[CW] ARRL MUST GET BETTER

[Donald Chester]

> >> I don't like the content of "QST", I'd rather
> >> get "QEX" than "QST".
> >
> >> The technical content of "QST" has gone from "some
> >> extremely challenging",
> >> to some "quite easy" to articles which are
> >> written at 6th grade level.
>... One thing that
>irked me is that I became a Life Member in
>about 1980. Then they created "QEX", and moved
>alot of the good stuff (that I thought I had paid
>for) to "QEX".
>One thing I don't particularly enjoy in QST is the
>"Lifestyle Pieces". You know, like the retired
>Doctor who goes on boat trip with ham radio, etc.
>These seem kind of like "Trailer Life" type
>articles
>Then one that took the cake was the two page
>article on using the phonetic alphabet. You know,
>like "A" is "ALPHA", "B" is "BRAVO", etc. I
>couldn't believe that would warrant a two page
>QST article!

QEX evolved from the old Experimenters Section in QST.

Now, in QST, most of the construction projects are accessory toys such as 
keying monitors, line voltage indicators and field strength meters, or silly 
little novelties like a QRP cw transmitter built into an empty match box. 
The "technical" articles are mostly at the novice level, designed to explain 
to newcomers such things as proper microphone technique, what SWR is and how 
to use the ALC in a transceiver. In other words, QST has evolved into what 
is primarily a "Novice" publication even though the Novice class licence is 
being phased out.  Occasionally there are some good antenna articles, but 
most of the real technical stuff is in QEX.  I resent being a full member 
but having to pay extra for a second publication (which I don't do), for the 
material that I most interested in.

With the advent of the internet, the news content in QST (and the other 
remaining "mainstream" ham publication) is old by the time it arrives in the 
mail.  Up-to-date "happenings" are now obtained off the web, so QST has 
become less usesful in that aspect as well.

Supposedly, the annual fee is for League membership, and the publication is 
an extra that comes with it.  If they insist in dividing the publication 
into two magazines, members should have a choice of which one to receive.  
To  me, the present-day QST clearly indicates that the League has accepted  
"dumbing down," even though they would never admit to that.

Don k4kyv