RSGB increase membership cost!

Taking the headline from a recent government
announcement, “We have all got to share the
load”, the Society has had to make the difficult
decision to raise subscription rates by £3
across all grades from 1 January 2011.
We are greatly aware of the financial
pressures that we are all under during
these recessionary times, however, for
the RSGB to maintain the services that it
provides to its members at the same level
this rise is very necessary. Over the past
few years the RSGB been increasingly
more active in representing the interests
of radio amateurs, be it with Ofcom or the
UK government but also at European and
World level. This has been necessary to
ensure the maintenance of the spectrum
allocation we enjoy, the protection of our
spectrum plus negotiations to get more
spectrum. Recent successes at 7MHz, the
introduction of Special Contest callsigns,
the continuing allocation at 5MHz lay
testimony to this. You will have read in
the pages of RadCom of our fight against
the interference caused by the introduction
PLA/PLT devices, all of this work bites into
our income. The production of RadCom,
recognised as the best Amateur Radio
magazine in the world does not come cheap
and is a key part of the membership provision.
RadCom provides the very best articles and
news, over ninety pages every month and,
despite increasing costs, it is the Society’s
intention to continue to improve RadCom
at every opportunity. Alongside of this you
continue to enjoy the best advice available
should you encounter any problems in the
pursuit of your amateur radio hobby, and
you have free use of the QSL Bureau. The
RSGB also runs many contests and the IOTA
Awards programme for you to participate in
and enjoy. To help you locally you have your
RSGB Regional teams, this is very much
your national society local to you.
For the large majority of RSGB members,
membership currently costs approximately
12p per day for Direct Debit payers and
13p a day for those continuing to pay by
Standing Order or Cheque. The increase
in the subscription fee represents adding
another 1p per day to those figures. RSGB
membership, I think you will agree, continues
to represent extremely good value for money.
There are a number of ways that can make
payment easier. You can pay one sum up
front annually if you wish or you can spread
the payments, quarterly or monthly.
The Society appreciates greatly your
support and we hope that even it these
most difficult of times you will continue
to support the RSGB in its work on behalf
of its membership and the wider amateur
radio community.
Peter Kirby, G0TWW
General Manager