[CQ-Contest] ARRL Membership/QST Readership Survey

[K3BU at aol.com]

I haven't seen the article, but we had conversation with K1ND at the NE VHF 
Conference. 
ARRL counts heads and they are saying that contesters are in minority, small 
percentage, so they can't justify giving us pages of QST with contest results, 
etc.

They are not looking at the purchasing power, advertising towards contesters. 
If I was Joe Humm, I would be dead ham by now, lost interest, threw away my 
2m belt hand and not reading any magazines (who needs it to push PTT?) By 
because I am Yuri da Contester, I keep buying expensive radios, putting up big 
antennas, and yes sometimes buying those fancy ICOMs. Over 48 years I outspend Joe 
2mHammer 10 to 30 or more times. I am not even talking about them "horrible" 
multi-multies that have 10 - 20 rigs in their operating rooms. Just look at 
the raging debate about "outrageous" IC7800 price and how come "stupid" hams are 
buying it. (Comments like: I can have three Orions, 50 hand helds, ... for 
that money :-)

So looks to me like ARRL is penny smart, 7800 foolish. I am supporting 
(still) ARRL out of "patriotism" and not because I am dying to see another color 
picture of portable setup in the Fieldaya. Those 30,000 contesters in one contest 
sure deserve more coverage and record of their achievements for the future 
generations.

Yuri, www.K3BU.us
www.computeradio.us - home of "Dream Radio One"