[CQ-Contest] Logbook of the World as substitute for bureau QSLing

[Pete Smith]

At 03:14 PM 11/19/03 -0500, K4IK wrote:
>I will never replace all QSLing with LotW, that is, I will
>continue to respond to bureau cards via the bureau and direct
>cards (with SASE) direct.  However, I see no reason for any
>"premptive" QSLing at this point ... the preemptive QSLs will
>be LotW uploads.


Joe, the reason I preemptively QSL is that it takes too much time to look 
up and respond to each card individually -- I am sitting here right now 
looking at a 10-lb box of QSLs, approximately 1500 QSLs.  At 30 seconds a 
card, including time to decide whether I've already QSLed that guy on that 
band/mode combination, that's roughly 750 minutes, or 12 1/2 hours, just to 
do the lookups.  I get 3-4 such boxes a year!

>
>
>If someone needs a paper card for their own reason, that's fine
>but the ca. $2-$3 per card cost is no longer justified.  I hope
>LotW will someday support a printable card for those who want
>to either store an electronic image or print a hard copy.  Who
>knows, I may even use eQSL.cc just to allow someone to have a
>tangible card as opposed to an electronic record but LotW will
>be my "standard."


Now THIS is a wonderful idea.  With the storage capacity that is available 
today, it should be relatively easy to allow LotW members, for a charge, to 
be able to upload a master QSL card form.  Then, when somebody runs through 
his matches on LotW, he could see which ones offer the option of a QSL 
image, and choose to receive a pdf image with the data filled in, either 
free or for a small fee.  If necessary, the image could be "watermarked" or 
otherwise marked as not valid for DXCC, but would be fine for display.

I would jump at such an idea, and offer a much nicer QSL card than the one 
that now goes to my bureau QSOs.  Everybody wins.

73, Pete N4ZR
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