[CQ-Contest] QSL practices.

[Ralph Bowen]

Egbert Hertsen wrote:
After a SWL career of 1 1/5 decade, I got my belgian ticket
> just before the CW leg of the '95 CQWW test and I immediately joined the
> fun and QSLed everybody. Today, I'm still waiting for many cards to
> arrive via the bureau.


Dear  Egbert:

Being a VOLUNTEER working for the W5 QSL bureau, you can rest assured
that 18 months to two years is an absolute MINIMUM time for a round trip
through the bureau. The cards pass through many VOLUNTEER hands before
even reaching the target hams.  Once answered, they again pass through
many VOLUNTEER hands on their way back to you. 

We sometime get packets of cards that are already 2-3 years old before
they even get stuffed in the envelopes to the individual recipient
hams.  A couple of years ago, one of the European bureaus decided to
clean house, and we were deluged with thousands of cards from the 1970's
& 1980's.  Many of the recipients had either become inactive or changed
callsigns, etc.

I know that bureau cards are a low priority with many contesters.  If
you are truly interested in receiving cards, the bureau is NOT the way
for quick results.  SASE and PATIENCE is the best way to go.   

73,  Gator  N5RZ   rbowen at iglobal.net


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