Give Me/US a break ........

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SCPD

QRT
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I just glazed over the latest newsletter revived..
With the announcement News and help request made me thinking. ???????????????

I asked my share of question. I awserernd my share of question and submitted
some new stuff to the database.
I do all my importing by copy and paste.
Should we folks who do not have the funds pay for membership do have simple import, to download some of the data we help to submit and help others to find there answers to the question.
I think we should get a break or a "Bone" for our effords.
Not all of the members are premium Members who help other to find Data our point them into they right direction.
What I trying to say is there or can we put in place a system to the members who help other out to give them a break.
thanks
Stefan
 

jon_k

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271
Location
Fort Worth, Republic of Texas
All being a subscriber gives you access to is a few extra features. It's an incentive to have people donate to the site for the sites support. In reality the features you get aren't really good enough to be worth the money. People do it to support RR.

If it is the download features you are seeking alone, are you sure you can't afford $18? I'm unsure what type of income you're on, but that isn't very much money. Your scanner probably cost 10x that! You've probably spent more in gear! I've seen people complain about spending $14 to become an Amateur Radio operator. Why would you do this when your first rig will likely be over $400 anyways? A poll on EHAM said that most operators have spent over $20,000 in their lifetime! People still insist that $14 is highway robbery for a testing session. If only people made a fuss like this in front of the white house about gas prices.

People submit data to the DB because they want their hard work documented. Others can come along and use it. Likewise, I can use the submissions you've made. You can use the submissions I've made. We both benefit! I share my hard work, you share yours. It's a community sharing data.

If the $18 is really out of your pricerange, they do make software that will program your radio from cut-n-pasted output from RR. You paste it in, and it imports it just as well as a program that uses the API. The access to the database is one of the few things this site can do to give incentive for people to subscribe.

I don't know a) how much traffic this site gets b) how many subscribers/profits are made -- but I do know for a fact that bandwidth DOES NOT grow on trees, and depending on how much CPU the server requires, hardware isn't either. I also don't know if someone is doing site development for free, or if they hire someone. Paying PHP developers isn't cheap either.
 
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SCPD

QRT
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Location
Virginia
Hi Stefan;

I like the idea in principle but I think it would be hard to administer. The data comes from volunteers like you. The DB admins are also volunteers. Providing an incentive to submit new data would probably result in an increase in submissions - more work the DB admins - but not necessarily improve the quality of the DB. The folks like yourself who are kind enough to share deserve a big pat on the back. Maybe that's enough recognition and appreciation.

Think of it this way: You've submitted some data. In exchange, you get access to everything on this site. That's a fair trade, I think. The premium subscriber extras provide additional ways of retrieving the data but do not increase the amount or quality of the data accessible to you.

If you are very active in providing data and there is a shortage of DB admin help for your area, you may want to consider volunteering to become a DB admin for your area.
 

blantonl

Founder and CEO
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Remember, someone has to develop and manage the platform that this entire site runs on - as well as drive forward innovation and make sure that things don't get stale around here.

In return for everyone's contributions, because all of the data is user submitted, I make all of the data available for free. There are other sites out there that charge for all content.

Also, Rick is correct, the administration and tracking of such a system wouldn't work out.

I've also got to respectfully disagree with the assertion that the premium subscription features really aren't worth the cost. The ability to print off PDFs of data, run queries against the data, have access to a powerful web service, and customized watch lists are pretty powerful tools for a radio communications enthusiast. I personally think that's more than worth $30/year. And there is lots more coming this year for premium subscribers....
 

jon_k

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Location
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blantonl said:
I've also got to respectfully disagree with the assertion that the premium subscription features really aren't worth the cost. The ability to print off PDFs of data, run queries against the data, have access to a powerful web service, and customized watch lists are pretty powerful tools for a radio communications enthusiast. I personally think that's more than worth $30/year. And there is lots more coming this year for premium subscribers....


Lindsay,

I may be wrong about all the benefits of a subscriber. The PDF's do look neat, and the ability to run queries against the data are very cool too. I've had a bit of use out of the watchlists as well.

Perhaps if I wrote a program those tools would be invaluable. I've not had much use out of them yet. The primary reason why I intend to keep subscriber status here is more in the spirit of doing what I can to cover costs. I don't know if you colocate, or have a dedicated host. I don't know how much bandwidth you use. I don't know if someone programs the code for free or if you pay someone. Probably a mixture of these things and they aren't cheap. To that effect, I should probably be donating /more/ money to cover costs.

Perhaps I oughta get more bang out of my subscription and start experimenting with the data available to me!

In any case, I'm happy you are running this project. This is the only site related to radio that has a web design that isn't a eye sore, and has this level of user-participation. It is also very affordable (FREE!) Honestly, I'd be willing to pay to simply have access to the free portions of the DB.

[edit]
I just tried out the CSV feature and yes. This is worth the $30 a year ALONE. What a nice feature.
 
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Tommahawk

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Dec 19, 2002
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Location
Catawissa, PA (Village of Numidia)
Wow!!! I can't believe individuals are complaining about the costs! If you would like the information for free you can always search the FCC database. Or you could spend the little bit of money it costs and help to make the effort to bring all of the data together into one place.

I know the costs of doing this and while I love the hobby sometimes the bills that come with it have to be paid out of pocket. Do you believe it is fair to the owner of the Website that he bear all of the costs associated with it so you can download data for free? Hosting a site like this is much more expensive than hosting a personal website.

I, along with a few others have submitted quite a bit of data to Radioreference and yet I still pay. I have a scanner list that is popular locally in Pennsylvania but yet I could never find the time or energy to place everything in a searchable database. Mr. Blantnol actually had the time and energy to do such.... Kudos to him.....

I subscribe because I believe the idea is something that has been waiting a longtime to surface. Yes the FCC search is always available for free and of course you could always download the latest daily data from them, but then again who has the time?
 

EJB

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Downtown Hamilton
You either choose to pay or not. It is pretty simple.
I am not in a good financial situation & am trying to cut costs anyway I can so I wont justify spending anything more than I can, I'd rather buy my child a toy than pay membership here but if I had some cash I would for sure pay the membership.

I felt bad about not re-upping & sent a email to Lindsay.
Honestly, Lindsay has always resonded fairly and quickly to any queries, has always been nice and runs a hell-of-a-site here.
Its not like you cant import the data, cut, Paste it to a excel sheet and then enter it into the software, it is almost as easy as being a member, it is not a hardship to do this.
To think that anyone is a second-class citizen because they are members/non-members is silly.

Eric
 

Bill_White

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Messages
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Perry, N.Y. FNØ2xr
The next best thing…

I can’t cut you a break but, I can give you a clue.
Frequency data available on RR.com is presented in a TABLE.
Learn how to use a spreadsheet.
I’ve been using spreadsheets to organize frequency data since Lotus 123 v3 for DOS. Now with Windows, it doesn’t take too long and it isn’t all that hard to COPY – n – PASTE data from the source into a SS. Edit the data, delete unwanted columns, copy a column and paste it into your programming software.
 

scansomd

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May 16, 2002
Messages
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Location
Southern Maryland
IMHO, the price for premium membership is a STEAL, and worth every penny.

But, as many have already stated, no one is forced to pay for premium membership. Anyone is free to find a comparable www site that doesn't charge (or charges a cheaper price), has up to date information, a reputation for innovation; and then merely use that free/cheaper site.
 

WayneH

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If this site implemented a ratio policy I think it would bomb; you submit 10 freqs, you can only download up to 10 freqs. How terrible does that sound? How do you determine the worth of what was submitted and what it grants you access to?

The reality of a subscription is you end up getting (or taking) more than you would give.
 

n4yek

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Newport, Tennessee
I absolutely love this site, I myself am not a premium subscriber but I do my part in making sure the database is as correct for my listening area as it possibly can be. I have no problem helping out the Administrators in pointing out corrections or helping out with the service tags.
I figure since I don't pay for access, I should help out with the information and help others with questions. I know I have received help from others and I should repay the favor.
I personally want to thank Lindsay for this website, he works hard to keep it going and for those who pay, gives them a little extra bonus.
Myself, I would sure hate to see the cost he puts out every year just to keep this site going, I know it would probably make me sick to see that bill.
Again, thanks Lindsay and all database admins for your hard work and time taken to keep this site going.
 

JLM7424

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Williston,ND - Williams county
I must Say , I am truely amazed to hear someone complaing of $30.00 dollars a Year Thats $2.50 a month ! Considering i truely belive that the service is worth a bit more

And To think all these people Admin For FREE and probabley still donate.

well Good luck To ya .
 

baybum

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Howard County
"Should we folks who do not have the funds"

SFDF,
Would you mind telling us what model scanner you purchased? And how many you own?
 

gmclam

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It's our duty to keep RR from becoming extinct

I've even made comments/suggestions from time to time about charging for things that are currently free. I've been reminded that the data here will always be free. There really is no better deal in town. Regardless of how much I "take", or how much time I spend here (it is waaaay too much), I feel it is also my duty to help support the site so it does not become extinct. Then how would you feel? Unless the "sever company" and the "power company" at minimum are willing to barter their costs, people still need to $upport the physical cost of running the site.
 

Stick0413

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Hopewell, VA
The problem with the suggested I submit X freqs and I can download X free is that there would most likely be a large number of false info submited.
 

WX4JCW

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What Kills me is people think that this stuff justs magically is presented on the web for free, would you suggest that Lindsay fronts the costs of the server, admins etc himself, if he had to then this site would not be as great as it is today.
or might not even exist, we did not have this information available not too long ago.
Not saying Lindsay is cheap rather that it shouldnt be his responsibility to bear it all.

So why not jump on board the team and help out, this is a hobby like any other, i dont know of any hobby that doesn't cost money. You Want the Extra Goodies then man up and pay the man.
 

SCPD

QRT
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Virginia
What Kills me is people think that this stuff justs magically is presented on the web for free, would you suggest that Lindsay fronts the costs of the server, admins etc himself, if he had to then this site would not be as great as it is today.
or might not even exist, we did not have this information available not too long ago.
Not saying Lindsay is cheap rather that it shouldnt be his responsibility to bear it all.

So why not jump on board the team and help out, this is a hobby like any other, i dont know of any hobby that doesn't cost money. You Want the Extra Goodies then man up and pay the man.

I and allot off other help put it there.
Yes he should be able to be paid/ reimbursed for the cost for centralizing it.
It is one thing to charge people who either don't put any info or help up and or to lazy to copy and paste or ..................
I for once don't care about the download feature, Put a premium on that.
At least give us some of the FCC reporting queering feature as a thank you for putting the info there and helping others
Sorry if I lately sound frustrated... I am for more the one reason......................
After this I'll enforce an self imposed posting curfew on me till I hopefully settle down.
take care
sf
 

WX4JCW

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ok I understand that people who contribute information would like some sort of acknowledgement,
I for one contribute out of the good of the hobby, but I certainly do understand
but how many contributions would be neccessary to be considered for the reward.

this is not my call, I pay, I contribute, but i do understand
 

Airdorn

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Cordova, TN
I don't want a discount for submitting content.

I just want to pay my $30/year and continue to receive this great site.

The reward I get for submitting content is simply a feeling of satisfaction and altruism.
 

WayneH

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At least give us some of the FCC reporting queering feature as a thank you for putting the info there and helping others
Searching of the database or FCC searches? A lot of the searches related to the FCC database you can do on your own with the FCC site. The database just makes it easier to use. Generally things that are provided to make the use of something easier cost something.
 
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