[CQ-Contest] Contest QSLing WARNING: Strong Language

[Nat Heatwole]

 >   Several months ago, I sent out quite a bunch of QSL cards to US
 > contestor contacts, all with SASE's and half with pre-printed QSL cards
 > that only required a signature from the contestor.  Since moving, I
 > decided to work on my 5 band WAS from my new state.  So far the response
 > has been 10-20%.  This is PATHETIC!
 >
 > And we waste our time talking about trying to get new blood and youth
 > into contesting???  If contestors are this inconsiderate, who would want
 > to be part of that group?
 >
 > As much as I love the activity of contesting per se, I must say I am
 > very disappointed.  I wonder whether my interest in US contesting will
 > continue if lack of basic consideration for other hams continues.
 > Interestingly enough, I have never had these problems with DX QSLing.
 >
 > 73 Merri AB0MV (ex-KF4OAD)

I totally agree Merri. Your statement that 10-20% return rate is pathetic
hits the nail right on the head. I too am an award chaser and I also QSL
many stateside contesters whom I contact. I send ALL stateside cards with an
SASE and I would say that only about 80% make their way back. Through my
attempts at award chasing I'm developed a super check partial list of calls
in my head that do not QSL and I make an attempt NOT to work each and every
one of them in every contest. I could run off some of their calls (many of
them quite notorious and famous) right here but I don't really see what that
would accomplish.

I have always believed that an ORGANIZED (by CQ Magazine, the ARRL, RSGB,
etc.) award system based on QSL cards is one of the few very distinct
factors that separate the amateur bands from the citizens band. Award
chasing and award chasing alone is the one factor that got me into
contesting and is the one factor that cause many to make the jump. Good
thing it's not the only factor I wound up enjoying about contesting as I
would be long gone from the ranks of contesting now with the domestic return
rates as they are.

I think that award chasing is one of the major reasons a lot elect to
participate in contests. These folks (your casual ops) put in a few hours
here and there over the weekend handing out some QSO's and working some new
DXCC, WAS, etc. Many of these operators ASSUME that a majority of those whom
they contact will return a QSL card if an SASE is provided. This notion is
probably learning in the DXing and casual QSOing areas of ham radio where
the return rates are much better. After realizing that contesting is in fact
NOT as incredible for "QSL gathering" (ie. incredibly low USA return rate)
as they had assumed many of these casual ops leave contesting and lean back
towards DXing and casual QSOing.

I believe that N6TR did at one time devise a way to make QSL cards for about
3 cents apiece. That's 33 cards for $1. For about $600, 20,000 cards could
be made. How long does it take you to make 20,000 QSO's? If an SASE is
provided with the QSL request there is no reason not to spend the 3 cents to
return the QSL. This is nothing compared to a 75 cent charge (at the
minimum) taken by the casual op in sending the SASE/QSL. The same station
owners that spend tens of thousands of dollars building stacks to the sky,
operating with 2 radios, and having 15 rotatable antennas neglect to spend
this 3 cents on their QSLers.

Many believe that contesting is or will die. While contester population in
Europe is growing, that of the U.S. is very much shrinking. I believe this
is due in part to the lack of courtesy by many operators not returning QSL
card requests. Many complain that there's no one to work on Sunday in SS.
Maybe that fact could change if some changes are made to many contesters QSL
ethics. So many complain that ham radio and contesting are dying and so many
are desperately looking for ways to bring "new blood" into our ranks. In my
view QSLing all contacts is an excellent start.

I believe it's wrong to solicit QSO's from stations (ie. calling CQ Contest)
that hope to receive a QSL confirmation and then working them under that
false premonition. Operators should either say "No QSL Please" before each
contact, advertise before hand (on the Internet for example) that they do
not QSL, or return all QSL requests sent with an SASE. But who would be
willing to do one of the first two? No one who enjoys rate, that's for sure.
As a great ham once said "A QSL is the final courtesy of a QSO". Isn't it
really worth the 3 cents to grant that courtesy? Contesters already have a
bad enough reputation within many circles. Net operators hate us CQing on
their "home" frequency, casual QSOer's despise it when the bands are packed
each weekend from head to toe with us, and those guys on 80m SSB just plain
loath us. Contesters have such a bad reputation in so many circles. Do we
really need to maintain the one we have in the QSLing circle?

73, Nat, WZ3AR
<heatwole at clark.net>
Damascus, Maryland


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