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

[Joe]

When did getting QSL's from a contest QSO become a bad thing?

I've been in this radio thing since 1975 and have used the buro a LOT. 
And I am willing to wager that at least 50% of my QSL's that I would use 
for WAS, DXCC, WAZ, etc. are from my contest operating.

I agree sending out a QSL for every contact in a contest is just plain 
stupid. This is just crazy and not needed.  BUT, after the contest is 
over, and I look over the say 2000 QSO's made in the past 48 hours, I 
find 50 are new states, countries, zones, etc.  sending out card 
requests for those, what is wrong with that.  And then later on as the 
QSL requests coming in to me from the other side of the contacts from 
people that need Wisconsin, or Sauk county, or whatever, is a small 
steady flow of cards that at first come in and then go back out.

What is wrong with any of that?

Joe WB9SBD



The Original Rolling Ball Clock
Idle Tyme
Idle-Tyme.com
http://www.idle-tyme.com

On 3/28/2012 8:14 PM, Richard DiDonna NN3W wrote:
> I had posted a response earlier in this topic, but for some reason it was
> never cleared through.
>
> I strongly have to disagree with N2MM's position on QSLing.  As contesters,
> we go through a lot to make QSOs.  On sunday, we beg, we plead, we cajole
> and we wring out the wet clothing to make any and every QSO.  We work casual
> operators who are just tuning the band or playing in the contest - without
> any intent to submit a log.  They're there because they want to make some
> contacts.  And they're there because they are award chasing.  Maybe its for
> a new county, or a new state, or for a new DXCC counter.  Irrespective of
> the reason, many casual operators have found contests to be a good place to
> work on amateur radio awards.
>
> Many of these operators are foreigners or young amateurs who 1) have no idea
> what LoTW and/or eQSL are, 2) don't believe in LoTW or eQSL, or 3) are not
> proficient enough to use LoTW or eQSL.  So they send us a paper card.
>
> Frankly, I think that rather discourteous to beg somone for a QSO (and even
> to move them to another band) and then NOT reply to a QSL request - no
> matter how it comes in.
>
> Consider it the cost of doing business in a contest.
>
> 73 Rich NN3W
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Carol Richards"<n2mm at comcast.net>
> To:<cq-contest at contesting.com>
> Sent: Wednesday, March 28, 2012 4:57 PM
> Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] Is QSL Bureau pertinent in today HAM Radio
>
>
>> Here are some of my thoughts on the issue>
>>
>> Qsl'ing can certainly be cost prohitive, especially when I average 30k
> qso's
>> per year. With that in mind:
>>
>> 1.I have up-loaded all 270k qso's to LOTW ( just since 1991) The other 30
>> years of qsos are still in paper logbooks ( 35 log books and 20 years of
>> paper contest logs) Maybe when I retire, all will go into LOTW.
>>
>> 2. I still answer all qsl direct requests. (with or without postage)
>>
>> 3. I generally will not answer bureau requests from contests. I make at
>> least 15000 contest qsos/year At $70/1000 to print the cards and the
> bureau
>> fees + postage to send, I am looking at almost $1000 each year to answer
>> cards from contests. I am sorry but I am not one of those 1%'ers.
>> Furthermore, there are a number of dx stations that send me 5-10 qsls for
>> every contest every year via the bureau.
>>
>> 4. If a dx station really needs my card, even from a contest,  and sends
> me
>> an e-mail with his request, I will honor it. ( my e-mail address is on
>> QRZ.com)
>>
>> 5. I will use the bureau as much as possible for my needed outgoing cards,
>> but many stations will only qsl direct with $$/IRC's.
>>
>> 6. I counted around 100 band entities on LOTW that I need confirmed. The
>> problem is that I have already sent direct requests to 85% of them. I
> think
>> that they are just keeping the $$. With that in mind, I refuse to expend
> any
>> more money for a non-qsl.
>>
>> 7. I enjoy the old-fashioned paper cards. Many are quite beautiful. Some
> are
>> comical, and some are close to being X-rated. I would miss all of that
>> enjoyment with LOTW confirmations.
>>
>> I grew up in this hobby believing that the final courtesy of a qso is a
> qsl.
>> Obviously there are too many who do not share my beliefs. Enough has been
>> written on the low percentage of returns from various countries and even
>> here from our brethren statesiders.
>>
>>
>> Carol
>>
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