Woud you be interested in a new Monthly Model Rocketry Magazine

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Iceman

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If there was a new and different Model Rocketry Magazine what would you like to see in it?

A bi-monthly magazine or monthly?

Online or in print or both?

A how to section?

Articles and interviews?

Photos?

Any input would be helpful
 
1) Commercial Rocket Build articles, for example stock built Estes, Quest, Squirrel Works etc each issue.
2) Scratch/Upscale Build Article each issue.
3) Electronics Articles or Review sections
4) New products and where they are available.
5) Rocketry materials, their properties and uses, i.e. carbon fiber and how to lay it up. Generic technical information about the material, what makes it a better choice for X project/part, not so much techno-speak as most builders aren't engineers.
6) Popular kit mods articles.
7)HPR build articles
8) Online or Print is fine but PDF is more convenient for me.
9) Miscellaneous articles like scale building techniques, tips and tricks for various visual effects (like the corrugated sections on a Mercury Atlas).
10) Photos are a must, as they truly are worth at least a 1000 words.
11) Interviews could be good.
 
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A bi-monthly magazine or monthly?
Prefer monthly, but financial considerations, especially for a print version, will decide.

Online or in print or both?
PDF is the way to go. Edits can be made the day before release, not six months in advance.

A how to section?
Three how to sections, possibly alternating from month to month. One for beginners, one for advanced modelers and one for HPR.

Articles and interviews?
Eventually (hopefully) contributions from readers.
Each issue a scratch, up/downscale, mod or kit build article. Should have OR or RocSim file.
Tips and tricks monthly column.
GSE bi-monthly column.
Electronics/software column/reviews.
New products column.
Interviews can be good if they alternate between noobs, BARs, old-timers, vendors, LPR, HPR.
Launches. Personal or club launches. The big events, (NARAM, LDRS, etc.) are already well covered.

Photos?
Yes! And videos.
 
Keep the input coming, I see a lot of great ideas for the magazine!
 
If there was a new and different Model Rocketry Magazine what would you like to see in it?

What do you mean by "different" ? Not aligned with any external organization ? Only publishing articles for $$ compensation to the author ?

A bi-monthly magazine or monthly?

Monthly. Understand that several have tried that in decades past, and it is a LOT of work for someone.

Online or in print or both? Both.

A how to section? Yes.

Articles and interviews?

Interviews maybe. Opinions change with time, so interviews are really only current to the topic and person being interviewed at that time.

Photos? Yes.
 
A print mag would be nice.

Anything an online mag can do is covered by various forums.


wouldn't mind a contest/records section.

The hardest part of a print mag will be getting to press fast enough to be relevant in an age when flight videos on new products are posted before the sun sets.
 
A real, professional print mag, in today's environment, will be almost impossible. You can go the samizdat route, printing at your local copy shop, but even the long-established magazines are struggling. If Playboy is giving up print, there must be a problem!
 
I prefer everything in print.
That's why I own so many books and issues of Guns & Ammo all the way back to the mid 70's.
I once had every single issue of National Geographic, but they were sadly lost in a move.
Print works without any electricity, and is much more enjoyable to reference in my opinion.:)
 
Hey Top, I've got two 8 x 8 x 20 inch boxes solid packed with old National Geographic magazines free for the asking if you pay for the postage or drive to Texas and pick 'em up? These are complete from 2001 through 2009.
 
Hey Top, I've got two 8 x 8 x 20 inch boxes solid packed with old National Geographic magazines free for the asking if you pay for the postage or drive to Texas and pick 'em up? These are complete from 2001 through 2009.


I would be interested, if you do get a quote on the shipping.
I would greatly appreciate it.
I like the old ones better, but they are all quite clever in my opinion, so I like to get my hands on them whenever possible.
I have managed to re-collect some from the 40's which are quite fun!
 
You could make a small fortune with this idea...........
 
I prefer everything in print.
That's why I own so many books and issues of Guns & Ammo all the way back to the mid 70's.
I once had every single issue of National Geographic, but they were sadly lost in a move.
Print works without any electricity, and is much more enjoyable to reference in my opinion.:)

I agree. But getting a new publication off the ground, doing everything from scratch is almost impossible, especially in a small hobby like ours. I wish him all the luck in the world, and hope he succeeds.
 
I would be interested, if you do get a quote on the shipping.
I would greatly appreciate it.
I like the old ones better, but they are all quite clever in my opinion, so I like to get my hands on them whenever possible.
I have managed to re-collect some from the 40's which are quite fun!

I'll weigh them and get a quote to Vermont tomorrow. PM me with your ZIP code. Ted
 
I'd like to see one scratch-built design per episode. That was the thing I loved when I was a kid and anxiously awaited the Model Rocket News from Estes.

For me personally, I prefer articles and designs focused on model rocketry. I did HPR for many years but more interested in LPR/MPR, and scale.

Print is going to be tough. A good electronic magazine is worthy of consideration.
 
I would be interested, if you do get a quote on the shipping.
I would greatly appreciate it.
I like the old ones better, but they are all quite clever in my opinion, so I like to get my hands on them whenever possible.
I have managed to re-collect some from the 40's which are quite fun!


I've got this- https://www.ebay.com/itm/like/301304577836?ul_noapp=true&chn=ps&lpid=82

I need to either find updates or a more recent edition. and yes.... I know this misses the entire point and I agree. I prefer print.
 
Interested in a new? Nah, I would like to see Extreme comeback. The back issues I have are favorites still.
 
Different by not aligned with anyone, completely independent, could be some compensation to the author. The interviews would be with current and past people in the development of model Rocketry and where it is heading.
 
I think you'll find interest here but is the TRF population enough to support a monthly magazine ? I don't know but if I was going to start something like this I would want to pick the brain of Mark Mayfield of the late, lamented LAUNCH magazine. I think he made it two years as a printed publication.

https://launchmagonline.com/index.php
 
I don't think the advertising or circulation base exists right now for two magazines.

If there are ideas for new and different material in SR, I suspect they'd be happy to consider it.
 
I'm pretty happy with what we have now... Sport Rocketry (print) and Rockets (pdf).

We also have Apogee's "Peak of Flight" newsletter every week.

I don't see a need for more - really.
 
I'm pretty happy with what we have now... Sport Rocketry (print) and Rockets (pdf).

We also have Apogee's "Peak of Flight" newsletter every week.

I don't see a need for more - really.

Sorry, but I'm with Scott.
 
The more the merrier. However, considering the limited market for that sort of magazine and the general economy, I wouldn't start any business right now unless it was recession immune or recession prosperous (ex., liquor sales). Red shaded bands in the graphs below mark recessions. The US and world economies are not OK and are not recovering. Just the opposite.:

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Restaurant-Performance-Index-Dec2015.jpg
 
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I would prefer to see a website instead of a pdf or print magazine and make it mobile friendly. This would allow a lot more freedom in content and remove the monthly or bi-monthly publication deadlines. I would open up a much broader range of content than what can be produced through traditional methods (including pdf).
 
I remember the discussions on another forum about the demise of a favorite magazine, and that another one had taken it's place. What was missed was the unbiased reviews & comments. The "other" magazine was lamb-basted for their "this is the best kit ever' reviews, right beside the ad for said kit.. Their defence was that they had the manuf. review the article, and 'had a chance to rectify the issues found' before the article went to print..

A new magazine would be nice, but not really needed. the interest is too small (the group), and printing & mailing would almost kill you.. Online & PDF downloads would be nice, but again, getting eh 10 articles per month & such.. We basically have that here, or at another rocket forums site.. Now, if the local admin would set up and encourage us to submit articles for a "TRF" magazine web-link...

as these guys did.... https://www.rcuniverse.com/magazine/index.cfm

that might be interesting...

But, the bottom line is getting the articles, photos & such to create said magazine / webzine... continuously & consistently..
 
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My personal 2c is that I would be happy to read any free electronic emag. I won't pay for another mag, electronic or paper.
 
I prefer everything in print.
That's why I own so many books and issues of Guns & Ammo all the way back to the mid 70's.
I once had every single issue of National Geographic, but they were sadly lost in a move.
Print works without any electricity, and is much more enjoyable to reference in my opinion.:)
My wife *hates* my propensity to hold on to magazines ..
 
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