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Transformation of Radio Amateurs of Canada

August 14, 2010
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Radio Amateurs of Canada logo

Radio Amateurs of Canada is the national amateur radio organization here in Canada. It has just had its annual general meeting and coming out from this is a call for transformation. Peter of the RAC blog has sent me a link to the important news and I thought I would pass it on, as I know I have a few Canadian readers of my blog.

I am not going to comment here on what I have read, but will think about it and probably send my thoughts and ideas to RAC. Take a look at the proposal and if you want, send your thoughts to either RAC or post them here, it would be good to have an open discussion.  If you are not a Canadian please still take a look at the details, as other national organizations may be heading in a similar direction, or have faced similar issues.

If you have thoughts and opinions on what you want from a national amateur radio organization please make a comment.

from → Amateur Radio, RAC
2 Comments leave one →
  1. Pat Warner permalink
    August 30, 2010 4:08 pm

    Okay, now I have figured out why I was annoyed at the majority of the comments – they seem to be attacking individuals and not the problem.

    The problem is relevancy – is RAC relevent in this day and age? Not if someone’s view of the president or an editor are sound… Figure out the job description, pay the person what the job is worth, hold the person accountable, and move on to another problem.

    Is RAC, in its present form relevent in this day and age? If yes, then why is RAC in trouble?

    If no, then what is broken in the business model? What IS the RAC business model? What do members really want? (And I think to answer that question, we need to differentiate the membership into its discrete demographics and figure out what each demographic wants and is willing to pay for…) Is the business model viable for some segment(s) of the Amateur population?

    I am not an expert in RAC or its business model but it seems to me that someone must be, and it would be a good service to the rest of us if someone would post it for examination.

    Please and thanks

    Pat
    VA3LTN
    Ottawa

    Reply
    • va3stl permalink*
      August 30, 2010 8:49 pm

      Pat,

      Good to hear from you and thanks for the thoughts and opinion. You should direct them to the RAC blog as well.

      You raise the right questions. We need to know what members want, what is broken at RAC (we are told it is its finances but how and why?).

      You mention demographics and I think you have hit on a very important point. It may be that getting the balance between keep long established members happy as well as attracting new and younger members is going to be a significant, if not the greatest challenge for an amateur radio organization. For example, any young person interested in hobby electronics will likely be aware of Make Magazine and the associated Make: Online. Compare the web sites of RAC and Make Online and consider which is the more attractive and helpful to the young hobbyist? This will be one of the reasons why the ARRL has enlisted a Make regular Diana Eng on their Public Relations Committee earlier this year. As well being a writer for Make she is a fashion designer and author of the book ‘Fashion Geek’. Seems the ARRL has recognized an opportunity.

      It should also be said that the hobby electronics has regained wide popularity again in the last five years and I hope that amateur radio does not miss this ‘wave’ of interest in electronics. If anyone is skeptical about this rise in interest, just do an internet search on ‘Arduino’.

      73
      Alan

      Reply

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