[QCWA] CQ May Reader Survey

[Dave - VE3JX]

I think that the word "club" can be used in a broad sense, such as the way
Wikipedia describes it:

"A club is an association of two or more people united by a common interest or
goal. A service club, for example, exists for voluntary or charitable
activities; there are clubs devoted to hobbies and sports, social activities
clubs, political and religious clubs, and so forth."

Regardless, it is encouraging to see that QCWA is so popular amongst CQ survey
respondents.  Of course, the percentages cannot be extrapolated at all with any
accuracy.  If they could be, then the comparison with the ARRL percentage
would mean that our membership numbers could be estimated at around 60K!

Notwithstanding, the QCWA percentage is nice.  It could mean that QCWA members
are more active & responsive than the norm, leading to the skewed results.
Whatever, we have a "club" - or association - worth having, supporting, and
enhancing.

CQ Magazine is read by avid radio lovers.  It is not a publication side-benefit
of membership in a club or organization.  People read CQ because they want to.
Therefore, I think the respondents to this survey are those who are active in
the hobby; who love radio for what it is.  (QST is also a great magazine, but it
is not a stand-alone publication; it is a "perk" of ARRL membership.)

In our area of Canada, we have a new breed of licensee who is more "utilitarian"
in nature.  They obtained their Basic licence because they wanted to be able to
communicate with fellow hunters in the bush, where there is no cellphone
coverage.  Or, they wanted communication with fellow boaters on the Great Lakes.
Or, they are first responders who have obtained their ham licence and joined
ARES in recognition of ham radio's value in emergencies.  Some like the idea of
repeaters and communicating with a local group by that means, or of using VoIP
to connect with other areas.  Several I have talked to are not interested in HF
at all.  (This is not a criticism of this trend; just a recognition of it.)  Of
course, current propagation conditions do not help state HF's case.

One of my goals in producing our local club's newsletter is to make all local
licencees aware of all aspects of ham radio.  To a much greater and practical
extent is the mentoring program originally started by ARNewsline and now
co-sponsored by QCWA.  This program should help newer hams to see there is much
more to amateur radio than handhelds.  Our Director Bill Pasternak WA6ITF has
been instrumental in the program's initiation and development.  I sincerely hope
this mentoring has been, and will continue to be, very successful in reaching
its goals.  (The writeup on ARNewsline's website indicates how, individually, we
can help make this happen.)

Some random thoughts from north of the border . . .

Cheers,

Dave VE3JX


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "William M. Pasternak" <newsline at ix.netcom.com>
To: "Bob Roske" <broske at hutchtel.net>; "QCWA - Hotlist"
<qcwahotlist at mailman.qth.net>; "QCWA - Reflector" <qcwa at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Sunday, August 02, 2009 1:37 PM
Subject: Re: [QCWA] CQ May Reader Survey


> The term "club" is a misnomer when applied to ARRL, MARS, Hamdi-Hams and
> the QCWA.  None of these are "clubs."  All are service organizations and CQ
> should not have included any of these three in a survey of membership in
> "clubs."
>
> de
> Bill P.
>
>
> At 07:24 PM 7/29/2009 -0500, Bob Roske wrote:
>>The May Survey ask: "What Radio Clubs do you belong to."
>>
>>Leading the pack @ 84% is the ARRL, in the number 2 position @ 32% is QCWA,
>>#3 at 30% is the non-descript Other.
>>
>>Rounding our the Top Ten are:
>>10-10                27%
>>FISTS               24%
>>QRPARCI        13%
>>MARS                7%
>>Handi-Hams       4%
>>RCA                  3%  - Radio Club of America
>>SPAM               1% - Society for the Preservation of AM
>>TARP                1% - Tucson Amateur Radio Packet Radio
>>
>>The full results are on pg 40 of the August 2009 issue.
>>
>>73,
>>Bob Roske, N0UF
>>President, QCWA
>>
>>
>>
>>______________________________________________________________
>>QCWA mailing list
>>Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/qcwa
>>Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
>>Post: mailto:QCWA at mailman.qth.net
>>
>>This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
>>Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
>
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> QCWA mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/qcwa
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:QCWA at mailman.qth.net
>
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
>