I thought the LOTW seemed absurd when I first looked at it, but now I like
LOTW for several reasons:
(1) I don't lose my shirt on sending QSL cards. According to eQSL's "My
Savings" I've racked up about $2000 in postage and card expenses since last
year. I haven't cared to sit down and see if that's true or not, but I'd
rather spend $2000 in a new radio than cards *IF* I can get confirmations
electronically
(2) unlike eQSL it will only give you a QSL if the information you send
matches the information sent by the station you worked. It isn't merely a
list of calls from people who confirm working you - it is an actual
confirmation that your log matches someone else's log.
(3) If I work a station on multiple bands and multiple modes I get
individual confirmations without having to deal with a stack of cards to
accomplish the same goal. I've worked NN0G, for example, 7 times this year,
on 10m, 15m, 20m, and 40m - four confirmations for 5-band WAS out of the way
for Colorado right there.
Don't get me wrong, if someone takes the time to send me a card in the mail
I will take the time to return one, and would appreciate likewise (I still
send out cards, just not all the time). I've got so many cards here now I
almost prefer LOTW QSLs, except for the obvious special event stations, etc.
Incidentally - I was recently berated on the air because I mentioned "QSL
via LOTW and eQSL is ok". The gentleman on the other end of the keyboard
pounded out some of the nastiest, unfriendly text I've seen come across my
screen...finishing with "those services are going to destroy ham radio and
you're not a real ham". Funny, I sent him a card in the mail anyway - still
haven't had one back from him.
73 - Scott, N4GVA
--
-----Original Message-----
From: rtty-bounces@contesting.com [mailto:rtty-bounces@contesting.com] On
Behalf Of Michael Furfari
Sent: Thursday, March 25, 2004 10:29 AM
To: Don Inbody; RTTY@contesting.com
Subject: Re: [RTTY] Spring Break RTTY Sprint
I don't know about others, but the Lotw doesn't thrill me too much. It just
results in a database of people who confirm they worked you?
I have uploaded most of my QSOs but do it when "I get around to it" and
probably will update it once a month or so.
If someone sends me a QSL with an SASE I will reply within one week.
Buro cards get sent out a couple of times a year.
Contesters are much better QSLers than the general ham community from what I
have observed over the years.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Don Inbody" <ad0k@inbody.net>
To: <RTTY@contesting.com>
Sent: Thursday, March 25, 2004 10:19 AM
Subject: RE: [RTTY] Spring Break RTTY Sprint
> I was just reviewing my contest log from the NA RTTY Sprint, and noticed
> that, to date, the electronic QSL rate of contesters (LotW) has been 30%.
> My normal LotW QSL rate is 8% overall and 20% since Jan 04.
>
> So, that tells me that contesters are more hooked into the electronic QSL
> business, which is good. While I wish the rate of return was higher, I
have
> to compliment the RTTY contesting community for leading the pack.
>
> Don
>
> Don Inbody/AD0K
> QSL via LotW and eQSL
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> RTTY mailing list
> RTTY@contesting.com
> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/rtty
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