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I was looking at subscribing to RAC engineer magazine until I found out it was £65 over the year (12 issues). I find this pretty expensive given the size of the mag!
Thing is I can pick up the mag for free if I ever drop by a wholesaler.
Does anybody know a way I can subscribe for free!?
[QUOTE=Does anybody know a way I can subscribe for free!?[/QUOTE]
I guess its on the same Que where you fill up your car for free.....:D
Well there is no price on the cover and free magazines do exist. They make the money through the advertising. I can't see the wholesalers paying for the copies.
I think you get 12 monthly editions, a year book with many manufacturers, wholesalers, trainers etc contact details in and the quarterly service engineer section, its the quarterly ones that i've seen free at the wholesalers.
All I can say is that I have, on and off taken the magazine, but take on board I have been around quite a long time.
Years ago it was aimed at those at the sharp end, there were articals for service engineers and sales people.
I know the business has changed but now it is all about what supermarkets are doing and large projects, it does not any more relate either to the man on the tools or the person selling to the local retailer or end user.
RAC also seems to have nothing for the people coming into the business, I can recall a section just for apprentices in the refrigeration business, as it was then before the AC sector developed.
I had my December issue it was so thin, take away the covers and editorial and what was left?
I do feel the editor I recall, Terry O'Gorman would have gone Ape S..t with so little content and so little content of consequence.
It is a mag these days for reprinting the global warming, environmental and other social and political issues which all have plenty of space and coverage in the print and electronic media with out recourse to bombarding those of us in the trenches.
Before RE, and I go back quite a long way, I felt that the RAC mag (Modern Refrigeration ) in my day had a slot for all those involved in the business, now it seems that the readership is those working for, associated with, involved on the periphery of the supermarkets and or the large AC contracting companies.
I know and am aware that they produce a special "Engineers" issue free at wholesalers, but have you read it, it is by and large a reprint of topics from the main mag.
I do feel we have all lost what was a close nit relationship with others in the trade, if you are in the UK take a look at the Professional Electrician mag to see haw far RAC have gone astray, they have a letters section, all from sparks working at the sharp end voicing ideas, grievousness , and some times just bloody minded rhetoric.
What you cannot but admire is that their trade Mag involves them, is it no surprise that RAC Mag seems to alienate or at least deters many in the trade from subscribing, why do the editorial team not see that there are far more potential subscribers at the sharp end than Exec's in the food industry, maybe its time to rethink the whole concept and stop producing a free issue for those who can get to a wholesaler and issue free direct to those with dirty finger nails a publication that relates to what people on the ground do on a daily basis.
The editor should take time out to look what happens on this and other sites that exchange information.
Well that off my chest, time for a beer
I haven't seen the "quarterly" service engineer supplement for about a year or so, I only get the main monthly mag:mad:
Editors have no clue what we do for a living, people who do don't write articles about it, and advertizers want to see articles that push their products.
I must admit i kept looking through the christmas edition looking for something that wasn't just about supermarkets/end users blaming engineers for everything.
It does seem now to be aimed more at the waffly tw*ts that make life a misery, rather than people who do a job of work.
I suppose in some ways this site is another nail in the coffin lid for Refrigeration Air Conditioning Publications.
Absolutely agree with BG Scott, this used to be "the magazine" and has lost its way. The other two free mags offer far better editorial.
Cancelled my subs 18 months ago but it still keeps popping through the letter box.:D
we get ours for free. every 12 months we get a call asking if we want to subscribe , we say no thank you . and hey presto it keeps on popping through our letter box .:DQuote:
Originally Posted by spimps
So True... I agree 150% it's a shame. I use to get Refrigeration Service and Contracting before they laid it to rest. One of the best ones I've seen, been looking for old copies....