[QCWA] Assoc. Membership ...

[Don Tucker]

Point well made. I suspect that even the ARRL foreign membership is kept 
down to a great extent by the much higher cost to those outside the USA. 
There are a couple of organizations I wanted to join which are foreign, 
dealing with topics of interest to me (other hobbies). Most published hard 
copy. Now a couple of gone them have gone to .pdf print and the membership 
cost is now the same as if I were in Europe (significant savings). I joined 
those particular ones and now I don't have to worry about the USPS, who 
almost always damage the few magazines that I do receive). The USPS is 
another story!

Some comments were made about members not having a PC and email. Today I 
would be willing to bet it is damn few in this boat. As I look around those 
who live near me (and that is some distance), those I have coffee with, 
those who belong to some of the local orgs that I do, many are living in 
retirement. I can't think of one who does not have access to email and the 
internet either at home or the local library in their little towns. In fact 
I find some of the most active oldsters are the ones most up to speed on new 
developments on the internet and with digital advances in amateur radio. The 
thing some of them forget though is that the attention span of the PC is 
only as long as the power cord.

Don't sell the old and infirmed short.

Also, I would think QCWA would know what percentage do not have an email 
address, as it is asked for in the application.

And Adobe Reader is free so there is no excuse for not being able to read 
online print if one has internet access.

Don W7WLL
"No animals were harmed in the construction and forwarding of this email."



----- Original Message ----- 
From: "VE3JX" <ve3jx at sympatico.ca>
To: <qcwa at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Saturday, November 12, 2011 9:22 AM
Subject: Re: [QCWA] Assoc. Membership ...


Greetings all,

The idea of a PDF Journal is one that deserves more thought.  It could be
quite beneficial to QCWA.

One aspect that just came to mind is this:

DX members, including Canadians, can opt for a membership without
publications.  Such a membership is obviously cheaper than one with the
Journal.  The reason that they have this option is due to the high cost of
postage going to non-US addresses.

With a PDF or electronic version of the Journal available, the "Membership
without Pubs" could be eliminated.  DX members would be paying more, but now
they would be "in the loop" with the reception of the Journal.  With an
electronic Journal, DX members could pay dues that are on par with their US
counterparts.

Also, the Journal, in its electronic format, could become a full-color
magazine throughout its contents.

On the downside, the lower volume of the print Journal may raise its
per-copy price.

Just a couple of thoughts.

Cheers,

Dave.