This is like a sit com. :-) After trying for months to gain access to the website, it worked for 2 days. Now, my membership has expired (actually it has months to go) and they went me to re-up. So...no access to the site. :-)
Quite the polished operation they have there. :-) I'll give them my credit card info right away.
What a joke.
Chuck

Hi Chuck,

I would have to agree with you. AMPS is quite the "professional" organization. My experience with them hasn't been the fiasco that yours has but it's been far from ideal. Membership renewal is most unlikely.

Scott

I'm sorry you're having difficulties Chuck. The website is both changing webmasters and undergoing redesign. I'm sure this can be frustrating.

I've sent your comments on to the Executive.

Gunnie

Scott, as I said to Chuck, we are not a professional organisation in any real sense at all. We are about 10 volunteers spread out over three countries trying to co-ordinate an even more diverse bunch of members. If the minimum level of service that you require is on a par with a Military Modelling subscription, then, I'm sorry, we can't offer that. We just don't have any paid staff or a centralised office where I can pop down to see the subscription manager and ask what is happening to a member's subscription.

We try to offer an enhanced range of value services, like the research bent to the magazine and, as the new site becomes more functional, more Full Metal Jacket photos, a "you-build-it" reference and review section as well as on-line back issues of Boresight in PDF format. This we can offer. The turnaround time and professional management of a for profit magazine, no, that we can't offer. Wish we could. I really wish we could, but $25 a year won't cover those things on 400-500 members per year.

We can always use more volunteers, though. If you would like to help us provide better service to members, I have a number of really cool projects that are currently going begging because I don't have anyone to follow them through. I encourage any member who would like to better the society to email me or any of the other executive members they may know and ask to pitch in. We'd be more than glad to have you.

All the best,

Paul Roberts
President
Armor Modeling and Preservation Society

Chuck,

While I wish you would have emailed me right away with your problems, as soon as I saw this post I emailed the responsible Exec members and asked for an explanation and I will have your access turned back on today while all this is resolved. As for being polished, as I said before, we are not a polished group, we are about 10 volunteer schmucks trrying to do our best for the membership. I don't know what happened and I am trying to find out. Once I know, I'll also try to change the internal system to ensure it doesn't happen again.

I'm sorry this has bitten you several times, but I am trying to get it resolved.

All the best,

Paul Roberts
President
Armor Modeling and Preservation Society

Chuck,

Just a little update. I understand that you have had your access to the site turned on again, which is just what we wanted.

One thing has come up that may start to explain why things have been messed up for so long. Did you join AMPS using a business Paypal address? Our records indicate that someone using your email address paid for membership using a "Models and More" name in MD. Is this you? If so, your actual name isn't anywhere on our records, just the business address. If you are trying to log on using your name and it is your business name we have on record, that might go a long way to explaining why things have repeatedly gone awry.

If this is the case, we will probably have to add a line on the registration area or as a Paypal comment so that a members's actual name is recorded in case he is using a third aprty Paypal account.

Let me know, please,

Paul

Chuck & Paul,
Forgive me if I seem a little harsh, but I've
sat back and listened to the BASHING and BANTER
about AMPS long enough.
Chuck, I am sorry you are having the issue problems you are. Honestly. But you cant expect the AMPS site to
function any where close to Armorama. Its not even set up the same. AMPS is not a profit organization, and the staff is not available 24/7 to jump right on everyones
problem at light speed.
I have been affiliated w/ AMPS since the mid 80's. Yes I have gone thru the growing pains. NO
Boresight for months on end, Web page Woes, Web functions inop, Sometimes biased reviews and functions of our members. But we have to get out of an organization what we feel the need serves. If its not up to your standards , get involved, make suggestions, or move on if its not your cup of tea.
Being a member of AMPS has allowed me to feed my need for the wheeled and tracked environment beyond my Military duty. There are no Local Armor afiliated clubs in my area, and the club I am a member of is Aircraft biased, but hey that doesn't
stop me from building armor. The GRAND FINALLY I think is the Annual AMPS show. If you havn't attended I extend a warm welcome to you. At previous shows I have met GREAT individuals from the UK, Germany, Australia, Israel, and many more. This would not have happened in my home town or if I stayed glued to my PC. I ask that you take AMPS @ face value and I ask that you know the inner workings of it before you condem us. OK I'll get off the Box now. TY.

Just for the record Armorama is not a "professional" organization either. I would be happy it it were my full-time profession though. Just not quite there... yet.

Having had my own problems organizing our own A-Guard subscriptions I am perhaps a bit more sympathetic to Paul and his staff's problems in this area. That said I think we all want to keep our end of the bargain up.

Jim

PS: Yes Dave this means you will get your shirt in early 2006! It will be one of my New Year's resolutions!

:-) :-) :-) We really do need that rolling on the floor dude...... :-) :-) :-) Happy New Year Jim.....

Hey wait a minute! Dave was telling us new Gold members that we'd have to wait for the new shirts, that Jim sends them out a bit at a time. First you get the sleeves then you get the....