Good points, David, Greg, Jim, Bonnie, Tom F, and Mike.
Like Tom F. said, we've looked at these issues in the past. Time
to think a bit harder out of the box? Yep, maybe so.
Around here, many of the new adult hams enter the hobby
because they are interested in only emergency communications, nothing else
really. As far as the kids and teenagers, they don't seem to care about DXing
and contesting like years ago but are the Maker Faire generation. Discussion?
Maybe we'll hear more from the Entry Level License Committee
and the survey work they've been doing.
I'm anxious to hear what Diane and the team can come up with
in July.
73
Rick - K5UR
-----Original Message-----
From: Gallagher, Tom, NY2RF (CEO), NY2RF (CEO) <tgallagher@arrl.org>
To: Lisenco, Mike (Dir, HU) (Dir, HU) <mlisenco@arrl.org>; G Widin <gpwidin@comcast.net>
Cc: arrl-odv <arrl-odv@reflector.arrl.org>; Petrilli, Diane, KB1RNF, KB1RNF <dpetrilli@arrl.org>
Sent: Wed, Apr 12, 2017 9:55 am
Subject: [arrl-odv:26364] Re: Emergency Communications Driving Increase in Amateur Radio Operators
Thanks, Greg and Mike, Diane and the team are working on this very topic at the moment. Expect a full-blown proposal before July. Tom
This is a marvelous idea and, perhaps, the crux of what we should be doing to focus on, and meet the needs of, the bulk of our newer and future members;
Greg wrote,“We must offer them something to make them stay--things like lower-cost membership and an emcomm-focused journal--that the comments of non-renewers already tell us we need.”
If we don’t look forward now, today, in ten years we will find a Board of 80+ year-olds directing a dying organization of old fogies completely out of touch with reality – whose primary issue will be the decertification
of Scarborough for DXCC.
Sent: Wednesday, April 12, 2017 8:42 AM
Subject: [arrl-odv:26362] Re: Emergency Communications
Driving Increase in Amateur Radio Operators
As we look to the growing community of Makers and other DIY-interested folk to become hams, we should not forget the cadre of new operators coming to us via emergency communications.
Many of the comments of those who do not renew their ARRL memberships seem likely to come from this group. They find QST too technical and yearly membership too expensive. Some will be "converted" to long-term hams, but we don't offer much to entice those
who enter with a pure emcomm focus. These people are already hams, so the hardest part of getting them to be long-term members is already accomplished. We must offer them something to make them stay--things like lower-cost membership and an
emcomm-focused journal--that the comments of non-renewers already tell us we need. Hardcore, longterm hams will decry "pandering" or the dumbing-down of ham radio, but we definitely need some bridge to ensure "emcomm-only" licensees become a permanent part
of ham radio, and ARRL
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