[Heathkit] ARRL / QST COPYING

[Kenneth G. Gordon]

> Just a note -- a couple of years  ago, I wanted to scan a few homebrew
> articles onto my website (non-commercial).  I would have given
> extensive credit to ARRL (links, ARRL name, etc.)  They denied
> permission for this. Yet I have heard other people were given
> permission for similar things.  So, I am not sure what their policy is
> on copying their material.
> 
> Dan W8MMQ

It probably has more to do with whether or not the ORIGINAL 
author still has some sort of rights to the article in question or not. I 
have called the ARRL about copying certain articles from their 
handbooks, and they gave me blanket permission to copy from 
those dated 1964 or before. 1964 was the latest date I mentioned, 
so I don't know if this permission extends later or not.

I called at least three times with the same question, got three 
different people, asked if I needed written permission, and got the 
same answer each time, no.

As you and others have said here, their policy seems to be 
somewhat confusing, but I think, in MOST cases, it relates to age 
and subject matter, in addition to the ownership question. The 
articles I have copied and put on our (Glowbugs) web site are all 
tube-related, from handbooks, and are at least 30 years old.

Also, Bob Keys NA4G, was given the same type of permission for 
really old articles, and he got his in writing.

Perhaps the ARRL gets a different type of ownership for handbook 
articles than for QST articles submitted by non-ARRL authors. This 
seems logical and consistent.

The "SB-1000 Step-Start" article was obviously submitted by an 
author NOT on ARRL's staff, whereas most, if not all, of the 
handbook articles are written by ARRL staff members.

I am NOT a lawyer, and YMMV. This is how I see it in view of my 
experience with the ARRL.

Ken Gordon W7EKB