Like Chris, G3VBL, I, too, have taken stock of finding out what the results
of the CQ and ARRL Contests cost.
In Canadian dollars, a two-year subscription to CQ is now almost $100, and
membership in ARRL is now almost $120. for the same two years. Membership
in my national radio organization costs a mere $40. and includes full QSL
Bureau privileges. Is there any question about where I'll spend my money?
I, for one, can no longer afford to spend that $220 on magazines that offer
me nothing more than, in CQ's case, year-old contest results and little more
(as Chris so aptly describes), and QST's only moderately more interesting
fare and an opportunity to submit a card or two every few years for DXCC credit.
Sure, I realize if costs a lot to mail the magazines under the new
international agreements, but let's face it, the magazines don't cost all
that much to produce if the advertisers are paying their bills.
I wondered, for a long time, why so many of the locals are so completely out
of touch with what's going on in ham radio. Now that I look at it, however,
the average ham can't afford to pay for a lot a magazines to go with his
hobby. My 30+ years of subscribing to these magazines is now down the tubes
(semiconductors?).
Yeah, I know, if I'd had half a brain, I would have taken life memberships
and there'd be no reason for my griping. But I don't and I didn't, so I am.
73...
Al
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Alan Leith, VE1AL
aleith@highlander.cbnet.ns.ca
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QSL Manager: CG1B, CY0DXX, CY9DXX, FP/VE1DXX,
VA1S, VF1L, XJ1NWD, all Canadian Prefixes for VE1AL
and VE3FRA (1977-91), VE3AII/SU & VE6CBJ/SU (1973/74)
FW0DD-1980, 1979 operations of ZK2DD, ZK2DJ & ZK2YL
logs for VE3BVD/DU and VE3BVD/ST2 have been lost
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IIIII
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