[CQ-Contest] July/August NCJ

[Randy Thompson K5ZD]

Sorry the issue did not get to you in time Ron (and others).  The delay was
mostly my fault.  I insisted on a final round of review after layout changes
and that caused a week of delay.

The ARRL did a great service for WRTC2014 (and the contesting community) to
allow a special issue of the NCJ to do double duty as a magazine issue and
also as the event program for WRTC2014.  It was our combined hope that those
who would not be able to attend WRTC2014 would enjoy learning more about the
participants and the technology employed.  Yes, it might have been nice to
arrive in your mailbox before WRTC2014, but I don't think being a few days
late should significantly diminish the value of the content.

Anyway, wanted to make it clear that ARRL did a fantastic job on this issue.
The delays were caused by trying to make sure we got all of the details
right.  Special thanks to WW1ME for editing all of the participant bios and
to K4RO for his help in getting the content organized. 

Thanks to ARRL for all of their support for WRTC2014.  It truly was a great
kickoff to the Centennial Convention week here in New England.

Randy, K5ZD


> -----Original Message-----
> From: CQ-Contest [mailto:cq-contest-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of
> Ron Notarius W3WN
> Sent: Tuesday, July 22, 2014 12:08 PM
> To: ww3s at zoominternet.net; cq-contest at contesting.com; k3lr at k3lr.com
> Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] July/August NCJ
> 
> Well, I'm very glad that everyone who paid for first class delivery got
> their copy early, as they should have.  No question, and I will consider
> this option at renewal time.
> 
> However, the point is that if someone (and this doesn't pertain just to
> NCJ) is going to take the time, trouble, and effort to put out a "special
> event" edition, and put material in it of a time-sensitive nature, it
> only makes sense to try and get it in the hands of most or all
> subscribers prior to the event.  Regardless of their chosen delivery
> method.  Otherwise, by the time the edition arrives, it isn't timely and
> topical, but out of date and irrelevant.
> 
> That is not only (IMHO) unfair to the subscriber.  It's also unfair to
> the authors of the various articles, especially those commissioned
> specifically for the issue, who've worked hard (and sometimes on a tight
> deadline) to put together information of a timely nature, articles and
> information that will now not be read, or at best glanced over, because
> the event is long over.
> 
> 
> An answer of "pay for faster mail delivery" is the wrong answer.  It
> implies that only premium subscribers will get that information early or
> on time.
> 
> I realize that to some degree, mail delivery is out of the hands of the
> editors & publishers once the magazines are handed over to the postal
> system. Had I not received several PM's that did not go out to the list,
> I'd mark this up as a single aberration, but it appears others have run
> into this problem as well.  So it does make one wonder if consideration
> was made to an early publication for this issue to try and get it out on
> time.
> 
> Imagine you've bought tickets over the phone, weeks in advance, to a
> concert that your child is performing in, and the tickets don't arrive
> until several days AFTER the event; in fact, the tickets were postmarked
> the day of the event.  Would you be happy to be told "if you'd only
> bought overnight delivery!"
> 
> I won't belabor the point any further.
> 
> Thank you for your time.
> 
> 73, ron w3wn
> 
> On 07/22/14, ww3s at zoominternet.net wrote:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I received mine at least a week prior to the event?..when you subscribe,
> there are a couple of different delivery options, I believe I paid the
> few extra bucks for first class delivery?.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Sent from my Windows tablet
> 
> 
> From: k3lr at k3lr.com
> Sent: ?Monday?, ?July? ?21?, ?2014 ?10?:?06? ?PM
> To: 'Ron Notarius W3WN', cq-contest at contesting.com
> 
> 
> Hello Ron:
> 
> My July/August NCJ WRTC2014 issue arrived 8 days before the contest
> started
> - via first class mail. Quite a difference in delivery time for WPA QTHs.
> 
> It is a shame your mailman decided to read your issue before he delivered
> it to you :-)
> 
> WRTC2014 was an awesome event!
> 
> 73,
> Tim K3LR
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: CQ-Contest [mailto:cq-contest-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of
> Ron Notarius W3WN
> Sent: Monday, July 21, 2014 6:54 PM
> To: cq-contest at contesting.com
> Subject: [CQ-Contest] July/August NCJ
> 
> Have to admit, the July/August issue of the National Contest Journal, a
> "Special WRTC 2015 Commemorative Edition", is really something.
> 
> Biographies on the competitors and referees.
> 
> Antenna design
> 
> Schedule of Events.
> 
> A Great Circle map centered on the WRTC locations.
> 
> Real-time scoreboard information, so you can follow along at home.
> 
> Participation Awards check-list to be used while operating.
> 
> Great issue.
> 
> Of course, it would have been a lot more useful if it had arrived before
> the event. Not 8 days after the event ended.
> 
> Too bad all that hard work on this special issue went for naught.
> 
> 73, ron w3wn
> 
> 
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