[NJARC] A few thoughts on the repair clinics and the News letter.

Sat Apr 1 08:44:50 EST 2006

All,

I am glad to see this subject come up again. I approached this subject about
a year ago any didn't get to good a response. I was looking to learn and all
I wanted was a 10-15 minute why and how on a specific circuit periodically
for us newbies. I like the idea about Infoage and I even may have some test
equipment to donation for the cause. Thanks!

By the way, what's tha latest on the H-buildings and tyhe club setting up in
them?

Don

----- Original Message -----
From: <sfg at comcast.net>
To: "New Jersey Antique Radio Club" <njarc at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Friday, March 31, 2006 11:49 PM
Subject: Re: [NJARC] A few thoughts on the repair clinics and the News
letter.

> Visit our web site - See http://www.njarc.org
> _______________________________________________
> Hi,
> I actually ran an attempt to do a repair class at a repair clinic. Since I
tried to do a total history of electronics I realized that everyones eyes
were glazed over early on. My lack of success is not a reason to give up. I
think the training people want varies as their individual experience level
varies.
>
> A first group just wants to know the fastest way to get their new prize
working, minus excess theory. The second wants to understand the basic
theory and basic tools. Then there are those who want to extend their basic
knowledge by upgrading their theory or tools. Okay so we need to set up
beginner, intermediate and advanced training sessions.
>
> What would be nice would be to have a club workshop available full time.
This is actually in the plans at the Infoage site at Wall Township.  Fred
Carl wants us to set up in the Marconi Hotel basement. Several members have
already donated test equipment for this purpose. Without the time needed,
and major work necessary to bring and set up a test bench, NJARC repair and
training clinics could be held very frequently possibly twice a week.
>
> A thread in these emails, that someone is making money off of us is a bit
overboard. First the reason we have public repair clinics is that we get new
members in this way. The second is that we gain access to great stuff!
Clinics have led to donations for our club actions and I believe led to at
least one family selling a collection at our swap meet.
>
> None of us want to be used but I have worked several of the clinics and
personally don't remember seeing lines of steely eyed ebay vendors lined up
at the door. I think the occational exception is worth the overall gain.
>
> I think there is a need to do various types of training and technical
sessions. Off the top of my head I would be willing to take part in the
following tech sessions.
>
> Radio alignment single or multiband - RF and IF
> FM sweep alignment
> TV sweep alignment (although I haven't actually done one since about 1975)
> Audio amplifier distortion and frequency response.
> Oscilloscope use
> Oscilloscope calibration
> Voltmeter calibration
>
> Steve Goulart
>
>
>
> -------------- Original message --------------
> From: Rob Flory <robandpj at earthlink.net>
>
> > Visit our web site - See http://www.njarc.org
> > _______________________________________________
> > I think raising the proportion of members-only repair clinics would be a
good
> > idea. A lapsed member brought a radio to one of our recent clinics and
would
> > have joined up again, but he never made it into the queue. I think the
hands-on
> > education that novice members get is more important than fixing radios
for
> > others.
> >
> > Rob Flory
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > >From: David Sica
> > >Sent: Mar 31, 2006 10:02 AM
> > >To: njarc at mailman.qth.net
> > >Subject: Re: [NJARC] A few thoughts on the repair clinics and the News
letter.
> > >
> > >Visit our web site - See http://www.njarc.org
> > >_______________________________________________
> > >Thomas,
> > >
> > >Remember "The Golden Rule": He who has the gold makes the rules! The
club
> > >decides how things will be done. And the club is all of us. So this is
> > >probably a good discussion to be having. To date, we've done it the way
> > >we've done it - perhaps due to carefully reasoned thinking, or perhaps
> > >just because "we've always done it that way". I've not been part of
that
> > >decision-making process, but I was an early advocate of the repair
clinic
> > >program back when the club was formed and I do have a few (perhaps
> > >conflicting) thoughts on the subject.
> > >
> > >I agree that it's at the very least disheartening that a person would
> > >have our club fix a radio for free just so they could sell it at a
> > >profit. I'm enough of an idealist that when I think of people coming in
> > >to take advantage of our repair clinics, I picture warm, fuzzy
> > >Rockwell-esque scenes where the family can now gather around grandpa's
> > >old radio and enjoy... well maybe all they can tune in to is hate radio
> > >on AM these day, but anyway it was a nice mental image while it lasted!
> > >:-) Hopefully our "open to the public" clinics, along with club
displays
> > >and lectures, generate publicity, goodwill and attract new members.
It's
> > >not realistic to expect 100% success from any endeavor and although it
> > >really, really irks me when a few bad apples abuse our generosity, if
the
> > >big picture remains positive, well, I guess that's life.
> > >
> > >If it turns out that we are offering public repair clinics to the
> > >detriment of serving our own members, then we might want to adjust the
> > >percentage of public vs. members-only events or otherwise tweak the
> > >program to best serve the interests of the club. We've already been
> > >discussing ways to do that and the more input the better so your note
is
> > >very timely!
> > >
> > >I'm not so sure about charging a fee at the clinics. (Although I guess
it
> > >couldn't hurt to ask for a donation?) There are a few folks who provide
> > >commercial repair services, and I have to admire them; I can't figure
out
> > >how anyone could actually make a living that way. I've always thought
> > >that repairing a radio was a great way to make a million dollars: a
> > >dollar an hour for a million hours!
> > >
> > >I can't speak for Marv or the Board, but I think you can rest assured
> > >that the Broadcaster will remain a members-only benefit. We're still
> > >working on the best way to make the current issue accessible only to
> > >members (as it now is when being sent via snail-mail) without making it
> > >inconvenient to access. I don't think anyone ever intended that it
would
> > >be made freely available to the public. If anyone did, I'm on record
> > >against that. On the other hand, we ARE intending to continue to make
> > >back issues freely available in our online library, and that's always
> > >been viewed as appropriate.
> > >
> > >The swapmeets being open to the public is perhaps a "mixed blessing"
too.
> > >The admission donations collected from people attending our events go a
> > >long way toward keeping our club financially healthy while keeping our
> > >dues reasonable. And they are good exposure for the club. Our
> > >mini-swapmeets held at many meetings ARE members-only events. Although
> > >(with some notable exceptions) these usually provide only dubious
> > >treasures, parts and junque, our May meeting this year will be a
shining
> > >example of club pride at it's best. The Mike Hammer collection was
> > >specifically earmarked by his widow to be auctioned at a CLUB event, to
> > >CLUB members not the public. Although this limited exposure has the
> > >potential to limit her financial return, because Mike was so
enthusiastic
> > >and happy to be a member of the club, that's the way she wanted it.
> > >
> > >Anyway, I don't know if other folks would agree with any of your
concerns
> > >or if any changes will be made to address them, but the type of
> > >constructive criticism you've brought up is what helps make the club
> > >better each year. So, thanks!
> > >
> > >--Dave
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >On Fri, 31 Mar 2006 03:15:48 -0500 "Thomas Lee"
> > > writes:
> > >> Visit our web site - See http://www.njarc.org
> > >> _______________________________________________
> > >> In the two years that I have been a member there was only one class
> > >> taught
> > >> to the beginners/new members at the repair clinics. Can't a
> > >> schedule of
> > >> classes be made for new members and be held at the monthly meetings
> > >> or the
> > >> repair clinics?
> > >> Being that the repair clinics are far and in between how are new
> > >> members
> > >> supposed to get hands on experience? I understand the clubs
> > >> resources are
> > >> very limited but when you open the clinics to the public at the cost
> > >> of the
> > >> members it just does not't make sense.
> > >> I have been to a few repair clinics where "the public" have brought
> > >> in
> > >> their radios for repair, and most are not interested in joining, or
> > >>
> > >> learning. They just want a working set to enjoy or sell on eBay or
> > >> some
> > >> other avenue. Why should the club support that at the cost of its
> > >> new
> > >> members, and that of the old member's time when its resources are so
> > >> limited
> > >> and would have been better served by concentrating on its new
> > >> members and
> > >> old ones?
> > >> As for the broadcaster being put online for free then just what
> > >> would be the
> > >> advantages of joining? The swap meets are open to the public. The
> > >> repair
> > >> clinics are open to the public, and you can have your radio repaired
> > >> for
> > >> free. If the news letter can be read online why join when you can
> > >> get it
> > >> all for free?
> > >> I think it is all well and good for the public to be invited to the
> > >> repair
> > >> clinics, but if they bring in a radio for repair, they should be
> > >> charged
> > >> some kind of fee, and those monies collected should either be added
> > >> to the
> > >> clubs treasury to fund future programs and or have the member who is
> > >>
> > >> spending his time on it compensated in part to discourage people who
> > >> just
> > >> want a free repair and then go sell it somewhere.
> > >>
> > >>
> > >> _______________________________________________
> > >> NJARC mailing list
> > >> NJARC at mailman.qth.net
> > >> http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/njarc
> > >>
> > >>
> > >_______________________________________________
> > >NJARC mailing list
> > >NJARC at mailman.qth.net
> > >http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/njarc
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > NJARC mailing list
> > NJARC at mailman.qth.net
> > http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/njarc
> _______________________________________________
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