On 2012-02-16, at 9:25 PM, Jeff wrote:
> "...so we can get those coveted awards we all like."
Hi Jeff et al,
I certainly have nothing against LotW, or the folks who swear by it. It is the
"coming thing" IMHO, and given time will surely render hardcopy QSLs a place
atop the scrap heap of Ham radio history that includes such quaint novelties as
spark transmissions, cat's whisker detectors, separate transmitter-receivers,
etc. etc.
Personally, however---despite its many obvious advantages---I want no part of
it. I enjoy the look & feel of an honest-to-goodness QSL card in my hands, &
even after 41 years in the game, I still thrill at the prospect of opening up
that fresh bundle of cards that might await me in my mail box from the QSL
bureau.
Look at this way: LotW caters especially to the awards-seeking crowd, correct?
Instant gratification! Great! But what if the ARRL, and others, was to suddenly
announce that they'd no longer issue hard copy certificates---"virtual awards"
only, viewable on-line...? I wonder if that might cool one's enthusiasm for ANY
paper-chasing. We now have virtual QSL cards---can virtual awards be far
behind...?
So many objects of desire in to-day's society anymore seem to be reduced to
fleeting collections of electrons visible on a computer screen: turn the power
off, the objects are gone. Yet real, paper QSLs are actual things that can
easily outlive our own stay in this place & time---I liken them to leaving
proverbial footprints in the sands of time. Long after MY own "...collection of
BIOLOGICAL electrons" ceases to function & disappears, my hard copy cards &
certificates, for better or worse, of relevance or none, will remain, testament
at least to the fact that at one time I really & truly was here...
Somehow I just don't think the virtual world of eQSLs & LotW will work quite
the same way...
~73~ de Eddy VE3CUI - VE3XZ
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UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
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