Sport Rocketry magazine

[Darian Rachal]

I was browsing the magazine section in Hastings(book/music/DVD store) and noticed they carry Sport Rocketry magazine. This was in Alexandria LA. It was in the section with model airplanes, cars, etc.. Not a bad magazine for $5.00.

 

[luke strawwalker]

A HobbyTown USA in our area used to have it too (before they went broke, sadly). They used to carry Extreme Rocketry and Rockets magazine as well, and IIRC they carried Launch when it first started (this was about the time the store went under).

I don't see WHY NAR doesn't offer subscriptions to Sport Rocketry for those who'd like the magazine but don't want to pay $60 bucks to join NAR (because they have no need to join NAR). Obviously if they're selling the magazine to retailers, it's not a lack of printing capability...

Looks like money left on the table to me...

Later! OL JR

 

[n3tjm]

A HobbyTown USA in our area used to have it too (before they went broke, sadly). They used to carry Extreme Rocketry and Rockets magazine as well, and IIRC they carried Launch when it first started (this was about the time the store went under).

I don't see WHY NAR doesn't offer subscriptions to Sport Rocketry for those who'd like the magazine but don't want to pay $60 bucks to join NAR (because they have no need to join NAR). Obviously if they're selling the magazine to retailers, it's not a lack of printing capability...

Looks like money left on the table to me...

Later! OL JR

Probably because they are afraid of loosing membership. My opinion, rocketry is your hobby, support one of the organizations that helps with keeping us safe, promotes the hobby (through programs like tarc), and on occasion represent us politically. I been a member of Nar since July 1989. I was 10 years old. Never let my membership laps.

 

[AKPilot]

I don't see WHY NAR doesn't offer subscriptions to Sport Rocketry for those who'd like the magazine but don't want to pay $60 bucks to join NAR.

At NARCON, a couple years, back Trip stated that producing the magazine is roughly half the membership cost alone.

To be honest, I intentionally let my membership lapse this year - knowing that I can read Sport Rocketry/relevant articles in a few minutes at the local book store, should I desire. If it's a keeper copy, then I can purchase it outright. However, over the past year I haven't found any single article that has stood out or I just 'had' to have or keep.

As others have pointed out, I get more relevant information here or on other sites.


P.S. As a side note, I joined the Inernational Plastic Modeler's Society (IPMS) this year for $25; they have a USA membership that matches NAR (appx. 5,000) members. For $25 I get their bi-monthly magazine which has 72 color pages in each issue. Maybe NAR should look at who their publisher is?

 

[cwbullet]

I would love to see them offer it digital.

 

[shreadvector]

Does IPMS provied liability insurance to members and special insurance certificates for site owners?

Does IPMS have to defend their hobby from 'attack' (BATFE, etc.) ?

At NARCON, a couple years, back Trip stated that producing the magazine is roughly half the membership cost alone.

To be honest, I intentionally let my membership lapse this year - knowing that I can read Sport Rocketry/relevant articles in a few minutes at the local book store, should I desire. If it's a keeper copy, then I can purchase it outright. However, over the past year I haven't found any single article that has stood out or I just 'had' to have or keep.

As others have pointed out, I get more relevant information here or on other sites.


P.S. As a side note, I joined the Inernational Plastic Modeler's Society (IPMS) this year for $25; they have a USA membership that matches NAR (appx. 5,000) members. For $25 I get their bi-monthly magazine which has 72 color pages in each issue. Maybe NAR should look at who their publisher is?

 

[georgegassaway]

Probably because they are afraid of loosing membership.

IIRC, for a time, there was an option for subscribing to the magazine only. But VERY FEW people did it. So few that it was not worth offering it as an option anymore.

- George Gassaway

 

[AKPilot]

Does IPMS provied liability insurance to members and special insurance certificates for site owners?

Does IPMS have to defend their hobby from 'attack' (BATFE, etc.) ?

LOL! You missed the point Fred.

IPMS produces and distributes a 72 page, all-color, bi-monthly magazine for $25 a year - for 5,000 members. Thinking of continuous improvement, it might be worth NAR to take a look to see if they could do something similar and, maybe even, reduce their printing costs and expanding their publication a bit.

 

[bobkrech]

LOL! You missed the point Fred.

IPMS produces and distributes a 72 page, all-color, bi-monthly magazine for $25 a year - for 5,000 members. Thinking of continuous improvement, it might be worth NAR to take a look to see if they could do something similar and, maybe even, reduce their printing costs and expanding their publication a bit.

Troy

I looked into publishing costs several years ago. SR costs about $5 per issue to print and distribute which is a good rate for a 48 page, 4-color magazine in ~5,000+ unit run. If IPMS publishes a 72 page, 4-color magazine in a ~5,000+ unit run for less, then the magazine is paid for by industry ads, because the production costs are higher than SR.

I'm sure there are orders of magnitude more Plastic Model folks than Model Rocket folks: 1,000,000's versus about 10,000 of us.

How many pages are paid ads and what are the ad rates?

I'd be surprised if the advertising rates are not substantially higher than SR and there are more ad pages in the 72 page IPMS verse the 48 page SR.

Bob

 

[Mr. Larry]

I was looking at the cost of NAR as well and think that 60 dollars was a little high. What about offering a membership at a reduced rate without the magazine? I, too, can pick up the magazine at a local hobby shop if there are articles I am interested in. Oh, well. just a thought.


Larry

 

[AKPilot]

You could be correct. I do not know. However, I'd also suggest that no one here definitely knows either - until they contact the same publisher that IPMS USA uses.

Is it not possible that NAR could benefit by contacting the same publisher and checking into it?

It is an apples-to-apples comparison as both organizations have roughly 5K members here in the USA.

However they (IPMS) do it - they do it. I still get a bi-monthly, 72 page color magazine for only $25 a year.

I can't figure out why people are so quick to dismiss something they haven't looked into - when there's so much to gain.

 

[Bazookadale]

.

I can't figure out why people are so quick to dismiss something they haven't looked into - when there's so much to gain.

I know the NAR board has looked at this many times - but it won't hurt to look at it again.

 

[bobkrech]

Publishing costs are well known, and a 72 page 4-color magazine is going to cost about $7.50 cents per issue to produce and distribute in 5000+ units. Someone is paying for it, and it's not the readers.

A vendor or manufacturer only has a limited budget for advertising, but a manufacturer of plastic models has a larger market and makes more sales so they have larger advertising budgets than hobby rocket manufacturers, and the plastic model manufacturers are paying for the production of the magazine.

Look at the numbers. There are fewer than 10,000 model and high power enthusiasts in the US, but there are more than a million folks that buy plastic models. Without a guaranteed readership, it's hard for a small hobby magazine to survive. When a magazine is included with membership, the hobby rocket advertisers are assured that their ads are seen by 5,000 rock folks, so they don't object to the advertising costs.

NAR does give the magazine away to those under 18 in an effort to maintain or expand interest in the hobby. The SR advertising revenue approximately covers the printing and distribution costs to the under 18 members. The senior members pay the full cost, but then again if you're an adult but can't afford the extra $30 a year, you can't afford really to launch rockets so you don't need NAR membership, and that's the bottom line.

Bob

 

[AKPilot]

Publishing costs are well known, and a 72 page 4-color magazine is going to cost about $7.50 cents per issue to produce and distribute in 5000+ units. Someone is paying for it, and it's not the readers.

Whose to say the membership isn't paying for it? What did they say when you called them?



Regardless of whose paying for it - efforts might be better spent trying to figure out how they did it and then have NAR use the same business model!

If they found a cheaper, better, publisher - then take advantage of it!

If they do ad space differently - then think about it.

If they found ways to supplement the fees - then use a similar business model.

Break the paradigm . . .

 

[troj]

My view is this...

If it's so important to you, why not volunteer to do it yourself?

If it's not worthy of your time, then it's obviously not that big of a deal.

-Kevin

 

[Highpowerrocketyahoo]

My view is this...

If it's so important to you, why not volunteer to do it yourself?

If it's not worthy of your time, then it's obviously not that big of a deal.

-Kevin

Amen!

 

[RocketGirl]

My view is this...

If it's so important to you, why not volunteer to do it yourself?

If it's not worthy of your time, then it's obviously not that big of a deal.

-Kevin

Agreed!!! Nicely stated, Kevin!

As the former Chair of the Membership Committee, I can assure everyone that the NAR Board does welcome suggestions. They really do listen to all the suggestions they receive, even if they can't implement every single one. However, I know that Trip does not have time to monitor the various forums. He's stated that publicly, and he has asked rocketeers to email him with any questions, concerns, or suggestions.

If you have an idea for how to improve the NAR, please contact Trip, Ted, or any of the other NAR Trustees directly. Their email addresses are listed on the NAR website. Or, connect with them through the NAR Facebook page. State your suggestion or question in a calm and respectful manner (remember - they are also volunteers!). As an added bonus, you could volunteer to research your suggestion and provide the information to them.

My 2-cents...

Carol Marple, NAR 86280 L2
former Chair, NAR Membership Committee
President, MASA Section 576
Proud NAR member

 

[luke strawwalker]

Probably because they are afraid of loosing membership. My opinion, rocketry is your hobby, support one of the organizations that helps with keeping us safe, promotes the hobby (through programs like tarc), and on occasion represent us politically. I been a member of Nar since July 1989. I was 10 years old. Never let my membership laps.

That's a good sentiment, and if that's one of your priorities, go for it. I cannot justify the $60/yr membership as this is about between 1/4 and 1/3 of my yearly hobby budget, just for membership in NAR-- I don't think so!

I too was a NAR member back in high school in the late 80's-- #38835... but back then it was about $20 for a yearly membership, plus OPTIONAL insurance (if you wanted/needed it-- I didn't/don't because I fly on my own farm, and provide our farm as a launch site for two clubs as well). That was affordable (even for a high school kid) and so I joined up, but even then my main reason for doing so was the magazine. I dropped my membership about the time I graduated and fell into the higher priced categories, and had pretty much quit flying rockets anyway. When I came back in a few years ago as a BAR, I was SHOCKED at the cost of NAR membership! I realize a biggie is the MANDATORY insurance, but if you don't need it/want it, it's just an impediment to joining. I don't care about competition so I don't need a NAR number for that, and like I said I own the launch field and don't need the insurance, and so the only thing of "value" to me is the magazine. I appreciate the work NAR does in promoting the hobby (TARC is a GREAT program and it's a shame that it wasn't around in MY day!) an representing the hobby in front of the regulatory bodies like NFPA, etc. I'm glad the lawsuit was finally won, but that wasn't something I felt compelled to support monetarily as I'm not into HPR and I've seen enough mishaps and stuff at HPR meets to really make me have serious doubts about it. IMHO HPR creates a lot of problems that then are passed on to ALL rocketry folks to "support" the solving of... (I realize that this is an unpopular position and not shared by many, but there are a few who surely feel this way as well).

I support NAR by paying for my 6 year old to have her yearly membership, and we read the magazine together. Honestly as I see the magazine and NAR catering more and more to the HPR end of the hobby, I wonder how much relevance it will have in the future to the LPR/MPR flier who has no interest in becoming HPR certified at all... seems more and more of the magazine space is being taken up by HPR content. I realize that's part of the hobby, and I say "to each his own" but at the same time, HPR fliers already have their own dedicated organization (Tripoli) and NAR was started specifically for MODEL rocketry, so I disagree with the change in emphasis. Still, follow the money-- the "big money spenders" are in HPR, and so I can't necessarily blame NAR for catering to those most likely to drop a lot of money without blinking an eye.

Meh... it is what it is and it's not gonna change anyway...

Later! OL JR

 

[RocketGirl]

Honestly as I see the magazine and NAR catering more and more to the HPR end of the hobby, I wonder how much relevance it will have in the future to the LPR/MPR flier who has no interest in becoming HPR certified at all... seems more and more of the magazine space is being taken up by HPR content. I realize that's part of the hobby, and I say "to each his own" but at the same time, HPR fliers already have their own dedicated organization (Tripoli) and NAR was started specifically for MODEL rocketry, so I disagree with the change in emphasis. Still, follow the money-- the "big money spenders" are in HPR, and so I can't necessarily blame NAR for catering to those most likely to drop a lot of money without blinking an eye.

Meh... it is what it is and it's not gonna change anyway...

Later! OL JR

I understand your concern. I don't remember the specific details behind the increased coverage of HPR, but I believe it's due to feedback the NAR received during a membership survey that was conducted a few years ago. They aren't changing their focus to HPR, but they are trying to add content to keep their membership happy (an example of the NAR listening to their membership).

That being said, there's a continued push to get more young flyers involved in the hobby, so the NAR isn't going to ignore LPR/MPR.

Some members want more HPR coverage, some want more building tips, some want more LPR/MPR coverage, some want more coverage of national events...
I think the NAR is trying their best to strike a balance that will keep their members happy.

Carol

 

[MarkII]

I think the magazine is great and I don't find NAR's membership fee to be out of line or even slightly pricey. In fact, I think that it is a very good deal indeed. I think that $62 is by no means a high fee for an annual membership to a national organization. The $62 fee is for Senior members (adults), and the Junior membership fee is much lower, just $25. There is absolutely no fat in NAR's budget; the payroll consists of just one paid employee. All others, including the executive officers, the committee chairs, the magazine editor and the Board, are all volunteers, and they pay every dime of their NAR-related expenses each year out of their own pockets. Every cent of dues money goes directly into services for the membership. I am a bit financially pressed and yet I manage to find the money to renew every year. I feel that I get appreciably more than my money's worth out of my membership and I am proud to be part of such an organization. My hobby budget is so tight it squeaks, but this is one area where I simply refuse to make a cut. $62 per year translates into $5.17 per month or $1.19 per week. Even I can afford that, and I feel that I am making a smart purchase every year when I renew.

 

[GuyNoir]

Disclaimer: I am no longer involved in directing or setting policy for the NAR, but do serve as Chair of the Periodicals Committee, which is responsible for Sport Rocketry magazine. I serve strictly at the pleasure and privilege of the NAR President.

Retail Distribution: We do retail distribution thru Kalmbach Publishing, publisher of Model Railroader. Kalmbach handles the administrative aspects of our distribution, including assistance in setting the quantities sent such that we do not lose money on retail sales. Over the past five years, the number of shops carrying Sport Rocketry has steadily declined, a reflection of the overall decline in craft hobbies in the US. While NAR President, I believed we should continue retail sales solely to provide the NAR with exposure in hobby shops, a position I continue to support. Retail distribution,in my opinion, is not a path to large financial gains, particularly given market conditions in print media.

Electronic Distribution: NAR members strongly rejected the idea of an electronic Sport Rocketry. At the time of the preparation of the NAR Membership Survey, with the approval of the President, I undertook an analysis of methods for electronic distribution, and report those results to the NAR Board. If NAR members want electronic distribution of Sport Rocketry, they'll need to tell the leadership, which, to date, they've clearly rejected that option.

Sport Rocketry Content: Again, in the NAR membership survey, members clearly indicated their preference for technical articles, "how to" material,and HPR content. Tom Beach did an outstanding job finding that content for the magazine. At the upcoming NAR Board meeting at NARAM, the Board will consider a proposal by our committee to further the job of content generation. I'm hoping that the program we've proposed will be approved, and that we'll continue to provide the kind of content NAR members are asking for.


I and the NAR leadership are always interested in feedback, positive and negative both, so please feel free to reach out. On Sport Rocketry, we strive to balance content, money and promotion, and it's not as easy as it looks. But when 88% of respondents in the most recent survey say Sport Rocketry is good or excellent, that's a message that says we're doing most of right. My $0.02.

 

[Brent]

To me it comes down to supporting the hobby. I am a proud member of both TRA and NAR. Look at it as a long burn J motor, one that burns all year.

 

[AKPilot]

If it's so important to you, why not volunteer to do it yourself?

I actually have volunteered many times, on several different occasions.

In all actuality I did let many NAR Board members (Trip, Ted, Vince, Jennifer, etc.) in-person, directly, at various events (NARCON(s), & NSL(s)) providing all of my contact information, of positions I was interested in - never to hear back from anyone, with the exception of Vince once.

So sadly, my own personal experience, with the NAR BoD members, having volunteered for positions at least half a dozen times, is that they don't desire any assistance.

However, this is a digression from why I entered this topic - which is in responses to JRs question about why NAR doesn't offer a separate subscription to Sport Rocketry.

I too can't figure out why NAR doesn't offer it as a separate subscription, as there are many magazines out there being published without an organizational membership base. I agree wholeheartedly with Bunny's point about still offering it for LHS sale.

However, if the thought of doing so is met with the same reception or intolerance, in someone suggesting a possible better path - I guess the question becomes rhetorical in nature.

 

[rocketsmith]

I don't even pick up Sport Rocketry at my LHS, not even to take a look. The magazine has the highest ratio of advertisements to actual content that I have seen. I don't know how much insight I can glean from another "I built a rocket and crashed it" story. Occasionally I pick up Rockets mag and loved Extreme Rocketry, but even these rags seem to be little more than launch reports for the friends of the editors and glorified stories of relatively benign build threads by the same few fliers. Maybe it's because it's the same couple of individuals submitting material. I have taken the time to send in a couple of articles on unique deployment scenarios and composite panel layup and never heard anything. The articles never appeared, but we did get another dufus building a 16' tall 3fnc rocket with a physicians salary and lots of outside assistance. Really, a lot of money and several assistants can get a big rocket built? Enthralling.:rant:

To end the rant, I have decided that the magazines really aren't aimed toward me, an experienced rocketeer interested in research. The occasional propellant formula article or mathematics primer isn't enough to get me to shell out 6-8 bucks for a magazine.

 

[n3tjm]

I don't even pick up Sport Rocketry at my LHS, not even to take a look. The magazine has the highest ratio of advertisements to actual content that I have seen. I don't know how much insight I can glean from another "I built a rocket and crashed it" story. Occasionally I pick up Rockets mag and loved Extreme Rocketry, but even these rags seem to be little more than launch reports for the friends of the editors and glorified stories of relatively benign build threads by the same few fliers. Maybe it's because it's the same couple of individuals submitting material. I have taken the time to send in a couple of articles on unique deployment scenarios and composite panel layup and never heard anything. The articles never appeared, but we did get another dufus building a 16' tall 3fnc rocket with a physicians salary and lots of outside assistance. Really, a lot of money and several assistants can get a big rocket built? Enthralling.:rant:

To end the rant, I have decided that the magazines really aren't aimed toward me, an experienced rocketeer interested in research. The occasional propellant formula article or mathematics primer isn't enough to get me to shell out 6-8 bucks for a magazine.

I don't think the adds/content ration in SR is bad. I guess you have not subscribed or looked at any other type of magazines? Look at any Guns, Cars, Gaming, Sporting magazines? They got so many adds that they have pages just having adds, plus articles are spread trough several pages cause add space is limiting them to a single column if that. Its annoying, I find an article I like, maybe the first part of it takes up the majority of the page, and then continued page 22, continued page 24, continued page 67, continued page 72... Once I even got hooked in a article where it sent me to the page, and the magazine was missing that page . Some magazines I have not renewed because of that. There is one magazine I still subscribe to because despite the advertisement, I really do enjoy the articles.

I personally enjoy reading articles about rocket launches and looking at pictures of the launches; but I don't see that many of those article anymore. They do devote a magazine to Narcon and Naram and personally I do find those magazines a bit dry, but I have enjoyed some articles, and scanned through others.

Did you contact them about your articles? I know by experience it can take a while for your articles to be published.

 

[rocketsmith]

I don't think the adds/content ration in SR is bad. I guess you have not subscribed or looked at any other type of magazines? Look at any Guns, Cars, Gaming, Sporting magazines? They got so many adds that they have pages just having adds, plus articles are spread trough several pages cause add space is limiting them to a single column if that. Its annoying, I find an article I like, maybe the first part of it takes up the majority of the page, and then continued page 22, continued page 24, continued page 67, continued page 72... Once I even got hooked in a article where it sent me to the page, and the magazine was missing that page . Some magazines I have not renewed because of that. There is one magazine I still subscribe to because despite the advertisement, I really do enjoy the articles.

I personally enjoy reading articles about rocket launches and looking at pictures of the launches; but I don't see that many of those article anymore. They do devote a magazine to Narcon and Naram and personally I do find those magazines a bit dry, but I have enjoyed some articles, and scanned through others.

Did you contact them about your articles? I know by experience it can take a while for your articles to be published.

Well you guessed wrong. I subscribe to Nat. Geo., Scientific American, Design Engineering and Science. I am fully aware that magazines need to generate revenue and that the cost of the subscription barely covers the cost of printing it and getting it to my door. My previous statement indicated that I find the ratio of ads to content to be unsatisfying for me, which is based in part on my experience with the aforementioned magazines.

I have also been on this forum long enough to see that people get very snarky when someone expresses an opinion contrary to their emotionally held beliefs. I'm glad you like the magazine, I don't, and as such, I simply displayed a contrary opinion. I think there is room for all opinions on this forum, within the constraints of good taste of couurse. I'm sure given a few moments to reflect and seeing the reply here you may think that a charachter assasination, no matter how slight, was in poor taste. And to be sure, your opinion on a subject has no bearing whatsoever on my opinion on the same subject. I am certain the contrapositive is also true.

And no, I never inquired about the articles. It has been 2 years by now I have wasted enough time on the topic and seek no further interaction with said entities. Like I said, I don't read it so why would I care if the publish my articles?

 

[troj]

And no, I never inquired about the articles. It has been 2 years by now I have wasted enough time on the topic and seek no further interaction with said entities. Like I said, I don't read it so why would I care if the publish my articles?

That's unfortunate that you received zero response.

-Kevin

 

[n3tjm]

. I'm sure given a few moments to reflect and seeing the reply here you may think that a charachter assasination, no matter how slight, was in poor taste. And to be sure, your opinion on a subject has no bearing whatsoever on my opinion on the same subject. I am certain the contrapositive is also true.
?

I am sorry that you think I was attempting to assassinate your character, but that is not the case. I was just surprised to see you think that SR had to much add to content, and giving a few examples of other magazines that I subscribe or read on occasion. Nuff said.

 

[jadebox]

I don't see WHY NAR doesn't offer subscriptions to Sport Rocketry for those who'd like the magazine but don't want to pay $60 bucks to join NAR ...

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00006KXXW/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

It's not much less expensive than joining NAR and you don't get all the guidebook coupons!

-- Roger

 

[rocketsmith]

That's unfortunate that you received zero response.

-Kevin

I agree. Perhaps they never arrived at their destination. Maybe I should have sent them registered mail. In any case, effort for naught is an opportunity to learn something. Such as don't sweat the small stuff. And never sweat it twice.