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IN THIS EDITION:
Almost 200,000 of the Emergency Radio brochures for 2007 have been requested and passed out. While many were picked up at conventions or sent in display kits, PR staff kept records of 54000 of them. While this is 25% of all the brochures, here’s where this sampling went:
AL-200; AZ-1800; CA-6400; CO-500; CT-500; DC-500; DE-500; FL-1900; GA-800; HI-300; IA-1300; ID-300; IL-600; IN-900; KS-1200; KY-700; LA-200; MA-400; MD-600; ME-200; MI-1600; MN-200; MO-700; MS-200; MT-200; NC-3200; NE-200; NH-1200; NJ-900; NM-400; NV-1100; NY-2500; OH-3100; OK-1500; OR-900; PA-1000; RI-400; SC-1400; SD-100; TN-300; TX-3100; UT-2100; VA-1500; VT-100; WA-4300; WI-1800; WV-500
But one of the problems in planning for the future is learning what happened to them all. Were they placed in the right locations? Did someone actually TALK to the people who got them? What were the results?
Some guidelines:
The brochures are NOT meant for:
Hamfests – they’re already hams
Club meetings – they’re already hams
Just dropping on a table – they end up in the trash
Giving away just because they are “free”
The brochures work when:
You actually TALK to the recipient one on one
Or you are making a speech to a group
There is a local contact who really will quickly follow up on any leads
Don’t forget that there is a companion CD with materials to help you in any speech or presentations to non-hams. It is called “Talk on a Disk” and you can get it from APitts@arrl.org
If you want more brochures, cards, stands or other display materials, go to www.arrl.org/brochures There’s also supporting materials for downloading directly at www.arrl.org/pio
On October 18, we released a suite of seven new audio Public Service Announcements. You can download them as mp3 files directly from www.arrl.org/pio
The 7 audio PSA’s are meant to be a suite. They are a matched set which is intended to position Amateur Radio in a positive light in the minds of people.
We are creating a mental image of ham radio. Parallels are on your TV or broadcast radio every evening. Like much of modern advertising, there is no specific “call to action.” None is needed as the purpose is to create positive ideas and feelings in the mind of the public about Amateur Radio, irrespective if they will ever become hams themselves or not. Ham Radio is reliable, friendly, etc. In an age of antenna restrictions and frequency challenges, positive images about the Service in the minds of people can be just as critical as recruitment to local club memberships. I hope you will distribute them to your local radio stations, acting for benefit of ALL Amateur Radio operators.
Special thanks to Don Carlson and Gary Pearce who aided in making two of these!
If you wish to make up your own audio PSA using this format, write to APitts@arrl.org and I can send you the matching music bed.
The National Advertising Council does a lot of work for non-profit organizations, but they also want over 2 Million dollars committed for a minimum 3-year campaign. Amateur Radio obviously does not have that kind of money, but we can still learn a lot from them. One of the first things is that it is vital that you plan ways to assess the impact of your campaign.
According to their website, measurable results can include but are not limited to: donated media; direct replies to the advertising, (such as the number of hits on a website or contacts with local groups); positive changes in attitudes or behavior with respect to the campaign issue, (measured through research studies or simply the number of requests to work together with others); and indirectly, broad shifts in public attitudes and policies, (reported through independent research studies, governmental surveys, or polls).
How can we measure the results of the Emergency Communications campaign of 2007 for Amateur Radio?
Donated Media – The PSAs have been on many broadcast radio and cable TV stations gathering hundreds of times their cost in free air time.
Direct Replies – The initial PSAs and brochures pointed people to the website, and it has been steadily busy. Here’s the results as of mid-October:
Summary by Month |
|||||
Daily Avg |
Monthly Totals |
||||
Months |
Visits |
Visits |
Pages |
Files |
Hits |
| Nov 2006 | 741 |
22250 | 49604 | 392649 | 481840 |
| Dec 2006 | 1075 |
33330 | 75207 | 578572 | 712439 |
| Jan 2007 | 1110 |
34411 | 74597 | 595258 | 751670 |
| Feb 2007 | 1303 |
36511 | 84891 | 665905 | 857613 |
| Mar 2007 | 1029 |
31907 | 69906 | 575067 | 718568 |
| Apr 2007 | 963 |
28901 | 61680 | 503174 | 613858 |
| May 2007 | 900 |
27907 | 59046 | 479939 | 586722 |
| Jun 2007 | 1000 |
30010 | 65383 | 535680 | 664758 |
| Jul 2007 | 971 |
30128 | 65116 | 518863 | 648453 |
| Aug 2007 | 937 |
29061 | 66826 | 530560 | 655746 |
| Sep 2007 | 917 |
27532 | 61888 | 490701 | 604232 |
| Oct 2007 | 962 |
21166 | 46513 | 375110 | 459840 |
| TOTALS | 353114 | 780657 | 6241478 | 7755739 | |
Contacts with Local Groups:
This is a hard one because few groups let us know when they have made a positive contact with someone, nor is there really a good reporting mechanism for that. There is a wealth of anecdotal information – some groups reporting many new licensing class attendees and contacts with local politicians or community leaders, while some others continue to be floundering. But I have no hard data on this overall.
The bigger question is, with some 900 people a day (!) going to the website and most of them getting the club information for a local contact – what happens then? Is the club’s info correct and up to date? Are their calls promptly answered? What kind of reception are these candidates getting?
Positive changes in attitudes or behavior with respect to the campaign issue:
While we do not have the funds for a dedicated research study, there has been a definite upswing in the number of requests by other organizations to work together with Amateur Radio’s ARES activities. (Just ask the SEC’s how busy they are!) From hospitals to local EOC’s, church groups and many others are asking to be part of the Amateur Radio community and have our reliable communications available in a crisis.
Indirect shifts in public attitudes and policies:
Michael Gallagher, past Deputy Assistant Secretary for Communications and Information in the Department of Commerce, may have said it best. Referring to Amateur Radio operators, “They are passionate, they are heard and they are accomodated.” More and more media are aware of Amateur Radio’s emergency work, and while they still are not always clear about the details, they are telling the world that in a crisis “ham radio works,” -and the world believes it.
Does PR work?
You betcha! Amateur Radio is held in high regard, seen as a serious technical skill set and reliable in a crisis. But PR is not the same as marketing and PR efforts alone can only bring the fish to the boat. It is the local contacts, club people, ARES members and hams that must be there to reel them in. It cannot be delegated to national or even sectional people. It remains up to the local organizations to implement specific plans to take advantage of these opportunities.
Contact! is just one of the services provided to you by the ARRL. There’s also a monthly club newsletter, put out by Norm Fusaro, which has lots of excellent information in it. The national PR Committee is aiding in that and recently began a series of short articles on the many benefits that the ARRL provides to members. These make excellent cut & paste articles for your local group newsletters. Many times, even people who are already members, do not know of, or forget, about many of the activities and programs that ARRL has to aid Amateur Radio operators. By including one topic a month in your news, you help your members learn about and take advantage of membership opportunities.
In addition, be sure your club knows about how to sign up or renew ARRL members via the club program. In this way, your club is able to also raise funds for itself so everyone wins!
While it seems hard to accept that 2007 is almost over already, next year is coming soon! Here’s what is known so far:
January 2008
1 New Year’s Day
1 ARRL Straight Key Night
6 Kid’s Day
12 North American QSO Party--CW
13 North American QSO Party--CW
19 ARRL January VHF Sweepstakes
19 North American QSO Party--Phone
20 ARRL January VHF Sweepstakes
20 North American QSO Party—Phone
26 CQ WW 160-Meter Contest
27 CQ WW 160-Meter Contest
February check for severe weather week in your area
2 North American Phone Sprint
9 CQ WW WPX RTTY Contest
9 North American CW Sprint
10 CQ WW WPX RTTY Contest
11 School Club Roundup
12 School Club Roundup
13 School Club Roundup
14 School Club Roundup
15 School Club Roundup
16 ARRL International DX Contest—CW
17 ARRL International DX Contest--CW
21 Total Lunar Eclipse—North America
23 CQ WW 160-Meter SSB Contest
23 North American QSO Party—RTTY
24 CQ WW 160-Meter SSB Contest
24 North American QSO Party—RTTY
March
1 ARRL International DX Contest—Phone
2 ARRL International DX Contest—Phone
8 North American RTTY Sprint
9 Daylight Saving Time Begins
20 1st Day of Spring
22 CQ WW WPX SSB Contest
23 CQ WW WPX SSB Contest
April
18 World Amateur Radio Day
22 Lyrids Meteor Shower
26 ARRL VEC Amateur Exam Day
27 ARRL VEC Amateur Exam Day
May watch for Hurricane Awareness Week
16 Dayton Hamvention®
17 Dayton Hamvention®
17 Armed Forces Day
18 Dayton Hamvention®
24 CQ WW WPX CW Contest
25 CQ WW WPX CW Contest
June
1 Atlantic Hurricane Season Begins
14 ARRL June VHF QSO Party
15 ARRL June VHF QSO Party
20 1st Day of Summer
21 Kid’s Day
21 Amateur Radio Week Begins
28 ARRL Field Day
29 ARRL Field Day
July
12 IARU HF World Championship
13 IARU HF World Championship
19 CQ WW VHF Contest
19 North American QSO Party—RTTY
20 CQ WW VHF Contest
20 North American QSO Party—RTTY
30 Southern Delta Aquarids Meteor Shower
August
2 ARRL UHF Contest
2 North American QSO Party—CW
3 North American QSO Party—CW
3 ARRL UHF Contest
13 Perseids Meteor Shower
16 ARRL 10 GHz and Up Cumulative Contest
16 North American QSO Party—Phone
17 ARRL 10 GHz and Up Cumulative Contest
17 North American QSO Party—Phone
September
1 National Preparedness Month Begins
6 North American CW Sprint
13 ARRL September VHF QSO Party
13 North American Phone Sprint
14 ARRL September VHF QSO Party
20 Amateur Radio Public Awareness Day
20 ARRL 10 GHz and Up Cumulative Contest
21 ARRL 10 GHZ and Up Cumulative Contest
22 1st Day of Fall
27 ARRL VEC Amateur Exam Day
27 CQ WW RTTY Contest
28 ARRL VEC Amateur Exam Day
28 CQ WW RTTY Contest
October
4 ARRL Simulated Emergency Test
5 ARRL Simulated Emergency Test
11 North American RTTY Sprint
18 Scouts Jamboree On the Air
19 Scouts Jamboree On the Air
20 School Club Roundup
21 School Club Roundup
22 School Club Roundup
22 Orionids Meteor Shower
25 CQ WW DX SSB Contest
26 CQ WW DX SSB Contest
November
1 ARRL November Sweepstakes—CW
2 Daylight Saving Time Ends
2 ARRL November Sweepstakes—CW
4 Election Day
15 ARRL November Sweepstakes—Phone
16 ARRL November Sweepstakes—Phone
18 Leonids Meteor Shower
22 CQ WW DX CW Contest
23 CQ WW DX CW Contest
30 Atlantic Hurricane Season Ends
December
6 ARRL 160 Meter Contest
7 ARRL 160 Meter Contest
13 ARRL 10 Meter Contest
14 ARRL 10 Meter Contest
21 1st Day of Winter
22 First Day of Hanukkah
31 ARRL Straight Key Night
(Note: -As this is being written, the fires are still burning in southern California and info is incomplete.)
Generals are often accused of planning only to refight the last war all over again. While the winds have decreased, no one is claiming a victory yet. Still, there are some lessons appearing already we all can learn.
The primary means of communications seems to be cell phones. Everyone seems to have a Nextel gizmo. While that system is heavily taxed, reports heard here are that it has been holding up so far. The cell companies learned from Katrina and quickly brought in extra resources. The overall scenario is also very different from Katrina. It is a smaller region and the roads and most other infrastructure are still in place. Given these facts, the role of Amateur Radio is very different from “the last war.”
Some things are duplicates of Katrina. The initial lack of information was similar. It took days before we were able to get clear and specific information on deployments here at HQ. That needs to be fixed. Now we are getting some action reports, but it is too late and media have moved on to other things. We do not know of any PIO who went to a JIC or camped with the media to represent us on behalf of ham radio and provide information to the reporters gathered there. That must be fixed too.
In the coming days I am sure we will hear more and more “war stories.” There will be redactions of history and questions about who was doing what, where and reporting to whom. But one thing is already clear – people out there have learned well that ham radio still works if other systems go out. Our role may have been smaller than after Katrina, but trauma centers, hospitals and agencies wanted their hams close by “just in case.” We may sometimes wonder if our PR is working, but this clearly shows they heard what we have been preaching for the past two years - and they believe us.