Why Join an Amateur Radio Club

When anyone first gets into a hobby, they have questions, lots of questions. Some of the answers can be found in books or online, but like any hobby, ham radio has a lingo all its own. For the newcomer, the lingo can be very intimidating. Being in a club allows one to absorb some of the language just by hearing it in context. Most hams are only too happy to explain it to someone else as well.

Where the question of equipment is concerned, the choices are overwhelming. Club members can make sense of the choices and direct the tyro to solutions that make sense for his or her unique situation. People live in different kinds of communities and have different restrictions on what they can put up for antennas. Within the home, the space available for Amateur Radio might be a whole room, or it might be just a little space on a desk somewhere. Spouses also have different ideas on what and where they will be happy with radios in the house or the car. Since family always must come first, the advice of more experienced operators can be invaluable in getting Amateur Radio and your own personal zoning board to happily coexist.

Inevitably, at some point the new ham operator is going to come up against a problem. It could be equipment related or antenna related or any of dozens of other problems. Trying to work it out alone can be difficult to say the least. If you belong to a club, it is a simple task to ask another member with more experience for help or advice. Down the road, someone will be asking you similar questions and suddenly you realize that you have become the expert that newcomers look to for help.

ARRL is the national association for Amateur Radio in the US. Founded in 1914 by Hiram Percy Maxim as The American Radio Relay League, ARRL is a noncommercial organization of radio amateurs. ARRL numbers within its ranks the vast majority of active radio amateurs in the nation and has a proud history of achievement as the standard-bearer in amateur affairs. ARRL’s underpinnings as Amateur Radio’s witness, partner and forum are defined by five pillars: Public Service, Advocacy, Education, Technology, and Membership. 

ARRL’s Vision Statement
As the national association for Amateur Radio in the United States, ARRL:

Supports the awareness and growth of Amateur Radio worldwide;

Advocates for meaningful access to radio spectrum;

Strives for every member to get involved, get active, and get on the air;

Encourages radio experimentation and, through its members, advances radio technology and education; and

Organizes and trains volunteers to serve their communities by providing public service and emergency communications.

Welcome to the only national organization representing Amateur Radio in the US. As an ARRL member you support the ranks of thousands of other ham radio enthusiasts shaping the Amateur Radio service today. If you consider yourself an active ham… you need ARRL now. If you are not presently an active ham… let ARRL help you.

As a member of the ARRL, for as little as $49.00 per year, here are some of the benefits you will enjoy:

• Choice of printed magazine (eligible members)
  • QST, ARRL’s membership journal for active radio amateurs
  • On the Air, for new and beginner-to-intermediate-level radio amateurs (US only)
    (Membership includes $21 per year for On the Air magazine subscriptions. Memberships and magazines cannot be separated. Dues subject to change without notice and are non-refundable.)
• Online Services –
  • All members can access digital editions of QST and On the Air magazines and archives.
  • QST Archive and Periodical Search
  • Product Review Archive
  • Email forwarding
  • E-Newsletters
• A voice in the affairs of ARRL and ham radio through locally appointed volunteers
• Publication Specials and on-line course discounts
• Emergency Communication Services
• Technical and Regulatory Information Services
• Operating Awards
• Ham Radio Equipment Insurance Plan Available
• Outgoing Foreign QSL Service