[Today’s run: rest day]
ARRL is the big nationwide amateur radio organization in the US. The letters stand for American Radio Relay League which is kind of an anachronism, so they also call themselves “the national association for Amateur Radio.”
They print a monthly magazine called QST and a subscription to QST comes with the membership. I think the annual dues are $39.
Besides QST they also print a couple other magazines and a whole bunch of books and manuals. They organize contests. They broadcast code practice and other radio bulletins. They are pretty much the main lobbying vehicle for amateur radio both in the US and around the world, and they get involved with international telecom organizations like the ITU.
There is a national HQ in Newington, CT, and the US is divided up into divisions and sections. Members vote on division directors and vice-directors who sit on the board of directors. Members also select section managers. Mississippi is a section, part of the Delta Division.
The organization has quite a history. I gather that there were multiple radio clubs in the early 1920’s but the ARRL became the only one with national scope. (Whether or not there was wrangling for that, I really don’t know.)
I’ve never had any problems with the ARRL. But some hams don’t like it for one reason or another. Maybe the QST articles are too elementary or not elementary enough. Maybe somebody from HQ once ticked them off, lost their dues money, or something. On the other hand I’ve never felt it was a “duty” for hams to join if they don’t want to.
Whenever I have had the chance to interact with the people in Newington (not very often) they have been very helpful and direct. I appreciate the services they provide and I think they are a class act.