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IN THIS EDITION:

• PR Brochures
• New Audio PSAs
• Measuring Results
• Newsletter Material – why join ARRL
• Looking Ahead to 2008
• The Last Word

EmComm PR Brochures

Almost 200,000 of the Emergency Radio brochures for 2007 have been requested and passed out.  While many were picked up at conventions or sent in display kits, PR staff kept records of 54000 of them.  While this is 25% of all the brochures, here’s where this sampling went:

AL-200; AZ-1800; CA-6400; CO-500; CT-500; DC-500; DE-500; FL-1900; GA-800; HI-300; IA-1300; ID-300; IL-600; IN-900; KS-1200; KY-700; LA-200; MA-400; MD-600; ME-200; MI-1600; MN-200; MO-700; MS-200; MT-200; NC-3200; NE-200; NH-1200; NJ-900; NM-400; NV-1100; NY-2500; OH-3100; OK-1500; OR-900; PA-1000; RI-400; SC-1400; SD-100; TN-300; TX-3100; UT-2100; VA-1500; VT-100; WA-4300; WI-1800; WV-500

But one of the problems in planning for the future is learning what happened to them all.  Were they placed in the right locations?  Did someone actually TALK to the people who got them?  What were the results?

Some guidelines:
The brochures are NOT meant for:
            Hamfests – they’re already hams
            Club meetings – they’re already hams
            Just dropping on a table – they end up in the trash
            Giving away just because they are “free”
The brochures work when:
            You actually TALK to the recipient one on one
            Or you are making a speech to a group
            There is a local contact who really will quickly follow up on any leads

Don’t forget that there is a companion CD with materials to help you in any speech or presentations to non-hams.  It is called “Talk on a Disk” and you can get it from APitts@arrl.org

If you want more brochures, cards, stands or other display materials, go to www.arrl.org/brochures    There’s also supporting materials for downloading directly at www.arrl.org/pio

Seven New Audio PSAs

On October 18, we released a suite of seven new audio Public Service Announcements.  You can download them as mp3 files directly from www.arrl.org/pio
The 7 audio PSA’s are meant to be a suite.  They are a matched set which is intended to position Amateur Radio in a positive light in the minds of people. 

We are creating a mental image of ham radio.  Parallels are on your TV or broadcast radio every evening.  Like much of modern advertising, there is no specific “call to action.”  None is needed as the purpose is to create positive ideas and feelings in the mind of the public about Amateur Radio, irrespective if they will ever become hams themselves or not.  Ham Radio is reliable, friendly, etc.  In an age of antenna restrictions and frequency challenges, positive images about the Service in the minds of people can be just as critical as recruitment to local club memberships.  I hope you will distribute them to your local radio stations, acting for benefit of ALL Amateur Radio operators. 

Special thanks to Don Carlson and Gary Pearce who aided in making two of these!

If you wish to make up your own audio PSA using this format, write to APitts@arrl.org and I can send you the matching music bed.

How Can Results Be Measured

The National Advertising Council does a lot of work for non-profit organizations, but they also want over 2 Million dollars committed for a minimum 3-year campaign.  Amateur Radio obviously does not have that kind of money, but we can still learn a lot from them.  One of the first things is that it is vital that you plan ways to assess the impact of your campaign.

According to their website, measurable results can include but are not limited to: donated media; direct replies to the advertising, (such as the number of hits on a website or contacts with local groups); positive changes in attitudes or behavior with respect to the campaign issue, (measured through research studies or simply the number of requests to work together with others); and indirectly, broad shifts in public attitudes and policies, (reported through independent research studies, governmental surveys, or polls).

How can we measure the results of the Emergency Communications campaign of 2007 for Amateur Radio? 

Donated Media – The PSAs have been on many broadcast radio and cable TV stations gathering hundreds of times their cost in free air time. 

Direct Replies – The initial PSAs and brochures pointed people to the website, and it has been steadily busy.  Here’s the results as of mid-October:

Contacts with Local Groups:
This is a hard one because few groups let us know when they have made a positive contact with someone, nor is there really a good reporting mechanism for that.  There is a wealth of anecdotal information – some groups reporting many new licensing class attendees and contacts with local politicians or community leaders, while some others continue to be floundering.  But I have no hard data on this overall. 

The bigger question is, with some 900 people a day (!) going to the website and most of them getting the club information for a local contact – what happens then?  Is the club’s info correct and up to date?  Are their calls promptly answered?  What kind of reception are these candidates getting?

Positive changes in attitudes or behavior with respect to the campaign issue:

While we do not have the funds for a dedicated research study, there has been a definite upswing in the number of requests by other organizations to work together with Amateur Radio’s ARES activities. (Just ask the SEC’s how busy they are!)  From hospitals to local EOC’s, church groups and many others are asking to be part of the Amateur Radio community and have our reliable communications available in a crisis.  

Indirect shifts in public attitudes and policies:

Michael Gallagher, past Deputy Assistant Secretary for Communications and Information in the Department of Commerce, may have said it best.  Referring to Amateur Radio operators, “They are passionate, they are heard and they are accomodated.”  More and more media are aware of Amateur Radio’s emergency work, and while they still are not always clear about the details, they are telling the world that in a crisis “ham radio works,”  -and the world believes it.

Does PR work?

You betcha!  Amateur Radio is held in high regard, seen as a serious technical skill set and reliable in a crisis.  But PR is not the same as marketing and PR efforts alone can only bring the fish to the boat.  It is the local contacts, club people, ARES members and hams that must be there to reel them in. It cannot be delegated to national or even sectional people.  It remains up to the local organizations to implement specific plans to take advantage of these opportunities. 

Looking for Newsletter Copy?

Contact! is just one of the services provided to you by the ARRL.  There’s also a monthly club newsletter, put out by Norm Fusaro, which has lots of excellent information in it.  The national PR Committee is aiding in that and recently began a series of short articles on the many benefits that the ARRL provides to members.  These make excellent cut & paste articles for your local group newsletters.  Many times, even people who are already members, do not know of, or forget, about many of the activities and programs that ARRL has to aid Amateur Radio operators.  By including one topic a month in your news, you help your members learn about and take advantage of membership opportunities.

In addition, be sure your club knows about how to sign up or renew ARRL members via the club program.  In this way, your club is able to also raise funds for itself so everyone wins!

Looking Ahead

While it seems hard to accept that 2007 is almost over already, next year is coming soon!  Here’s what is known so far:

January 2008   
1          New Year’s Day
1          ARRL Straight Key Night        
6          Kid’s Day
12        North American QSO Party--CW
13        North American QSO Party--CW
19        ARRL January VHF Sweepstakes
19        North American QSO Party--Phone
20        ARRL January VHF Sweepstakes
20        North American QSO Party—Phone
26        CQ WW 160-Meter Contest
27        CQ WW 160-Meter Contest

February          check for severe weather week in your area
2          North American Phone Sprint
9          CQ WW WPX RTTY Contest
9          North American CW Sprint
10        CQ WW WPX RTTY Contest
11        School Club Roundup
12        School Club Roundup
13        School Club Roundup
14        School Club Roundup
15        School Club Roundup
16        ARRL International DX Contest—CW
17        ARRL International DX Contest--CW
21        Total Lunar Eclipse—North America
23        CQ WW 160-Meter SSB Contest
23        North American QSO Party—RTTY
24        CQ WW 160-Meter SSB Contest
24        North American QSO Party—RTTY

March 
1          ARRL International DX Contest—Phone
2          ARRL International DX Contest—Phone
8          North American RTTY Sprint
9          Daylight Saving Time Begins
20        1st Day of Spring
22        CQ WW WPX SSB Contest
23        CQ WW WPX SSB Contest

April    
18        World Amateur Radio Day
22        Lyrids Meteor Shower
26        ARRL VEC Amateur Exam Day
27        ARRL VEC Amateur Exam Day

May     watch for Hurricane Awareness Week
16        Dayton Hamvention®
17        Dayton Hamvention®
17        Armed Forces Day
18        Dayton Hamvention®
24        CQ WW WPX CW Contest
25        CQ WW WPX CW Contest

June    
1          Atlantic Hurricane Season Begins
14        ARRL June VHF QSO Party
15        ARRL June VHF QSO Party
20        1st Day of Summer
21        Kid’s Day
21        Amateur Radio Week Begins
28        ARRL Field Day
29        ARRL Field Day

July     
12        IARU HF World Championship
13        IARU HF World Championship
19        CQ WW VHF Contest
19        North American QSO Party—RTTY
20        CQ WW VHF Contest
20        North American QSO Party—RTTY
30        Southern Delta Aquarids Meteor Shower

August 
2          ARRL UHF Contest
2          North American QSO Party—CW
3          North American QSO Party—CW
3          ARRL UHF Contest
13        Perseids Meteor Shower
16        ARRL 10 GHz and Up Cumulative Contest
16        North American QSO Party—Phone
17        ARRL 10 GHz and Up Cumulative Contest
17        North American QSO Party—Phone

September       
1          National Preparedness Month Begins
6          North American CW Sprint
13        ARRL September VHF QSO Party
13        North American Phone Sprint
14        ARRL September VHF QSO Party
20        Amateur Radio Public Awareness Day
20        ARRL 10 GHz and Up Cumulative Contest
21        ARRL 10 GHZ and Up Cumulative Contest
22        1st Day of Fall
27        ARRL VEC Amateur Exam Day
27        CQ WW RTTY Contest
28        ARRL VEC Amateur Exam Day
28        CQ WW RTTY Contest

October          
4          ARRL Simulated Emergency Test
5          ARRL Simulated Emergency Test
11        North American RTTY Sprint
18        Scouts Jamboree On the Air
19        Scouts Jamboree On the Air
20        School Club Roundup
21        School Club Roundup
22        School Club Roundup
22        Orionids Meteor Shower
25        CQ WW DX SSB Contest
26        CQ WW DX SSB Contest

November       
1          ARRL November Sweepstakes—CW
2          Daylight Saving Time Ends
2          ARRL November Sweepstakes—CW
4          Election Day
15        ARRL November Sweepstakes—Phone
16        ARRL November Sweepstakes—Phone
18        Leonids Meteor Shower
22        CQ WW DX CW Contest
23        CQ WW DX CW Contest
30        Atlantic Hurricane Season Ends

December       
6          ARRL 160 Meter Contest
7          ARRL 160 Meter Contest
13        ARRL 10 Meter Contest
14        ARRL 10 Meter Contest
21        1st Day of Winter
22        First Day of Hanukkah
31        ARRL Straight Key Night

The Last Word

(Note: -As this is being written, the fires are still burning in southern California and info is incomplete.)

Generals are often accused of planning only to refight the last war all over again.  While the winds have decreased, no one is claiming a victory yet.  Still, there are some lessons appearing already we all can learn.

The primary means of communications seems to be cell phones.  Everyone seems to have a Nextel gizmo.  While that system is heavily taxed, reports heard here are that it has been holding up so far.  The cell companies learned from Katrina and quickly brought in extra resources.  The overall scenario is also very different from Katrina.  It is a smaller region and the roads and most other infrastructure are still in place.  Given these facts, the role of Amateur Radio is very different from “the last war.” 

Some things are duplicates of Katrina.  The initial lack of information was similar.  It took days before we were able to get clear and specific information on deployments here at HQ.  That needs to be fixed.   Now we are getting some action reports, but it is too late and media have moved on to other things.  We do not know of any PIO who went to a JIC or camped with the media to represent us on behalf of ham radio and provide information to the reporters gathered there.   That must be fixed too. 

In the coming days I am sure we will hear more and more “war stories.”  There will be redactions of history and questions about who was doing what, where and reporting to whom.  But one thing is already clear – people out there have learned well that ham radio still works if other systems go out.  Our role may have been smaller than after Katrina, but trauma centers, hospitals and agencies wanted their hams close by “just in case.”  We may sometimes wonder if our PR is working, but this clearly shows they heard what we have been preaching for the past two years - and they believe us.