A few years back I took the best online course and today I have found nothing that compares. It was an ARRL propagation course it involved interaction with a mentor who was assigned to you. It had fantastic course material, as well as hands on projects. Before enrolling propagation was like a foreign language to me. By the end of the course with the help from the mentor, course material and the reviews I began to fully understand how important propagation was and also understood terms such as CME, A and K index, Flux, Solar wind and so on. I was able to put it all together and make sense of things when it came to ham radio and propagation. To this day I still refer to the notes and course materials to clarify things. There were many online course's that were offered. Some courses that still interested me were antenna modeling and RFI....so it was off to the ARRL site to find it. The only coarse's that was offered were public service and emergency communications. I emailed the ARRL asking if any of the other courses were available below was my reply.
Hi Mike,
You are correct-- we now offer only emcomm courses online.
We had to take down our old online course platform and
have not re-invested in redeveloping the other courses
to re-launch them on the new platform.
However, we are looking at ways to re purpose the content
from those courses. The first effort is to publish
an "Introduction to Antenna Modeling" course book
utilizing the material from the course you mention.
It seems to me that a "course book" is the new online course replacement when (and if) it comes out. The propagation course formate was very good and can't be replaced with a book.
Seems to me the online learning was just not a priority when the ARRL
web platform was revamped......well I'm one disappointed ARRL member.
6 comments:
Looks like an opportunity for someone (eHam, QRZ, ?) to pick up the ball and run with it.
ARRL's only interest today is EMCOMM. I expect them to begin selling yellow vests, hard hats, and red-filtered flashlights on line. I've been unhappy with the League for years and have no intention of signing up again.
Hi Mike, I think the ARRL is similar like VERON in the Netherlands. I just quit my membership this year. 73 Paul
Good evening Casey, this sure is an opportunity I am not sure there really is any type of idea like it. There is the Webinars that the Patomic valley radio club offer they are great and very popular.
Evening Richard and yes I have noticed they are heading that way. I will say that I do enjoy their website. I have found the new released site is a bit hard to follow but that may be a learning curve.
Hi Paul, I am not at the point yet to pull my membership. I do enjoy other aspects of the ARRL and I hope the courses do come back but am not holding my breath at all.
Sorry Ed your comment was deleted accidentally I re-posted in this format.
Hi Mike. Everytime my renewal comes due I debate about whether or not to pay up again. It's not something that I rush to do. I do enjoy getting QST, even though there's always a few issues where I can skim through it in a matter of minutes and be done with it. I like the reviews however and there's usually an interesting article on homebrew antennas that's worth reading. I also use the outgoing bureau.
I think EMCOMM is a hot topic right now, especially with all the weather related disasters this year (and our earthquake on the east coast!), so it seems to be taking front and center. Their focus will move on to something else eventually, it always does. A real shame about the online courses though.
73 Ed
Good morning Ed, yes I agree it seems many organizations ride a wave at one time or another. This time for the ARRL it's EMCOM. Overall ARRL is doing very well and as you pointed out there are areas within the organization we can all find very worthwhile.
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