Free Users - Turn off your ad blockers

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nsrailfan6130

Member
Joined
Aug 20, 2004
Messages
495
Location
Adrian, Michigan
When I first came aboard way back when, the ads used to drive me crazy because I didn't see the point in them. Nowadays I learn to live with it because this site has information I need to keep my radios up to date and if it means paying a few extra bones to support this site, so be it. It's well worth it. I have to give my propers to Lindsay and everyone who helps keep things going.
 

KK4JUG

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Dec 13, 2014
Messages
4,247
Location
GA
Not only do they keep it running, they keep it running smoothly. Rarely does it go down, They even try to maintain a certainly degree of civility. I've had my wrist slapped a few times.

Furthermore, it covers almost all aspects of radio, from amateur radio to Zambian short wave.

Kudos, guys.
 

blantonl

Founder and CEO
Staff member
Super Moderator
Joined
Dec 9, 2000
Messages
11,098
Location
San Antonio, Whitefish, New Orleans
Sadly, many folks forget this and take it way way way too seriously.

To be fair, I posted this encouraging the hate.... I literally asked for it. The reason? Because inevitably the hate will flow and sometimes it's fun for me as a business owner to see the folks who hate your decisions just let it all out.

Trust me that I realize that many many people take this site very seriously, and so it's good for me to understand how some of the hard-core, vocal, involved members feel about decisions that I make. You want to put me on blast? Bring it! I love to hear constructive feedback.

The one good thing about this process is I'm totally cool with you venting in public to me about some of my decisions. That is rare in most business communities, so those that have had their voices heard for the world to see should feel good that. Show me another business that allows a process like this.

But make no mistake, those that know me know that I will fiercely defend this business and my decisions, so some of my responses will not make people happy, and some of my responses will be as pointed and jagged as the feedback that I get. That's part of the game.

Also know that I hear every single voice that vents here, and I make decisions that benefit the community as a whole.

Starting up a small business has risks that Lindsay took on and accepted. I respect that.

I cannot overstate how much this comment resonates with me. Me moving on from a career at IBM to manage this business full time was a HUGE leap of faith and had enormous implications for my family. It obviously was the right decision.

Just wait until you guys see what's next. Ads will be the LEAST of your distractions.... we're going to blow the world away with alerts.
 

Direwolf131

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Jul 22, 2013
Messages
68
I'll just not frequent site at all, other forums I used at one time did this same thing and it was shocking what they unleashed upon us, everything was ads but for a ribbon of content here or there, everything else was ads, and the ads followed you right back to your pc, the sites were loaded down in malware, I began getting spammed on my phone for Indian pharmacies and medical supplies. So enjoy what life you have remaining, you will go extinct just as swiftly as every other forum that chose this path did!
 

chrismol1

P25 TruCking!
Joined
Mar 15, 2008
Messages
1,149
Hold up here, how many ads? An ad at the top of the page?

Have anyone of you ever gone to the Daily Mail
 

KE0VUL

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Feed Provider
Joined
Dec 2, 2019
Messages
21
Location
EN27
Never turning the ad-blockers off, for anything. It's probably better to keep placeholders to advertise subscription service, instead of trying to prevent the inevitable of a group of users. Mostly it's the third party tracking through the ads, whether that's AdSense or another 'partner' service.

Too many bad thoughts about AdSense with the clickbait they allow. I do dislike the scrolling banner ad on the mobile theme kind of recks the browsing experience; although not as bad as a pop-up ad. More ways to monetize then ads alone, although any attempt to will also upset. Everyone likes free stuff.

Seems like the ads already beat you to alerts:alerts.PNG
 
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nacsr

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Jan 18, 2003
Messages
266
Location
Rome,NY
[QUOTE="blantonl, post: 3538498, member: 3"

You can use this thread to complain to me that this is a violation of your rights, and you'll be quiting RadioReference, and you'll be reporting us to the BBB. Flame away...
[/QUOTE]

GET ME THE MANAGER NOW or I'm going to hold my breath!
 

hanlonmi06

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Jul 16, 2009
Messages
204
Location
Pittsfield Twp, Michigan
Admittedly I am basically clueless about all the "security risk" perspectives being brought up here, but I wanted to reinforce the concept that if you hate whats being done by the owner, feel free to start a site up of your own. I'm sure there are plenty of tutorials out there on how to select a business model that's wildly successful and easy to nail.

The two large companies I have worked for in the last many years were started up by a single individual at a measurable amount of risk to themselves and their families. One of them putting up their 1950's Buick as collateral for a $500 loan to buy a machine and grow it into a premier organization that I was proud to work for. Currently I work for a global, billion dollar a year organization where the family still owns the company, and I am happy to be here providing my skills and abilities.

Ten years ago, my wife was facing job elimination and was basically offered 6 weeks severance and nothing else. We depended on her income to make ends meet. She wanted to start a business. We took the plunge, made it work, and she is now self employed with her small, very successful business that has afforded us options we hadn't anticipated 10 years go.

I am happy to pay my $30 a year for the value of the site. I think its a steal honestly. I'm not as internet savvy as I probably should be but I can tell a distinct difference when I am on other websites, looking for car repair tips for example (shuddering at the thought of most of those sites, as they may as well be the wild wild west of the interwebs).
 

W1KNE

Owner ScanNewEngland
Database Admin
Joined
Feb 15, 2010
Messages
1,930
Location
New England
So as someone who has been in broadcasting for 24 1/2 years, my whole life is advertising. TV Advertising has paid for my house, well being, medical care, dental, basically all my quality of life. So I completely understand the importance of it. I also understand with an operation like this wanting to defend the ads for non premium subscribers. For $30 a year? the ability to "download from the DB" into the various pieces of scanning software alone is worth that. If I wasn't a DB admin, I'd easily pay for it. The DB here is worth the cost. The majority of states here have accurate listings and quite comprehensive too. It's a lot of good information for $30 a year!

My issue comes with the companies that host the ads. "AdChoices" (Google) formerly "Doubleclick" that have been allowed to so rampantly run wild with tracking cookies and other shady practices. No one has ever come down on them for those practices, which is why the ad blockers exist. If web site managers/hosts would go after the companies they pay to generate ad revenue for the shady stuff, and ultimately stop the shady stuff, less people would use the blockers. It's those reasons alone I've refused to go after advertising on the two websites I run, as I just don't like that practice from Google or others. And it's so well known how many sites have been compromised by what AdChoices has allowed in the past. As stated elsewhere here, those sites are often blocked by network IT admins. And until they are stopped from tracking (which I doubt) or a better company comes forward that everyone uses, I will continue to use my adblock on other sites.

But at the end of the day, this is a voluntary site. You're not required to come here. Lindsay is well within his right to want to increase ad revenue, and the solution seems simple (and inexpensive). You could be hitting a full fledged pay-wall to visit, and he'd be well within his right for that as well.
 

k6cpo

Member
Joined
Dec 30, 2013
Messages
1,261
Location
San Diego, CA
OK.. I paused my ad blocker as asked but I'm still getting the annoying popup every time I log into the site and sometimes when I change pages within the site. If this is the way it works, then where's the incentive? Or is this a way to get people to buy premium subscriptions?
 

Kazzaw

Member
Database Admin
Joined
Aug 3, 2015
Messages
339
Location
South East QLD, Australia
Haven't seen any notifications yet and use an ad blocker.

Unfortunately for me a premium subscription has literally 0 $ value, everything that's in the DB for Australia I have to manually program anyway.

I'm also not a fan of ads for tracking purposes. The forums are the only part of the site that I use, and I don't need to pay a subscription to access them
 

Kazzaw

Member
Database Admin
Joined
Aug 3, 2015
Messages
339
Location
South East QLD, Australia
I'm not putting anyone down and support the decision. I'm just saying what some people may find value in others may find little to none. I value the community on the forums (mainly in voice decoding software), but it isn't worth any monetary value to me
 
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