The ARRL Annual Report for 2010 -- now available online -- reviews the major events of the year and documents the renewed growth of both the ARRL and the activities of the Amateur Radio Service. For the fourth consecutive year, ARRL membership grew -- totaling 156,475 members at year end.

“For the ARRL, 2010 was another year of welcome stability in an uncertain world,” said ARRL Chief Executive Officer David Sumner, K1ZZ. “The volunteer leadership of our association transitioned smoothly from outgoing President Joel Harrison, W5ZN, to Kay Craigie, N3KN. ARRL membership increased slightly, the fourth year in a row in which we have experienced growth. Our financial results were somewhat better than expected once again, thanks to the loyal support of members and our continuing attention to cost control.”

Calling ARRL members, volunteers and staff “a great team,” Sumner said that the ARRL has accomplished a lot in a challenging economic climate: “Unlike many membership associations, our membership is increasing and our renewal rate is high and holding steady. We are financially healthy -- healthier now than at any time in the history of the organization, despite the recession.”

ARRL President Kay Craigie, N3KN, said 2010 “brought us some significant challenges, not all of which have yet been completely overcome, as well as opportunities that we will continue to explore in the future. In other countries of our hemisphere, the value of Amateur Radio and the courage of radio amateurs were shown once again when disasters struck.”

In legislative matters, Craigie said the ARRL “came tantalizingly close to getting our bill on the President’s desk in the session of Congress just concluded. The divisive atmosphere on Capitol Hill caused our bill and many others to stall. As soon as the Board has adopted the legislative goals for the new session of Congress, our work will begin again. The introduction of our electronic newsletter on legislative affairs and the expanded capabilities of the new ARRL website, in addition to work being done by volunteers in the field, will improve our chances of legislative success in the coming year.”

Craigie noted that ARRL members have said they want to know more about the ARRL’s advocacy on behalf of Amateur Radio: “Consequently, we are planning a short video summarizing the ARRL’s advocacy program -- encompassing regulation, legislation and litigation on the domestic side, and our work in cooperation with the International Amateur Radio Union on the international side. Drawing upon the expertise of volunteers and using the website’s options for video, we will develop an informative presentation for clubs and conventions. It will increase members’ awareness of the ARRL’s total advocacy program. In addition, it may increase their willingness to contribute to advocacy-related fund drives and to write to their Representatives and Senators in support of the League’s legislative objectives. This is not the only video we expect to produce in 2011. A number of departments within ARRL also have plans to create informative short videos on many topics of interest to members.”

According to Craigie, the evolving role of Amateur Radio in emergencies continues to be debated within the Amateur Radio family. “The need to keep Amateur Radio relevant to today’s disaster telecommunications environment has to be balanced with protecting our spectrum from encroachment by commercial entities,” she explained. “Recent changes in the FCC’s rules on emergency communications followed an intense and thoughtful discussion in which the League took a lead role. The ARRL continues to revise and improve our training courses for Amateur Radio emergency communicators. Combined with other training experiences, these courses prepare amateurs to do our best when the worst things happen.”

Sumner said that Amateur Radio faced challenges, not only in 2010, but in years to come, including commercial pressure on the radio spectrum, an inevitable decline in print advertising revenue, a compelling need to introduce a digital edition of our membership journal and the unavoidable impact of an aging membership base. “But we also have great strengths,” he explained, “and if we harness them effectively over the next few years, the ARRL and Amateur Radio will be well positioned for a bright second century -- at least as bright as their first.”

The 2010 ARRL Annual Report can be downloaded in its entirety from the ARRL website.