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G4EBT > RSGB 22.04.07 20:41l 145 Lines 5130 Bytes #999 (0) @ WW
BID : 155218G4EBT
Read: GUEST
Subj: Cost Effectiveness of GB4FUN?
Path: DB0FHN<DB0FOR<DB0MRW<DK0WUE<GB7FCR
Sent: 070422/1833Z @:GB7FCR.#16.GBR.EU #:28028 [Blackpool] FBB-7.03a $:155218G4
From: G4EBT@GB7FCR.#16.GBR.EU
To : RSGB@WW
I mentioned in another bull about the dubious cost-effectiveness of
GB4FUN, the RSGB Mobile shack which is available to promote the hobby.
RSGB's annual accounts make no mention of it's operating costs - only that
it had a donation of œ40,000 from the charitable Radio Communications
Fund.
That the RSGB is trying to promote the hobby is a laudable thing to do,
but there must surely be a cost/benefit analysis, to justify the
considerable expense involved.
Or maybe RSGB just takes the view that if people give it money, it has
to spend it on something, so why not GB4FUN or to keep itself in the
style to which it's become accustomed at Potters Bar?
I guess one way to look at the (questionable) effectiveness is to see how
many days and at what venues GB4FUN is in use. Helpfully, this info is on
the GB4FUN website.
Now of course, the van has to be taken from place to place, so even if it
was in full use, there would be many days in which it would be going from
place to place. On that basis, some months look quite well booked-up.
The bookings in the calendar go from Jan-August this year, after which
time the calendar is empty for now. Here are the number of days in use
this year, and the number of venues:
Month No of days in use No of venues
Jan 2 1
Feb 6 2
Mar 6 5
April 9 5
May 10 5
June 13 6 (Inc 6 days TBC in N.I)
July 4 2
Aug 1 1
Total 51 37
Source: http://www.gb4fun.org/calendar/june.html
One venue was "the usual suspects" - a dealer's open day. The only people
who go to dealers' open days are radio amateurs hoping for a bargain - not
the general public. Just another example of misuse of amateur radio to
promote a sales drive.
That aside, if we "annualise" the above usage and assume that the months
of Sept-Dec will average a similar level, 51days/8 months x 12 months, we
get 77 days for the year.
If we do likewise with the number of venues we get 37/8 x 12 = 56 venues.
We've no idea of GB4FUN's actual costs as RSGB Annual Accounts don't make
this clear. All they do is to mention a œ40,000 donation in the last year.
No idea if this œ40k is just a contribution, or covers the full amount -
fuel, tyres, servicing insurance, tax, other depreciation etc. The best
case scenario is that the œ40,000 covered the total operating cost.
If that's so, this equates to œ520 per day, or œ714 per venue. (I wouldn't
like to think just how much GB4FUN has cost since it went on the road in
2001).
RSGB might well say they can't easily evaluate the effectiveness of GB4FUN
as it's sowing the seeds of interest which may not immediately take root.
But at least it should be able to monitor how many people who take up the
hobby *who would otherwise not have known about the hobby or taken up had
GB4FUN not visited them*
I must emphasise that last point because RSGB can't really count those
who come into the hobby who've never seen GB4FUN and don't even know what
it is.
It doesn't mean they never will, and it doesn't diminish the efforts of
those who use GB4FUN are trying their best to promote and publicise the
hobby.
But it does seem to me that GB4FUN is such a big expense that if it were
subjected to a realistic cost/benefit analysis, it would very quickly be
QRT and off the road.
In 1962 there were 10,875 UK radio amateurs, and RSGB membership was
11,135, which implies that all UK amateurs and maybe some SWLs and
overseas amateurs were members.
In 1974 when I was first licensed there were some 27,000 UK amateurs.
Now, there are more than 60,000.
The issue isn't so much the number of amateurs as the age profile which
is heavily skewed towards the over 60's and overwhelmingly male. Quite why
RSGB thinks it can sustain the hobby by it's fixation with trying to get
little kids of 7 and upwards into it, I've no idea.
I can't think of any other hobby populated by old men which tries to
promote itself to little girls and boys who don't even talk the same
language (innit).
And does anyone want to talk to someone else's grand-daughter about her
collection of Bratz dolls? On balance, I think not, and I sure hope not.
Ode to GB4FUN:
Rollin' Rollin' Rollin'
Keep movin', movin', movin',
Though 'EBT's disapprovin',
Keep 'FUN a-movin' Rawhide!
Don't try to understand 'em,
Just rope and throw and brand 'em,
Soon we'll be living high and wide.
Move 'em on, head 'em up,
Head 'em up, move 'em out,
Move 'em on, head 'em out, Rawhide!
It's becoming very clear,
Forty grand a year,
Is very very dear,
for RSGBs' bum steer..
Whip RSGB's backside,
Rawhide...
Ho hum.
I won't give up my day job as an insultant.
At least it's not my dosh going down the gurgler anymore.
Best wishes
David, G4EBT @ GB7FCR
Cottingham, East Yorkshire.
Message timed: 19:28 on 2007-Apr-22
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