“The ARRL just wants my money.”

Well, of course the ARRL needs money!  You would be hard pressed to find a non-profit organization that doesn’t need money to do its work.  

But the better question is,
“Why should I be a member and support the ARRL, when I can just participate in my club?”

ANSWER: Besides the obvious ARRL membership benefits and service (QST, awards/contents, QSL Bureau, equipment insurance, etc.) there are many other reasons for joining:

Your national dues support ARRL and many of our national and local initiatives. Your dues support an organization that represents ham radio operators in governmental matters, such as lobbying to protect your frequency privileges, support for local volunteers with the materials they need to provide excellent public service, and continuing education with online courses.

ARRL member donations support programs not covered by member dues, such as the successful Education & Technology program that trains teachers and puts ham radio stations in schools.  
 
As the national association for Amateur Radio, ARRL also offers you "all-risk" equipment insurance, a monthly journal (QST magazine), local licensing opportunities, technical and regulatory information and answers, and opportunities for volunteers.

Amateur Radio is also international, representing your interests in the International Amateur Radio Union and other world radio conferences.

But what's in it for ME?

ANSWER: Here are just some of the benefits ARRL has tailored just for you!

DXers and Contesters
* ARRL contests and awards are world-renowned! US amateurs must be ARRL members to compete for the coveted DX Century Club (DXCC) operating award- issued for working and confirming at least 100 entities on the ARRL DXCC List.
* Popular contests, such as ARRL International DX and ARRL November Sweepstakes, help hone operator skills, demonstrate use of valuable radio spectrum, and inspire technological advances. Members compete for attractive certificates and plaques. And, most of all, contesting is Fun!
* The ARRL Outgoing QSL Service SAVES members substantial postage fees by conveniently sending DX QSL cards overseas to foreign QSL Bureaus. Many members who utilize the service save many times over the price of their annual membership dues!
* Diamond Club members, at the Gold Level ($1000 per year or more), may use the contest, awards, DXCC and QSL services for free.

Public Service and Volunteers
* ARRL (and Amateur Radio) exists largely due to its strong foundation of volunteers. ARRL contributes to the Amateur Radio Service by providing opportunities and support for those who enjoy volunteering their service and skills.
* ARRL sponsors the Amateur Radio Emergency Service® (ARES) and National Traffic System (NTS). ARRL support and several publications make it easy to get involved.  
* ARRL-accredited Volunteer Examiners (VEs), and ARRL-registered volunteer instructors ensure that there is abundant opportunity to assist newcomers with licensing, and encourage upgrading to higher license levels.
* ARRL’s 400+ public information appointees and other interested volunteers help represent Amateur Radio in government, the media and the public. Public relations is a grassroots effort with strong national support from staff at ARRL's headquarters.
* ARRL regulatory efforts are strengthened through its support of ARRL Volunteer Counsel and Volunteer Consulting Engineer Programs.
* The ARRL Field Organization is also a good resource for technical assistance! Each ARRL section has a Technical Coordinator (TC) and/or one or more Technical Specialists (TS).
* ARRL provides up-to-date information on ham radio clubs, hamfests, conventions, and licensing test sessions on the ARRL website.

New Hams
* ARRL spreads-the-word to recruit new hams! Recruitment and promotional brochures, specialized websites, public service announcements, ARRL publications and library initiatives all ensure that Amateur Radio continues to grow by welcoming thousands of new hams as members each year.  
* Members who are new hams (and all members!) look for answers to their technical questions by utilizing the services of the ARRL Technical Information Service (TIS). Newly licensed members enjoy "The Doctor is IN" column published in QST magazine each month. TIS, QST, and other ARRL resources provide answers to questions about establishing a first station, common technical and interference problems, and more.
* The ARRL Amateur Radio Education & Technology Program brings ham radio curriculum, resources, and equipment to youngsters. Its objective is to promote a "hobby of a lifetime," and preparation for careers in engineering, computer science, space technology and digital operations.  This program is entirely funded by contributions over and above membership dues.

Amateur Experimenters
* Members enjoy a wealth of original articles published by ARRL on a variety of subjects including theory, tutorials, and projects. The ARRL Lab reviews and creates projects--providing a ready source of construction articles for today's avid radio experimenter.
* QST Product Reviews provide members with a valuable source of subjective comparisons and quantitative data on the operating characteristics of ham radio gear.
* ARRL Members qualify for special, reduced subscription rates for QEX magazine, ARRL's "Forum for Communications Experimenters."
* Membership permits ARRL to devote resources to interference studies, producing cutting-edge publications on digital signal processing and other new technologies, and always contributing to the advancement of the radio art.

VHFers
* ARRL frequency defense has protected spectrum from commercial interests that have threatened the frequencies used by hams for public service and communication experimentation.
* ARRL sponsors popular operating activities. Contests and awards such as ARRL VHF QSO Parties, ARRL VHF Sweepstakes, and the VHF/UHF Century Club (VUCC) help members evaluate their station resources and contribute to operator skills.
* ARRL contributes to a strong national repeater system by supporting regional frequency coordination. Coordinators strive to facilitate interference-free operation among the thousands of repeaters across the United States and Canada.
* ARRL assists clubs and communities with local interference problems (including repeater jamming) through its Amateur Auxiliary volunteers, recognized by FCC.

There’s more, but to put it bluntly…  If it were not for the combined voice by YOU and thousands of ARRL members, commercial interests with a lot MORE money would have invaded the ham bands long ago and many of the activities and conveniences you enjoy simply would not exist.  -  THAT’s why every ham should support the ARRL and be a member.