ARRL

N0NB

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Shortcuttng the SS exchange Nov 7th 2011, 20:56 3 1,144 on 8/6/12
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QST Digital Version - Got to be a better way KB2HF on 15/3/13
Quote by KD2ADL
Nate, I wasn't suggesting commercial distribution, just friendly "would you mind passing along your QSTs to me, you know I'd love to join ARRL but money's a little tight now..." kind of redistribution. Watermarks won't help here.


That's exactly the kind of redistribution I was referring to. The only thing that prevents such sharing with the current digi-QST is the sheer size of a printed PDF--something on the order of 300 Megs the last time I tried to make an archival copy by printing to PDF.

I also agree that HQ should talk a bit about the decision-making behind the selection of nxtbook technology; maybe a topic for one of Harold Kramer's Inside HQ columns.


Does that column only appear in the digi-QST? ;-)

ARRL really does function in a very different way than most organizations of its size. Conventions do not have floor meetings as one might expect. It's really quite different which, it seems to me, allows some of the decision making to not be as transparent as it ought to be. Another thing that burns me just a bit on the current digi-QST is the top-down way it is being pushed now where we're told it's a "member benefit" but is only fully functional when accessed from a certain operating system. I thought the world had learned to move beyond a certain vendor's lock-in. Evidently not as this is still practiced in certain quarters.

Still, it's the implied mistrust of the membership by only offering digi-QST through some DRM provider that discourages me the most. Perhaps this shows that ARRL membership is primarily a magazine subscription and not membership in an altruistic organization where membership is desired because of the ongoing work ARRL does. That's not to minimize the good that ARRL does on behalf of amateur radio but it does show that HQ agrees with most of the membership that ARRL membership is primarily a magazine subscription.

73, de Nate >>
N0NB.us
QST Digital Version - Got to be a better way KB2HF on 13/3/13
Quote by KD2ADL
I'm sure that the reason they don't do PDFs is security; those PDFs would be going out to fellow hams who choose not to join ARRL.


If that's the sole reason, then it's a rather paranoid one. For example, for several years the Handbook has included a CD-ROM with the entire Handbook in PDF and I don't see links popping up all over the place for downloading a copy. I don't see other League publications showing up all over the place either. Perhaps I'm not really looking but I do participate in other forums and if illicit file sharing were an issue in amateur radio circles I'd be aware of it.

Besides, a PDF can be easily water-marked such that it would be a pain to scrub it to conceal its originator. Also, as a dues paying member I'm not willing to assist free loaders get the main member benefit for nothing and I suspect most members think the same way.

This is one of those issues where HQ should be a little be forthcoming on the "why" behind choosing this provider.

73, de Nate >>
N0NB.us
Ham-made TV Antennas work better K4DUB on 18/1/13
Several years ago I put up a Winegard I bought online from http://dennysantennaservice.com/1454594.html So far so good. While I could probably build one this was a put it up and forget about it proposition. My available time didn't allow for experimenting.

73, de Nate >>
N0NB.us
QST Digital Version - Got to be a better way KB2HF on 17/1/13
My guess is that a contract is in place that locks ARRL into this provider for the next several years. My gripe would be solved if the online reader worked like a Acrobat or any other PDF reader. The animation and sound effects don't add to the reading of what is ostensibly a technical journal.

73, de Nate >>
N0NB.us
Where to find user manuals N5REZ on 3/1/13
I'll second the suggestion to provide a copy to mods.dk. As a bonus you'll probably receive full member benefits for a time which allow generous download limits.

73, de Nate >>
N0NB.us

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