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Reviews For: QST Magazine

Category: Amateur Radio Periodicals

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Review Summary For : QST Magazine
Reviews: 267MSRP: 34
Description:
Subscription comes with membership to the American Radio Relay League
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.arrl.org
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
002673.8
KU5Q Rating: 2009-11-24
Har! Har! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
The things people b***c about! Don't want the magazine, don't join ARRL! $34 will barely buy my wife and I a meal at Luby's. Yeah, the articles are a little cheesy, the projects are typical crude ham fodder, but so what? Give them away to a new ham, take them to work and leave them in the lobby, or the restrooms for reading. I've had people search me out asking about ham radio because of the magazines I leave at work.

I have nothing against QST, or ARRL. I even read ARRL Life Member and many year ham W0BKR in the "ask the doctor" section ask what dbi and dbd was. Now that was funny!

QST is okay with me.
W9BIK Rating: 2009-11-24
Would not be without it Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I've been licensed since 1964 and became an ARRL Life Member a few years later, bringing a lifetime supply of QST to my doorstep. Ham Radio is in my blood, starting at a young age when my father instilled in me a love for the hobby. He passed away when I was young and today I bear the call sign he held in 1929-30. Like many hams, my activity level varied greatly over the years. I have been very active at times, served as the president of a 300 member club and as a county RACES coordinator. At other times my personal life's priorities played their trump card and amateur radio assumed its rightful place in the background under those circumstances.

Throughout it all, QST was the single most important thread that kept amateur radio alive for me. Its articles from all aspects of the hobby were informative and interesting, admittedly some more than others, and they served to keep me abreast of the hobby and the paths it has taken over the years. My call sign may not be one of the few that have achieved recognition and praise over the years, or one that you would remember working on the bands or local repeaters. Nonetheless, ham radio remains entrenched in my heart and soul as my father instilled it in his young son years before. And it is through the ARRL and its documentation of the evolution of ham radio in QST that those feelings were fed a monthly dose of dreams and the desire to remain close to the hobby if not in practice, then in mind and spirit.

Those who degrade QST as having too much of "this" and not enough of "that" miss this point entirely. Of course QST cannot be everything to all hams - what magazine could, given the diverse nature of the hobby and its enthusiasts? For what it is intended to be, QST does a great job of accomplishing its mission. Our hobby owes the ARRL and QST magazine our sincere gratitude for being the most influential force uniting hams throughout the years and preserving the hobby for all of us to enjoy today.
MAZZ1232002 Rating: 2009-11-24
Alway liked it Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Always liked QST and the ARRL. Been a ham since 1962.
AB7AB Rating: 2009-11-24
A Fine Publication Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I look forward to receiving my copy of QST Magazine each month. The product reviews are quite interesting as well as seeing ads for the latest rigs (e.g. Yaesu FT DX 5000MP Dec QST). Also, I appreciate what the ARRL is doing to protect Amateur Radio.
W3DBB Rating: 2009-11-24
3/5=60%=D- Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Tough call since QST and ARRL membership cannot be separated. The magazine is an anachronism today and not worth paying for, unless maybe there's a free ARRL Handbook or Antenna Book in the deal. Would much rather receive QEX in lieu of QST and QEX only comes out every other month. It IS good to support the ARRL as a member since they are the only national organization we have representing us. Of course, as a 501(C)3 ARRL can't lobby Congress directly (certain exclusions apply) but ARRL can (and does) meet with FCC officials. Be it good, bad, or indifferent, there is no other organization like the ARRL and at this late date I don't expect a new national radio amateur organization to spring up.
EX_AA5JG Rating: 2009-11-24
Content Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Not sure what the previous reviewer was reading but it isn't the same QST I get. He says he wants an article on emergency communications-there is column after column and article after article about Emcomm. Too much in my opinion. Also, there is quite a bit of VHF/UHF coverage, just not the weak signal stuff I enjoy. The magazine is overflowing with articles about APRS and VHF/UHF FM.
DZRTRAM Rating: 2009-11-24
Not enough UHF/VHF Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have no problem with QST other than it doesn't have much for the VHF/UHF user. It is mostly for the HF user. I have asked several times to include more articles and reviews for the VHF/UHF user. I would like to see comparisons of radios. For example, I would like to see a comparison article of the higher-watt 2m radios like the new Yaesu 2900r, the Icom V-8000, and the Kenwood 271A. I've asked for articles like this, but had absolutely NO interest in doing so. I was told the information is in each article and I could do the comparison myself. Well, that doesn't really do it. A few things to compare would be how they heat up, how good is the display, how good are the microphones (some are better than others by a lot), and so on.... I won't be subscribing when this subscription runs out. It's a great magazine, but only for HF. The sad thing is that there are 41 members in my emergency net that don't subscribe for the very same reason, and I've told them this.

Oh, yeah, we'd like some articles on 2m and 440 use in emergency use. Any kind of emergency article would be appreciated. Many people only have their radios for this one reason.
HAMILTON_EX_W8GX Rating: 2009-03-01
The Best! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Absolutely the best! I wouldn't be without it each month!
KB7XU Rating: 2008-11-11
Pretty good Time Owned: more than 12 months.
QST is pretty good considering the large number of sub-hobbies included under the rubric of "ham radio." Editors are tasked with including interesting content that will be read by 160 meter DX'ers and microwave enthusiasts alike.

I love the large amount of ads. Ads are a quick way for me to see what's new and most include a web site for further info.

QST is not perfect however, I still resent the loss of the Section News, hence, the "4" rating. C'mon editors, bring it back.
W5DWH Rating: 2008-11-11
Worth Reading Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I enjoy QST magazine. As a new ham (7 months) I subscribed to both QST and CQ.
Both mags are nearly identical in coverage except for QST's in depth coverage of ARRL and its activities.
When CQ expires I will not renew.
I will continue my support for both the ARRL and QST.

My only complaint about the magazine is the ads. Every issue is approximately 25-30% ads. It's not that I don't mind reading them,it's just that with that much revenue coming in from ads the magazine and ARRL membership should be lower in cost.