[CQ-Contest] Contests, the ARRL, QST, and the rest

[Warren C. Stankiewicz]

Well, the "urge" on some to remove contest results, net listings and =
section news from QST has been lurking around Newington off and on at =
least since 1990. I'm glad I left there when I did...

I'm sure there are those at ARRL HQ and elsewhere who think the space =
taken by regularly appearing items such as contest results and section =
traffic reports could be filled with much more interesting and exciting =
articles that would just pull in the readers and drive circulation. Of =
course, given the number of times I find something worth reading in QST =
lately, I guess what they call "interesting and exciting" is a matter of =
subjective opinion.

I've said it before, and I'm going to say it again, and again, and =
again. If you're not a member of the ARRL, you have no say in this.=20

If you are a member of the ARRL, then you voted for the people who, in =
the end, will be making this decision. If you disagree with this =
possible scenario, let me say that I know of nothing, in my experience, =
that gets the attention of a director like an irate member. Stand up. =
Speak up. Call them. E-mail them. Hound them.=20

The ARRL is "of, by, and for the radio amateur". That means you folks, =
not office workers in Newington, not the ARRL Board of Directors. If you =
don't stand up and make your voice, and your vote, heard, then you get =
what you deserve.

Yes, it doesn't surprise me that contest results could be gone. Although =
once every single club in North America finds out they don't get listed =
in the Field Day results, it could get ugly. Contesting is viewed by =
many as a "fringe element" of the hobby of amateur radio. Regardless of =
the fact that we probably buy most of the high end gear, spend the most =
on antennas, etc. Maybe you make it up on volume selling HT's instead. =
(They're still more expensive than a cell phone).

I'd long heard it said that the reason ARRL bought NCJ in the first =
place was to move the contest results out of QST. So there you go. Is =
this inevitable? No. Is it likely? Quite possibly, unless every single =
one of you stands up and screams "Foul!" at the top of your lungs to =
your elected ARRL officials.

As far as Contest Branch Staff at ARRL HQ goes, I can personally attest =
that it is a thankless, frequently hellish job with long hours, low pay, =
and difficult expectations. Anyone willing to take on the job is more =
than welcome to it.

73,

warren, NF1J/6


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