[FLham] Re: Section News

[Jon Pearl W4ABC]

Pete, K4LDR said...

"Seems to me that this high speed data world oughta be used more
and where the most practical and cost effective."



As many of us have come to find... the Internet did not put Amateur Radio
out of business.  Most all would agree in fact, that it has made networking
(dirty word) a whole lot easier for us.  I agree with your statement to a
degree Pete, but I also believe that it might not apply to certain types of
long standing media.  Namely QST.

I hope the ARRL fills their Section News pages to the brim with all that the
SM's can send.  I also agree that it should be reflected in the pages of QST
for 'all' to see.


This was my response to the question... "Should it stay or should it go?"

~~>
I've got stacks of old QST's that go back before WWII and I can instantly
peruse the 'Section News' and see just what the 'movers and the shakers'
were up to at the time.  The big difference between QST and the likes of
73, CQ, CQ VHF and Ham Radio (besides the obvious) is the fact that a large
portion of it's content is 'member' driven, not merely subscriber driven.
'All' the magazines share common ground in radio, electronics and operating
articles, but QST stand alone in that it's content is aimed at it's members.

One day, when we've all filled our web pages full the brim with cutesy
sayings and digital images of the kids, the dog and family vacations to
boot... our kids won't have a single picture of us in their scrap books when
we're dust, because we didn't have a need for that old paper based stuff any
longer!

I've got every log book entry I every made and they're all on paper.  When I
got a new radio - it went in the log book.  When I put up a new antenna - it
went in the log book.  When I got married and again when my son was born -
it went in the log book.  What a sad legacy it would be to leave my son a
box of diskettes!
<~~

As you might have guessed... I think paper still has a place in all our
lives.

Not unlike the the professional craftsmen that give their comany the good
name and standing that it enjoys - QST relies on it's pages of content to do
it's talking for it and us!

Many other Amateur Radio publications that were 'too generalized' have gone
the way of the west.  With the advertising market getting soft, those 'in
the know' ought to be wary of the results of a potential bad decision that
might cause a regrettable backlash amongst it membership.  With the very
same advertising rates being based on the numbers of magazine subscriptions
and shelf sales - the organization might want to consider not cutting off
it's face, despite it's nose!


Fraternally,

Jon Pearl W4ABC