Some two years ago, I left the RSGB because I didn't feel it was representing UK radio in the way it ought to be.
Today, I rejoined.
My primary reasons for leaving were:
(1) The Managing Director is paid "over £60,000" pa, and the Society doesn't seem to think it needs to tell the members - who all contribute to this enormous pay packet - just exactly how much over £60,000 that pay packet is.
(2) Various dissatisfactions with the domination of the Society by those who are only really interested in contesting and their personal standings in the hobby.
(3) The debacle of the 'K for Kernow' regional secondary locator, and the duplicity shown towards those campaigning for it. Said by some to be linked to (2).
(4) Too much elitism in general, and too much niche-writing in RadCom.
So why rejoin?
Well, despite being dissatisfied with the state of the RSGB, I have been willing to see change where it occurs. Reading RadCom lately, I can see that there is an increasing focus on issues that really matter - such as EMC and spectrum defence.
It is also true, perhaps rather sadly, that the RSGB is the only recognised voice of UK amateur radio, and not supporting it, however non-ideal it may be, doesn't help the hobby. This is a double-edged sword, of course, in that the RSGB knows it's the only kid on the block, and in tha past, has led to complacency.
I am not at all naive with respect to the RSGB, which remains a strongly Anglo-centric organisation, run exclusively at the top by white, middle class, middle-aged men. There are huge problems with attracting ethnic minorities, women and younger members into the hobby. I really can't see that the Society has achieved anything in respect of any of these issues, nor particularly that it has tried.
Planning issues also remain a big failure for the RSGB, although it continues to claim its involvement in applications makes approval "more likely." When challenged as to evidence for this, which is practically impossible to gather as things stand, the Society failed to provide any. Anyone who knows the planning system will tell you that the same application shoved in front of two different officers at the same council will often yield very different outcomes.
So, let's see where the RSGB goes with its new Managing Director - and how long it can keep me from getting fed-up again with its tendency to default to London Wireless Club ways.
UPDATE:
The new membership pack arrived within 48 hours of putting my application in the post. Nothing much has changed - except for the member services part of the RSGB web site, which I have to say is a vast improvement over what existed just 18 months ago.
Inevitably, I want to feel proud of the RSGB and what it does. I just hope that the next few years build on recent improvements, and that there isn't a big let-down at the end again.
UPDATE (2) - June 2017
I've left a year later!
The continued and persistent refusal of the RSGB to tell its members exactly what the top pay of its staff is remains a soapbox issue for me.
RadCom, whilst showing improvmeents, has failed to print a couple of letters about the pay issue.
RadCom has also produced a major blooper recently, printing an article about station earthing that, for those with PME systems, could be very dangerous. SO far as I know, months later, it haasn't produced a corrective article, although it has sought a suitable author for one.
I haven't seen a single article about planning matters in RadCom, nor is there a general perception that the society is doing any lobbying, a continuation of its recent history.
So, what's the point? The magazine is of no use to me. Times are hard for members, yet the RSGB pays around £60,000 to someone (and won't even say who.)
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