July 9th, 2010

Fathom and ARRL Reinvent Website for Ham Radio Operators

The American Radio Relay League (ARRL), the largest organization of radio amateurs in the United States with more than 156,000 members, has launched a new website that will connect ham radio operators around the world. The site presents the swath of services that ARRL offers the ham radio community, while giving hams room to share stories about emergency communications, contests and the latest equipment.

Fathom, the Hartford-based brand and creative firm, led ARRL through a multi-year strategic website planning process that included focus groups, site architecture development, design, content generation, and functionality.

“Once we recognized ARRL’s ultimate goal was to create a website that reflected the organization’s member-centric focus, we had the spark we needed to frame our initial planning and designs,” said Brent Robertson, Fathom’s President and Executive Creative Director and a ham radio operator known by his call sign, KB1PYY.

With its many roles, ARRL generates a tremendous amount of content and attracts frequent visits from some 156,000 members. The previous ARRL website had grown to more than 48,000 pages, causing challenges in updating content and ensuring consistent information throughout the site.

A custom-built content management system allows ARRL staff to update virtually every facet of the site in real time, a must when ham radio operators are responding to emergency situations in Haiti and across the globe. The new site is designed and carefully vetted to work for active ham operators, while also welcoming the media, the public, and those new to amateur radio.

About ARRL
The American Radio Relay League (ARRL) is the national membership association for amateur radio operators. The League represents Amateur Radio interests to regulatory bodies, provides technical advice and assistance to Amateur Radio enthusiasts and supports a number of educational programs throughout the country. ARRL is a non-profit organization.

About Fathom
 
Fathom is a brand and creative firm that helps forward-looking organizations to cultivate and sustain the value they offer the world. Clients turn to Fathom when they need to reinvent or reinvigorate their brand. When bringing a brand to life, Fathom helps clients engage audiences by leveraging the best of online, print and event marketing. Fathom's clients include Yale, ConnectiCare, Wireless Zone, Aid to Artisans and more. More about Fathom can be found at: www.fathom.net.