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

[Thomas Lee]

Remember "The Golden Rule": He who has the gold makes the rules!

***True, and since the membership pays, hence the GOLD.

To date, we've done it the way we've done it - perhaps due to carefully 
reasoned thinking, or perhapsjust because "we've always done it that way".
***With all due respect,  I think its more of it's always been done that way 
rather than thought out.  John Ruccolo has been a savliour to me during the 
repair clincs, and he is wearing way too many hats.  He is helping out 
beginineres, running back and forth to give out capacitors, and helping out 
the "Public"with free repairs.  Which usually translates into...   New 
members not learing much from his expertise, and much fustration for all.

Hopefully our "open to the public" clinics, along with club displays and 
lectures, generate publicity, goodwill and attract new members.
***You can still attract the public to the clincs, and generate publicity 
with displays, and lectures.  But how many repair clincs have had llectures? 
  How many have had displays?  The one thing that they always do have is a 
free open repair to the public.   And again, why not charge for this 
service?   It is a service.  I don't have anything against someone enjoying 
their radio.  But I would expect them to pay for that benifit.  Just as we 
memembers pay for the clubs benifits.

Tom

On Fri, 31 Mar 2006 03:15:48 -0500 "Thomas Lee"
<thomas_v_lee at hotmail.com> 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.
 >