CQ Facebook 'fans' top 3500 mark

More than 3,500 Facebook users have signed up as 'fans' of CQ magazine on the popular internet social networking site. Plus, they represent a considerably younger group of ham radio operators than organized ham radio has been reaching through traditional means.

"According to Facebook's own demographics, the majority of CQ's fans on the site are age 45 or younger," according to CQ Editor Rich Moseson, W2VU. "This is significant because it means we have opened up an important avenue of communication with these younger hams by making the effort to go where they 'hang out,' rather than expecting them to find us. This is essential if we are going to make sure that younger hams are connected to the mainstream of the hobby."

Facebook statistics also show that CQ's fans are drawn from all over the world, with more than 20 countries represented and members in the U.S. accounting for only a little more than one-third of CQ's Facebook fans.

CQ Amateur Radio magazine is the world's leading independent amateur radio publication, with readers in over 100 countries.

CQ sponsors more than a dozen amateur radio contests and operating awards, including the world's most popular participation sport, the CQ World Wide DX Contest, which has drawn more than 10,000 competitors in each of the past two years. Thousands of additional stations participated but did not submit logs.

CQ is a publication of CQ Communications, Inc., which also publishes Popular Communications, CQ VHF and WorldRadio Online magazines.