[CQ-Contest] Is QSL Bureau pertinent in today HAM Radio

[Jim Cassidy]

I am  a Bureau sorter in the 7th call area bureau.  I  thought I would add some insight from the volunteers perspective.  

Its not a huge time consumer to handle the cards but has many small hassles that slow things down. A fairly large percentage do not use the bureau.  And some that do make things tougher for us.  Some who receive lots of cards will only provide a few SASE with 1 oz of postage.  Others send lots of money and envelopes but receive very few cards.  In some cases almost none.  

The current postage regulations make it very complicated to mail the small packages.  The basic envelope is easy.  From there its more postage if there is a metal clasp. Its more if its too stiff or thicker than 1/4 inch.  Also only so many can be stuffed into a 6x9 inch envelope.  In some cases larger users will use the flat rate boxes.  Thats the most cost efficient but unless they are getting hundreds of cards not too useful.

The possibility of also doing domestic cards was approached a few years ago. Other than the fact it did not happen I do not know anything of the outcome.  

To sum it up there is a lot of volunteer work to keep the ARRL Inbound bureau functioning.

Personally I still like the paper QSLs but I do think LOTW should be used.  And there are some stations around the world that QSL for every contact on each band and mode for every QSO.  That adds quite a lot to the volume. Personally I do not like that at all.  Its one thing to confirm a 14Mhz QSO on CW for some one but not for the many contest QSOs every year.

73

----- Original Message -----
From: "Joe" <nss at mwt.net>
To: cq-contest at contesting.com
Sent: Wednesday, March 28, 2012 12:43:15 PM
Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] Is QSL Bureau pertinent in today HAM Radio

I Voted, and it looks lie i m in the majority also.

I'd love to see it opened to stateside QSL's also.  he cost of sending 
them now is far more costly than what DX cards cost to send when the 
buro was made.

As they say the infrastructure is already there.

Joe WB9SBD

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