So the inevitable question is: Why should I become a member?

Firstly, it will give you all the “regular” benefits that a “recreation club” give you … friendships, get-togethers, common interests, and sharing of a hobby. Sometimes this includes climbing towers for a friend, or assistance with a piece of broken equipment.

But there are hidden benefits as well. Our frequency spectrum is increasingly under pressure, with commercial interests squeezing us to share. This is something we can’t fight at a local level. Radio waves travel across borders, and therefore we align ourselves with the IARU/ITU to give us the big brother clout we sometimes need.