[SEDXC] Poor practices

[David L. Thompson]

Its getting to the place where QSL managers don't answer your requests or to
get a card you must send Green backs plus send it registered.  One German
ham is known as Dollar bill chaser by his countrymen.    Since the early
1990's QSL cards from Russia and the former USSR republics are few in number
and require sending to a manager who expects $$$ for a reply.    And have
you noticed that the returns to the ARRL Buro are almost non existent these
days.    I think I have received 300 cards the past two years and over half
of those are stations I worked from my St. Simons Island IOTA location.
(They want a card!).

I sent off for the four new ones I worked the past year to move me back up
near the top of the DXCC honor roll.  Martti came through in fine style with
the TX0 cards as he did with the E44 cards.  But zilch from BQ9P (2000) from
KU9C and 4W6GH (CT1EGH)who I worked on 40, 20, 17, 12, and 10.  I sent them
again in February with the honor roll deadline approaching but still
nothing.  So I will wait until next march and bring my DXCC totals up to
date.  I have decided to work them just for fun from now on unless there is
a stateside manager such as N4AA for HK0M Malpelo or Marrti is involved.   I
can't afford to throw bucks and IRCs away and get such poor results.
Rotten hamming al la TOM!!!

Another poor practice is Dxpeditions landing on lists to work stations.   It
always happens the stations that hear the DX best can't get on the list as
they are in poor skip with the list taker.  My favorite story is the 20
meter list group busy thinking they were working 3B9FR but instead FH8OM
(now FH5OM) was trying to tell them who he was and that 3B9FR was busy that
night and could not come up.  Bill WA4VDE and I laughed about this for
years.   Finally Bill worked FH8OM (59 in Atlanta) and then the list takers
keep saying no contact no contact...they never did catch on!    Another
night this same group had FR7/J up and were struggling to hear him.  he  was
solid copy here and I listened  for a while and suddenly they said "radio
Bravo" go ahead.  I worked him and asked him go go to 40 the next night.
Have no idea who the Radio bravo was on their list.

The final poor practice is Dxpeditions that seem to come up to work favorite
areas and ignore propagation to areas where its tough to work them.   One
the reverse side of that is hams that complain that small expeditions don't
work round the clock or don't have much of a signal.
I think HK3JJH has done a great job with poor antennas, limited power, and
having to climb that rope each time he goes ashore.  I would have packed it
in after the first or second group blasted me.

Where is "the old man" when we need him???

Dave K4JRB