed this with the A & F Committee at our
meeting here last Saturday. This action was previously recommended in my Program
Review document that was presented to the A & F Committee in 2006.
For various reasons, we postponed taking any action at that time. If you
are interested, I have enclosed my 2006 report.
We are taking this action
for the following reasons:
1. During
the past year, we have experienced an increased number of complaints by members
and users regarding postings and practices that do not conform to the Radios On-Line
website’s original intent. Despite our efforts to monitor the site
regularly, these problems persist. These have included postings for guns
and “personal” ads. Deb Jahnke and her staff administer this
service and they have deleted items and notified the “poster”, only
to find the ad back two days later, placed in every category.
2. Since
my 2006 report, we’ve seen increased instances of members accusing of us
giving out their email addresses as well as asking us to intercede when a
business arrangement does not turn out as planned. Obviously, anyone can
harvest an email address from the on-line or printed column but, since it
appears on our website, complainants think we are responsible for all related
problems.
3. EBay,
in particular, and, to a lesser extent, other Web sites such as QRZ.com, have
taken over the majority of on-line sales of used amateur products and gear.
4. We
are tying up skilled Advertising Sales staff by having them spend a
disproportionate amount of time dealing with a very small number of users (600
-700 per month) less than .4% of our members).
5. Also,
since these on-line ads are free, some there are no budgetary implications.
73,
Harold
Harold Kramer, WJ1B
Chief Operating Officer
ARRL - The national association
for Amateur Radio
Telephone: 860 594 0220
email: hkramer@arrl.org
web: www.arrl.org/