[TowerTalk] Cuba QSL's

[Ron St. Laurent]

I posted a note on the DX Packet Cluster the other night and received
the below reply.  I then countered with the last message.  Anyone else 
had this experience QSLing CO8LY?

Ron ND5S

Message #47 (95 is last):
Date: Wed Aug  6 23:06:21 1997
From: trible@snake.srv.net (Fletcher)
Subject: CO8LY QSLing
To: at949@detroit.freenet.org


Ronald, ND5S -

Tonight I saw your remarks regarding the waste of dollars trying to get
CO8LY QSL cards on the OH2BUA web cluster.

My own experience with CO8LY was that I QSOed him on 10.1 MHz in May and
sent him $1 and an SASE with my QSL.  In July, he sent me back a QSL card
for our QSO along with several QSL cards for other U.S. hams for me to
deliver for him.  I don't know if those hams had also sent him SASEs and
money or not.  I delivered those cards to the other U.S. hams at my expense.
Perhaps he did the same with your card and the problem is with another U.S.
ham not forwarding the card to you.

The economic situation in Cuba must be awful and perhaps he is just trying
to save some of the cash he receives.  Or, perhaps the postage system is
subject to pilfering there and he is not even receiving your letters.

Anyway, I have always thought that getting them confirmed is almost as hard
as working them in the first place!!  Keep after it, CO/CM is fairly common,
even though their QSL return rate is abysmal.

Best DXing to you, 73


- Don Fletcher, AC7P
   Idaho Falls, Idaho


%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

MY REPLY

Hi Don,  Thanks for your message.  I looked in my very detailed
records.  I sent for a QSL 3 times and included 2 dollars each
time.  For what I paid, I believe I deserved a direct return and
not rely on the chance that my QSL would be forwarded by some
other kind-hearted ham.  I have had cards come to me that way
that I have forwarded, but I have to wonder how many hit the
trash can.  At this point I will still warn others of the
potential for not getting their cards from Cuba; be it the
ham's fault, the short cash problem on the part of the ham, or
mail pilferage.  I have not had this much trouble with any other
country on the planet and I have 286 confirmed countries and
very close to 5BDXCC.  Your reply confirms that CO8LY uses the
forwarding method and my cards probably ended up in someone's 
trashcan.  
By the way, I have CO8LY worked on 10, 15, 17, 20 and 30.  I
would love to have his card.  He is a very active op.  Kinda
makes you think that he may be suplementing his income.  
If it seems you hit a raw nerve with me, you did.  I have worked
35 Cubans and received 2 QSL's; both from U.S. managers.  When
I hear a Cuban station on the air I first check if he has a
manager outside of Cuba.  If he does not, I bypass him figuring
that this is just one more guy looking for $'s.  It may not be
fair to brand them all but I am basing my experience on data.   

Ron ND5S        

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