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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
K1RRR Rating: 2016-10-15
NOT WORTH $49./yr Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Have subscribed since the late 1950's. At $49./year I am no longer renewing as this is the most expensive magazine I would now be receiving and it just is not worth the price as now way too many ads.
KA1ICA Rating: 2016-10-15
OVERPRICED !! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
It's best days are behind it. Just a money machine for it's executives. All about ad revenue and overpriced subscription fee. Many amateurs are seniors on limited budgets and fixed income.
WX4O Rating: 2016-10-15
Love it. Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I look forward every month to getting the latest QST. I never 'rip out the ads'... yes there are a lot but I check 'em all. Best ham mag. I like CQ too.

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Earlier 4-star review posted by WX4O on 2008-10-10

I still like QST. I read it cover to cover.
But - I have to agree about way too much coverage of APRS (I have no need for anyone to see my location, or to see anyone else's), EMCOMM pushed and made to sound mandatory every issue (I'm 64 and retired now and mostly am satisfied to leave it to younger hams) and repeated articles on simple antennas etc. for 'new hams'. I also agree that ham radio is not dying. The constant recruitment dialogue is becoming boring.
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Earlier 5-star review posted by WX4O on 2006-11-12

Subscribed since 1970. Always look forward to getting it in the mail. Best mag. and organization we have. CQ is a close second. If you, like me,
are a ham radio freeeaaaak, then you must feel the
same way. I read everything I can get my hands on.
eHam is third best, I just can't get my hands on it.
I appreciate the time and work that goes into all.
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Earlier 4-star review posted by WX4O on 2006-02-06

I've been reading QST for prob. 30 years and I like
it alot. It has gotten thinner, but I still read
just about every article that I have interest in.
CQ and QST are the only ham mags. left in the US.
I get 'em both... I did subscribe to World Radio
also, but no longer do.
BOYSCLUBRADIO Rating: 2016-10-15
Old tech'no Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Like most things the ARRL puts out this too is a historical pub. When you get your copy, go through and tear out the adds and promotions and see what pages you have left.


Get a copy of a 1960's QST and do the same thing. Wow so much more meat in the '60s one than todays.

For the price your getting a good deal, knowing what it cost these days to print anything. But, the cost of printing reflects the reasion why most info now is on the internet. Of course the ARRL has pay for view on articles that are submitted... even from non members.

The ARRL WAS supposed to be a collection of data and articles to be shared with all Hams and tech's. Not today!!! You have to pay to view or read someones article that the ARRL has taken as their own.


I know I, and others, wrote articles for the group only to find it edited and twisted around so it was incomplete. It doesn't do much good when a ham builds a piece of equipment out of stuff he got at a swap meet and then publish it only to make others wonder if it was not brag'n rights because you won't find the items in any supply store. So why does the ARRL publish these as construction articles... only to disappoint the mass'es.

Other articles are redundent and leave the reader with belittlement impressions.

This has carried through to their main handbooks too. Where it is not a "you can build it" or here is the way it works.

Nope the others are right QST appeals to the indigent sector of ham radio that we all are now see'n on the air...

Half the reason for ham radio was the tech ability and understanding training. That has gone by the side now... and its more just a commucator band.(CB) as the ARRL promotes its sales.
N4EEB Rating: 2016-10-14
Forever Rooted in Ham History Time Owned: more than 12 months.
After 40 years of reading QST, I have seen many changes. The bottom line: QST is the flagship publication of ham radio. I don't always agree with the format or decisions, but the sheer history of this magazine gives it a solid 5. I have enjoyed every edition.
W0CP Rating: 2015-01-03
Superb Member Journal Time Owned: more than 12 months.
QST does a great job of covering our diverse service as well as being a great ARRL member journal. As a member journal, it is constrained in ways that purely commercial periodicals are not, but this is a good thing, as QST also covers more than a commercial periodical ever could or would.
N4LQ Rating: 2014-12-15
Great Job ARRL Time Owned: more than 12 months.
QST will never appeal to everyone but when I consider how the ARRL created, orgainzed and preserved ham radio against attack from our enemies for the past 100 years the membership fee is just incidental. I suggest that all hams read 200 Meters and Down.
AI4BJ Rating: 2014-09-14
Look forward to receiving it every month Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I'm baffled by the carping over the amount of advertising in QST. The ratio of advertising to editorial content is no higher than in most other magazines, and the ads are all related to amateur radio in one way or another. It's not like I have to weed through page after page of ads for automobiles or erectile dysfunction drugs! And if I happen across an ad that holds no interest for me, all I have to do is flip the page -- the exercise does me no harm at all.

The days when most hams had engineering backgrounds are long gone, for better or worse. I believe that the current editorial content of QST accurately reflects the diversity of backgrounds and interests of today's hams. This necessarily means that no single topic is covered in great depth in every issue. I always find enough interesting content to easily make QST the most eagerly anticipated piece of mail each month.
KB0XR Rating: 2014-09-14
Catalog with a couple of articles Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Thank goodness for MFJ and their multi page ads each month. Makes it seem like a nice fat read when in reality it's really kind of barren. Unless you are shopping for a new rig or fancy gadget. I scan it and dump it in the recycle bin within an hour or so.
WA7NDD Rating: 2014-09-12
Is it QST or is it HAMS Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I think QST may be reflecting the makeup of the Amateur Radio community. We have had over a hundred new hams pass their test in our area, and recently had an Emergency Preparedness Conference with more the four-hundred in attendance. Classes the first day were on ham radio related subjects: Digital, antennas, Go kits, and equipment. The second day was emergency communications and net operations.

I know all the instructors for the ham classes, and to a ham, they said the same thing, "It was like talking to a deer in the headlights." The new licensed hams received their ticket to become a communicator. It is obvious tests were past by memorization, not understanding.

I think QST is well aware of this, and the reason for a less technical an more mundane magazine. In years past, there was excitement for me waiting for the next issue, no longer. Many of my good ham friends, who understood, are gone now, taking some of my excitement for ham radio with them.

In this issue were photos of the aftermath of the 100 year celebration. Look at them, one little ham girl, and the rest elderly, which explains QST's evolution to advertisements, and ARRL self promoting adds.

There are many young technical hams out there, and they will become leaders in the field, but it will never be as it was in the '50's and '60s, a hot bed of fun and excitement, and the reason for QST's outlook.

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Earlier 3-star review posted by WA7NDD on 2004-12-08

Like the last post, QST likes to talk about the astronauts talking on the radio. Do they understand that the astronauts call home every day talk to their kids and friends on a Cell Phone, not ham radio. I think I have talked farther on 2 meters with a hand held on the ground then most do into space.
I think QST should look at a few issues of PC World and see how much that magazine helps its readers both on line and in print. Every month there is something to learn and use, and a code number so you can go right to it on line at their site.
We need QST for the sake of ham radio, but there needs to be excitement in the magazine also. I take World Radio, just becasue the columns are better at times and more varied.
I think the equipment reviews walk a fine line, as compaired to PC World, where if something is better they tell you that, and to buy it; not as worried about the advertisement leaving.
Again we need QST, but I am not sure they appricate our needs in a good magazine, only their needs to be a blanket for all, a wet one at times.
Jim, WA7NDD

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Earlier 3-star review posted by WA7NDD on 2003-10-20

I want to make it clear I support what the ARRL is doing, if they did not, ham radio would be gone now.

But ask your self this question. In the last three years of QST's how many times have you gone to back issues as a reference? Unless you buy, swap and sale equipment on a regular bases, what elce is there. To save QST for a technical reference any more is useless. Save the AES catalogs, and other then a technical review of equipment that seem to get old really fast before their time, what is there?

I know it's a periodical for the new hams to grow the hobby. But every hamfest I've been to in the last serveral years has been a sea of gray hair. Even the ARRL reps were gray, and retired from some other place.

What I am saying is that with 43 years of ham radio behind me, there is not much in QST to spark my intrest in the hobby. It is a bland publication with color now.

What does help me are web sites like eHam.net publishing writen ideas you would not see in QST, Product Reviews,Forums, and up to date news. I go to this site more then QST, and find I am more informed, on both sides of an issue.

I am getting old, and I know it. But, I know what I like, and it has gone away in QST. No technical excitment, no fun projects, even if one did not build them, they make the mind work when reading about them. I've gone on enough, sorry.

Jim, WA7NDD