ARRLWeb: Contact! - June, 2005

AMERICAN RADIO RELAY LEAGUE
AMATEUR RADIO WEEK June 19-26
HT to Work Day June 21
FIELD DAY June 25-26

Looking for press materials for Field Day?

They were in April's issue of CONTACT!

Don't forget the new program "Take Your HT to Work Day" on June 21. Not only can this be a lot of fun and a chance to show non-hams a thing or two about Amateur Radio, it also is a great opportunity to invite visitors to your Field Day sites before they make weekend plans.

But some of you also know me well enough now to know that I never can leave things without a twist in them. I have been developing a secret cadre of spies! They will be listening on VHF and UHF repeaters and frequencies in scattered areas all over the country. If they hear you showing your radio to a non-ham, they will pounce and let you know that you just won a new ARRL Repeater Directory! In addition, I myself will be stalking the Echolink system from W1AW to catch people in the act of doing nice things by showing Amateur Radio to friends during their local lunch hour.

While we cannot cover all the many possibilities people have for lunch, we WILL surely cover many areas between noon and 1 p.m. local time around the country.

The press release for this is in the April 2005 CONTACT! and more information is in this month's QST .

So - you are writing a piece you hope will be published. Or, perhaps you are speaking to a reporter. Here are 10 Steps that will almost guarantee success:

Hams are notorious for using terms and words that most folks will not understand.

Watch the non-ham audience for most Amateur Radio talks and their eyes glaze over about the 4^th sentence! Keep it simple. Use analogies to something that they are familiar with. An example of this would be, "BPL is like when you have the car radio on and you come to one of those intersections where all of a sudden the radio buzzes real loud. You can't wait to get out of that area and back to your music."

Here's a really great way to impress people "“ tell the OTHER side of the argument. The reporter is going to get it anyway, so why let them hear it from you? Keep your presentation truthful and factual. Don't under or over play it. Simply state the case, and then state why you are opposed to that idea or event. If done correctly, you are perceived as reasonable, balanced and intelligent on the issues "“ so your side must be correct.

We all know, "If it bleeds, it leads." But there's little blood in Amateur Radio. Still, the American Public has an abiding sense of "fairness" in events. If something is unfair or oppressive, we will root for the little guy.

This is the biggest hook you can have in writing. If you can show how the same thing, or the same type of event, or the outcome will impact the reader, you have a great story to tell. No matter if the impact is positive or negative, if it can happen to the reader, hammer that point home!

While we hear that, "All news is local," these local stories have tendrils that spread out over larger areas. How does this fit into your region or even on the national scene? What other things may be changed or affected?

If you have preparation time, be sure to have a couple quotes and a website or two in your pocket you can give on the topic. Again, you are presenting yourself as a knowledgeable source of information and have back-up for your views.

"Some" is the key word here. Many people have either none at all, or try to flood their presentation with far too many. Three is a good number. Keep them on topic. If a reporter wants more, they will ask.

Rare? Perhaps the issue you are presenting is rare. It may NOT impact other people and places. It is unique, unusual, strange, collectible, valuable, precious, exceptional, distinctive, or a number of other words that turn this from just YOUR issue into one of curiosity for others. Use your thesaurus!

If you can show this as a family activity, event or concern, you have multiplied your audience and opened a whole new field of interest in your topic.

If you present a problem, you MUST present a solution. If you do not have one to offer up, then you are just one more complainer. You solution does not even have to be fully developed if you offer to work with the other side to "make things right". But if you have no solution at all, you have no story.

The goal of good PR is not just to get your story in print or on radio and TV.

That's just the means to the goal. The goal is to make friends! -And a "Thank you" goes a long ways.

Andy Funk, KB7UV, is a News Operations Supervisor at Fox 5 in Atlanta (WAGA-TV) who sees news releases from the recipient side all the time. So I am most pleased that he offered to mentor our PIO's on how to get a TV story on the air by writing this essay. While he cannot speak to station policies, he definitely can share what works - and what doesn't.

"How do I get the television station or newspaper interested in my story?" is a frequent question asked by ham radio PIOs. Perhaps a better question to ask might be, "Can I get the television station or newspaper to call me when they need a story?"

Anytime a major story breaks, news directors throughout the world exhort their staffs to "find me a local angle." Localism is one of the most popular buzz-words in the news industry. Keeping viewers and listeners tuned-in (and newspaper readers from canceling their subscription) is an important aspect of news programming. Localizing distant stories is a proven technique to achieve this.

B) an interview with a local resident who has actually spoken with the woman credited with organizing a major emergency communications effort in India?

satellite she may have helped design in her spare time, through which she used to talk with friends almost every day until it, too, was affected by a solar flare?

Another generic story about why the shuttle isn't going to fly as soon as expected, or a neighbor reminiscing about when he spoke with shuttle

and the BPL system may interfere with their communications efforts during the next flood, bomb threat, telephone failure at the hospital, or other deployment? (Hey, I can dream, right?)

-- but only if they are truly "plugged-into" the active ham community in their area. Don't think of yourself as the PIO for just one club -- as an ARRL PIO you're representing all of amateur radio.

give to the media, and make sure you respond to calls (to the news people, that is)in a timely manner. News operates on shorter and shorter deadlines. If a news editor calls you but doesn't get a timely response, that will have been the last call to you from that editor.

their areas of expertise, that you can quickly refer to when called by a news organization. Keep it up to date, as it will be your most important reference.

listing these local stories as bullet items, and send it to television and radio news assignment and planning editors and newspaper city desk editors in your area. (For broadcast news, at least, you might want to send some food along -- see http://www.arrl.org/pio/protips/1.html.)

meeting. Bring your contact list with you -- the editor may hit you with some potential stories and ask you what sort of local angle you can come up with. You'll be extremely impressive if you can quickly say, "Mike and Susan Smith can talk about their deployment with the state Emergency Management Agency for the G-8 Summit, as well as their ongoing involvement with military communications, here's their phone number"

For the most part, people don't mind getting their picture in the paper. In the case of QST, most folks are more than happy about it. But there are other times when you might not be so sure. There are also times when we receive pictures here and we too are not so sure.

The following two releases (one of an adult and one for a child) will cover such situations well. They try to walk a thin line between being overly legal (possibly scaring people away) and being too loose and not covering the situation. You do NOT need to get people to sign them in every situation, but they are available for those times when you are just not sure. As they say, an ounce of prevention"...

I, the undersigned, freely give to the ARRL, the American Radio Relay League, and their legal representatives, successors, and all persons, organizations, or corporations acting with their permission unrestricted permission to copyright and/or use, and/or publish photographic portraits or pictures of my child(ren), and the negatives, transparencies, prints, videotapes, or digital information pertaining to them, in still. single, multiple, moving or video format, sounds, audio, or in which my child(ren) may be included in whole or in part or composite, or distorted in form, or reproductions thereof, in color or otherwise, made through any media in their studio, on websites or emails or elsewhere for art, or any other lawful purpose.

I hereby waive any right that I may have to inspect and approve the finished product or copy that may be used in connection with an image that the Photographer has taken of my child(ren), or the use to which it may be applied. I further release the Photographer, the ARRL or others for whom he/she is acting, from any claims for remuneration associated with any form of damage, foreseen or unforeseen, associated with the proper commercial or artistic use of these images unless it can be shown that said reproduction was intentionally maliciously caused, produced and published for the sole purpose of subjecting myself or my child(ren) to conspicuous ridicule, scandal, reproach, scorn and indignity. I acknowledge that the photography session was conducted during a routine amateur radio exercise, and this release was willingly signed. I certify that I am the legitimate parent or legal guardian of the child(ren), and am free and able to give such consent.

Parent's Phone (________) _____-___________________ Email ________________________________

I, the undersigned, freely give to the ARRL, the American Radio Relay League, and their legal representatives, successors, and all persons, organizations, or corporations acting with their permission unrestricted permission to copyright and/or use, and/or publish photographic portraits or pictures of me, sounds, audio, and the negatives, transparencies, prints, videotapes, or digital information pertaining to them, in still. single, multiple, moving or video format, or in which I may be included in whole or in part or composite, or distorted in form, or reproductions thereof, in color or otherwise, made through any media in their studio, on websites or emails or elsewhere for art, or any other lawful purpose.

I hereby waive any right that I may have to inspect and approve the finished product or copy that may be used in connection with an image that the Photographer has taken of me, or the use to which it may be applied. I further release the Photographer, the ARRL or others for whom he/she is acting, from any claims for remuneration associated with any form of damage, foreseen or unforeseen, associated with the proper commercial or artistic use of these images unless it can be shown that said reproduction was intentionally maliciously caused, produced and published for the sole purpose of subjecting me to conspicuous ridicule, scandal, reproach, scorn and indignity. I acknowledge that the photography session was conducted during a routine amateur radio exercise, and this release was willingly signed. I certify that I am not a minor, and am free and able to give such consent.

Model's Phone (________) _____-___________________ Email ________________________________

Allen,
You might find a few of my 23 ham related websites interesting:

W2IK WEBPAGE LISTINGS or http://hometown.aol.com/alonestaryank/webpages.html

73 de W2IK
Bob

So, of course I had to go and look. I found a website modeled after my closet at home. There's a little bit of everything in there, often jumbled up a bit, but definitely interesting. It's the kind of site you can go to and pleasant pass an hour just exploring topics.

Allen Pitts, W1AGP
Media and Public Relations Manager
(860) 594-0328
apitts@arrl.org

Newington, CT June 3, 2005 -- The ARRL, the national association for Amateur Radio, and the USPS, United States Power Squadrons, a national boating and educational organization dedicated to making boating safer and more enjoyable, will formally announce ratification of a new Memorandum of Understanding on June 4, linking the two services in their efforts to better serve the public.

"The organizations have each served the people for almost a century and combining their efforts will allow them to better serve our country", said Darrel Allison, National Chairman of USPS's Marketing/Public Relations Committee.

Dave Sumner, CEO of the ARRL added, "ARRL and USPS have long and distinguished histories dating back to 1914, but both organizations have their focus on the future. It is a pleasure to be working together."

The ARRL provides organizational and technical assistance to Amateur Radio enthusiasts and supports a large number of educational programs throughout the country. With approximately 152,000 members it is the largest organization of radio amateurs in the world and a leader in the eyes of some 2.5 million ham radio operators around the globe.

The national ARRL headquarters in Newington, CT is also the location of the International Secretariat of the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU), which is composed of similar organizations from over 150 countries around the world. The ARRL publishes the monthly journal QST as well as newsletters and many texts and publications covering all aspects of Amateur Radio.

USPS has 50,000 + members organized into 450 squadrons across the country and in the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico and Japan. These boating families contribute to their communities by promoting safe boating through education. Local squadrons offer public boating safety courses on a regular basis. USPS squadrons have offered these courses for almost a century and have educated more than 4 million boaters to date. Successfully completing a USPS boating course qualifies boaters to meet the educational requirement for boat licensing and operation in most states and meets one of the requirements for boaters to become members of their local Power Squadrons.

USPS is "America's Boating Club," the largest network of families and friends in the world having fun on the water today. Organized in 1914 as a non-profit boating organization, USPS is a world leader in speaking out for and promoting the needs of all recreational boaters. USPS teaches classes in seamanship and navigation to help our members improve their boating skills, confidence and performance on the water. In addition, through a cooperative program with the US Coast Guard, squadron members conduct Vessel Safety Checks to make sure boaters have all US Coast Guard required equipment aboard.

"This was a great way to introduce boating education to the thousands of ARRL members," said Don Stark, ham radio operator and USPS member. "Many hams are also boaters and see the value of continuing boating education. The USPS advanced and elective courses are a natural for this kind of study". Stark also noted, "Often USPS on the water events are coordinated using Amateur Radio, so the match of boating and Amateur Radio operations and a good fit."

"It's also a great way to introduce boaters to Amateur Radio," said Allen Pitts of the ARRL. "Time and again hams have shown that Amateur Radio gets emergency messages through when other systems fail or are overloaded. The ability to have such a resource on board would make any skipper safer and better able to render aid if needed."

A new Amateur Radio Learning Guide for Boaters, which was a cooperative effort by USPS and ARRL, was recently released. This new publication will be carried at the USPS Ships Store as well as the ARRL Book Store. The publication can also be obtained at major book stores and many retail booksellers on the Internet. "This new publication is a great reference to anyone interested in ham radio operation, ashore or on the water," indicated Darrell Allison of USPS Marketing. Allison also noted the many other common interests between hams and boaters, including GPS, APRS, RADAR and Marine Electronics.

For over 90 years, Amateur Radio operators have had formal and informal relationships to coordinate communication during emergencies and advance the radio arts. At the local level, hams may participate with local emergency organizations using voice and digital communication methods. Hams often aid state emergency management operations and also operate through the Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) which is coordinated through the ARRL and its field volunteers and through the Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES) which is coordinated through the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

It was really great to meet so many of the PIO's at Dayton. People for whom I only had a name and an email address became real flesh and blood, making it a most pleasant four days. A great big THANK YOU goes to the PR Committee and the volunteers who helped man the booth. We gave out about 150 copies of the Swiss Army Knife '05, countless handouts, PSA's, CD's and papers. There were several live stage presentations (which was a new activity for us all) plus the usual forum made UNusual by the appearance of a snake-oiled BPL promoter. Most of all, I remember the laughter as we truly enjoyed learning and sharing while being together.

Part of my job is to note trends across the country, and I noted two major ones at Dayton:

First, there were many people trying to do media work who were truly all on their own. They were not PIO's and did not know of many of the resources available. Some had a basic background, but many were clueless despite high motivation. Some came from small clubs, some were only locally appointed, and some were self-appointed when no one else would do it. They were very happy to meet with us at the booth and surprised at the wealth of resources and help available. I found this disturbing. Together we need to do a better job of letting people know that help is here for them. While there is no way that I can know all the people across the country that may fit this situation, I hope that each of the PIO's who read this will take a moment to think about the people in their region. Who is in the next club over that does media related work? Who would benefit from receiving a copy of the 'Knife? You know the people in your area. A little mentoring, a little help, a good suggestion at the right time can make all the difference to them. We need to reach out to them.

Secondly was the term "Community." While it has been used before for several years, this year had a new emotion to it. There was a lot more use of plurals - US and WE - than I remember before. There was a different feeling in the air. Something is changing! We're still seen as "geeks," but now we're nice geeks, friendly geeks, and people you want to get to know. Even the local newspapers picked up on that. The Amateur Radio Community took on a reality. If this is a trend, I look forward to the next year as it blossoms.