[UK-CONTEST] OT: RSGB move and QSL bureau - closure?

[Colin]

Oh dear, even more scaremongering by people who should know better.   
Indeed the content of Mike's email is almost word for word the same as 
that recently sent to a UK DXing organisation, but under a different 
name and callsign.   A touch of fifth columnism and disinformation going 
on here I guess.

We could probably fill RadCom with pages of things that the Society is 
not currently doing, but what the majority of members want to know is 
what we _are_ doing.

Yes we are hopefull that the move of the administration centre will be 
completed by the end of March.   Yes the QSL bureau will not be moving 
to Bedford but let's get some facts into focus taking into consideration 
that the source of this information might be a disaffected staff member.

I quote - "their tiny new premises".   Those of you that might have 
visited the Potters Bar premises will probably be aware that the 557.4 
square metres (5,993 square feet) of office space that it occupies was 
right in 1982 when HQ moved from central London and the staffing levels 
were increased to 40+.   Indeed there were 11 members of staff working 
on RadCom alone  at that time.   These days the staff level stands at 23 
and the building is somewhat cavernous with a lot of unused space.   So 
the "tiny new premises" of just over 179 square metres (1,927 square 
feet) will be more than adequate for the proposed 16 or so members of 
staff that will transfer to Bedford.   Also taken into consideration is 
the fact that the 23 current staff members include 5 part-timers, 3 of 
whom job share in the QSL bureau.

I see that Don G3XTT has just responded to Mike's email so I will finish 
with the following - the QSL bureau was only brought in house during the 
1980s when licence numbers were exceeding expectations and the then 
Bureau manager could no longer cope.   QSL numbers have dropped since 
that time and a return to outsourcing is currently being looked at.   
There is no question of someone handling it who has no knowledge or 
experience of the QSL business and the current system of sub-managers 
will continue.

And Sabre rattling doesn't work on me Mike.

73

Colin, G3PSM

Michael Ruttenberg G7TWC wrote:
> All,
>
> January's Radcom says that RSGB are moving (in March ?). 
>
> What it doesn't say is that they are NOT taking the QSL bureau with them; indeed I hear that there is no room for the bureau in their tiny new premises. A source tells me that the bureau's paid staff (and many others) are being made redundant and RSGB will try to outsource it somewhere.
>
> Is this concerning to you as it is to me? Outsourcing (in which case the only reason I use RSGB would be lost). I only use the RSGB for the bureau (and rarely at that) and rarely read Radcom and consequently my and other members I know's subs are not guaranteed to be forthcoming in future years.You don't need to be a member of RSGB for some contests, so I am losing faith in RSGB's integrity.
>
> Mike
> G7TWC
> (puts on tin hat)
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