Snip>>>
> From: jack.sippel@nellcorpb.com
> To: cq-contest@contesting.com; cw@qth.net
> Subject: [CQ-Contest] contest QSL ettiquette
> I asked another op for a QSL card because I needed a verification from
> his state for my W.A.S. award. I also had one station ask me for one
> during the QSO and I will certainly reply. Am I expected to send QSL
* cards to everyone I contact?
>>> snip
Jack,
I had this question many years ago (too many to admit now). I have been
licensed for 35 years and have been a very active contester for all of
those 35 years.... I never had the station to be able to win (and in
reality don't have the desire either). I contest just for the fun of the
competition. It's a means to quickly get different goals (WAS, DXCC,
DLD, JCC, R-100-o etc.).
Somewhere in the late 80's I became obsessed with WPX, (wanting to work
every conceivable US Prefix) and worked many of the domestic contests to
obtain some of these rare 2x1 prefixes (actually hunted them out during
the contest instead of concentrating on my score). I would send out
hundreds of cards, each with SASE to make it easy for the station to
just find me in his log and reply.... To my total amazement I only got
back about 50% reply rate. (160 meters I found even worse)
Some observations I made during this time frame:
I found that if I call someone (he is CQing) my reply rate is about 20%.
If I am CQing, my rate goes up and I even get some unsolicited cards.
(which I reply to without fail).
I looked at the contest results and found these same delinquent stations
were also the ones that placed quite well in the contests. (Now this
would tick me off even more.. Are these people too busy patting
themselves on the back to reply to a simple request for a card? Are
they too self-important to reply? Even more important, what can be done
about it?)
With the advent of computer logging, I find that I can now prowl the
contest and when I come across one of these delinquent stations I just
keep on going (no sense working him, I am going to get nothing out of
it). When one of them answer my CQ I say to them.... ooops.. I see I
worked you back in 1986 and never received your QSL card ... so I see no
reason to work you now... QRZ? ....
A few things remain the same by doing this...
#1- I still don't win contests (so?).
#2- I still have fun contesting.
#3- I feel a bunch better - these Slobs ain't going to get this rare
New Jersey Multiplier... I sure show them!!!....
Don't give up.. There are many more good guys out there than bad guys...
73' Bill K2NJ
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