But my daughter is getting some kind of benefit from the fact that she enjoys free membership as a youngster until she's 21 - a full ten years' (about £600) worth! Someone at the RSGB didn't figure on young kids passing their exams, I think!
Accordingly, my daughter's copy of RadCom came through the post this morning.
I was struck by the significant number of articles this month about IARU Region 1. Somebody at IARU R1 seems to have seen a ghost in the form of EURAO. There's certainly been a lot of angst this year between the two.
As a result, IARU R1 appears to have decided to start cranking up the publicity machine using RadCom as a handy conduit to thousands of RSGB members.
It's all rather entertaining, if too late, to see IARU trying to make itself look hip and happening. Like all things committee and neck chain-like that make endless and mind-numbingly dull appearances in RadCom, none of the glitz is persuading me that IARU is the horse to back for future representation.
As in all editions, this month's copy contains plenty of products where you can part with £6000 to buy a radio. This month focuses on an SDR transceiver, though I doubt it copes with the all-band destroying SkyQ RFI any better than a £450 unit.
Hang on! On the back cover, it gets even better: a rig costing 'ca. £10,799'. WHAT?
Elsewhere, perhaps a bit fed-up with complaining members, some anonymous comments from various RSGB Board members are printed. I think we're supposed to feel sorry for them. I don't, even though they are volunteers (albeit with expenses repaid). I feel much more sorry for the poor NHS nurse who works long shifts for at least 2.5 times less money than the RSGB's General Manager.
I'm not sure why the RSGB is carrying on as though all is well in the radio community, other than to persuade themselves that their position as Top Dog in UK radio is secure. Maybe those running it live in places where RFI doesn't affect them. Maybe (very probably) they are of an age where a good pension allows them to spend £6000 on a hobby radio. And maybe they think EURAO is just a bunch of over-excited 'Johnny foreigners' where, in fact, only retired middle class, white Brits know how to run things, like in the days of Empire.
So, if you are 20-something years old, have a £60,000 debt from paying for your University education, can't find another £50,000 deposit for a house nor, indeed, the £1000+ per month you need to mortgage an average UK
Here's looking forward to next month's RadCom, where Christmas cheer will solve all our problems. Bah! Humbug!
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