[R-390] HSN Status -- and a poll

Leigh Sedgwick bipi at comcast.net
Sun Jan 23 10:55:46 EST 2005 

I guess I'll weigh in on this one too.  I purchased all of the back issues 
of the HSN several years back and subscribed to the next 2 years.  Received 
a couple more issues, then nothing.  I assumed it was closed down.  The 
collection of old HSN has some of the greatest of articles on the 
390-series, 51J4, HQ-series, etc.  But, I guess the articles quit coming in 
and so it goes.  Think to a large degree, the internet kinda replaced it 
with Web pages, FAQ pages, etc.  Reminds me that I need to pull them back 
out and look through them again.

73 de Mike
K7PI


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Dennis L. Wade" <dwade at pacbell.net>
To: "Barry Hauser" <barry at hausernet.com>
Cc: <r-390 at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Saturday, January 22, 2005 8:22 PM
Subject: Re: [R-390] HSN Status -- and a poll


> Barry,
>
> It would be worth a reasonable subscription amount to me to access the 
> back issues and have the current content available with less lead time.
>
>             Dennis
>
> Barry Hauser wrote:
>> Hi Harry & List:
>>
>> I'm still the editor of HSN.  Of course, that and $2 bucks will get me a
>> ride on the subway. ;-)
>>
>> Not all that surprising, but I have encountered the same problem as the
>> previous editor -- a combination of the lack of willing contributors and
>> suitable material in view of the ever increasing role of the Internet. 
>> Very
>> short items are more suited for places like the reflectors with periodic
>> accumulation into the "Pearls of Wisdom".  Lengthier subjects and
>> construction arcticles call for more space and detailed graphics.  The
>> hardcopy newsletter format is limited in terms of graphics and, almost
>> always, a better presentation can be made on web pages and/or pdf files.
>>
>> I have tried to come up with material that would be suitable, but each 
>> idea
>> vaporized into cyberspace. I have a problem publishing something that's
>> already out there or pops up before the ink could dry -- doesn't make 
>> much
>> sense.
>>
>> It may well be, as the previous editor (Reid Wheeler) concluded when he
>> handed it off, that the time for a snailmail newsletter has passed us by. 
>> I
>> thought I'd give it a shot to keep it alive and did manage to get three
>> issues out. There are two that have been "almost "in the can", but remain
>> unfinished for a year or two now.  For a time, in the early days, a 
>> previous
>> editor (Dallas) generated most of the material himself and continued to
>> contribute original material.  I'm not in a position to do the same -- 
>> unless the readership would be happy with pure fiction, some rants and an
>> occasional screed. ;-).
>>
>> At some point, HSN included a number of very brief articles -- of a few
>> lines.  Most of this kind of material is much better handled on the nets 
>> and
>> it is, so I took the position of doing full issue articles.  It also used 
>> to
>> carry some ads, but the lead/lag time makes it unsuitable.
>>
>> At one point, I had discussed this with Ralph Sanserino, the publisher,
>> whether HSN was obsolete and it should fade into the past, or be adapted 
>> to
>> an online version, whether by subscription or free.  It would be much 
>> easier
>> to publish online in both terms of logistics and format and result in a
>> better product with sharp color photos, etc.  Ralph pointed out that 
>> there
>> are a number of old timers who are not wired to the Internet -- but I'm 
>> not
>> sure that's a significant enough factor.
>>
>> Dave Wise's recent work brings up the same issues again, with an 
>> additional
>> consideration.  If he had ready copy right now and photos or line 
>> drawings,
>> and I jumped on it, it would still be a month or two before you'd see 
>> it -- 
>> at best.  I would still need to fill out another 4 pages or so before the
>> issue were ready.  At the moment, this becomes "Plan B".
>>
>> As far as money is concerned, it's not really a factor.  The subscription
>> price for HSN is something like $5 or $6 for 3 issues, and set to barely
>> cover the cost of printing and mailing, thus even a free website would be
>> more cost-effective.  (While some of you are owed issues -- and Ralph has
>> the records -- I doubt that it adds up to very much, if so can be 
>> refunded
>> or whatever.)
>>
>> What I'm doing here is trial-ballooning -- running it up the flagpole to 
>> see
>> if it gets any salutes (or generates "incoming").  Methinks it's time to 
>> go
>> Web-oidal with HSN, if it is to have a future at all.  If you wish, you 
>> can
>> certainly print it, three-hole punch and bind 'em.  It would also be
>> practical to amend and update articles and provide a revision numbering
>> scheme so you would know if you had the latest and greatest - for
>> refinements such as "Well gents, I subsequently found that a 220 ohm
>> resistor works much better .."  I would scan and put up all the old ones 
>> I
>> can find.
>>
>> My thinking is to have it free and probably open access - no 
>> subscriptions,
>> however might take paid advertising -- of the type that would be of
>> intrinsic interest..  I'd rather not get involved in classified listings, 
>> as
>> there are better, established venues for that and it creates a 
>> maintenance
>> obligation.  ("It's sold, please take my ad down."  "Please change to 
>> $XXX
>> or best offer.", etc.)
>>
>> Of course, this does not solve the lack of inflow of publishable material
>> problem immediately, though it makes more types of arcticles and notes 
>> "fit
>> to print" -- even if some are redundant with other sources or reflector
>> archives, etc.  Increased exposure might motivate more people to 
>> contribute.
>> The pieces don't have to be any particular size.
>>
>> As for the few who do not have Internet access, that could be on the 
>> buddy
>> system -- friends can print and mail to them as a favor or in trade for a
>> toob or two.
>>
>> So, what do you folks think?  I have a website available, and/or could 
>> get
>> another going rather quickly.
>>
>> Barry
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>> From: <DCrespy at aol.com>
>> To: <r-390 at mailman.qth.net>
>> Sent: Saturday, January 22, 2005 9:14 AM
>> Subject: Re: [R-390] Ending The Moment Of Silence
>>
>>
>>
>>>Dave, and all.  I should still be a subscriber and have not seen a  copy
>>
>> of
>>
>>>HSN in at least 2 years.  I think it has died a quiet death?   Please
>>
>> consider
>>
>>>some other way to make the info available?
>>>
>>>Harry  KG5LO
>>>Saline MI:
>>>
>>>.
>>>
>>>I'm going to try to put it all into an HSN  article.
>>>
>>>73,
>>>Dave
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
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>>
>>
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