[UK-CONTEST] "Collecting" QSLs...

[G3SJJ]

Interesting you mention shoebox Peter. I know QSLing brings a lot of 
enjoyment to a lot of people, so despite Roger's comment I am not 
"anti," I just find it doesn't do anything for me. I was given a shoebox 
full of G8D and GU8D cards at HFC by John G3LZQ who unselfishly spends 
his time and money dealing with them for me for which I am most 
grateful. So, I get home, have a browse through them, see one from Andy 
GU4WTN, see one with a picture of G4RCG's QTH which is interesting, see 
one from Gozo reminding me a recent holiday. I am now about 10% of the 
way through and losing interest. A couple of days later on a visit to 
the local recycling centre, with a great feeling of some kind of guilt, 
I carefully place the box in the paper skip. I give some thought to the 
designer, printer, filler-in, post person, buro sorter, sub-manager and 
finally post person, but really the ulitmate destination is re-cycling.

Likewise Roger occasionally sends me a little envelope with a few QSLs 
in it. I open it, have a flick through, think "Oh, four JAs on 160m, 
nice." Put them in the draw to get mixed up with others. Some are GU8D 
ones from LZQ with nice designs that I kept, some came through the post. 
Not sure now, they are all mixed up! What I do know is that the real 
confirmation is the entry in my log. If JA4DND appears there then I know 
I worked him, I wouldn't have made the entry otherwise. Similarly, if I 
type in 3B7C there are 16 entries covering the CW and SSB Qs I made. 
Good enough for me. My memory is still active enough to recall the 
actual radio operating bit, which is what it is all about, and where the 
real enjoyment is. At least for me!

I guess there is a similarity to food shopping. A pallet is loaded onto 
a lorry, loaded off at the supermarket, items stacked on to a shelf, 
take off by me and put in the trolley, take out of the trolley by me and 
onto the checkout, picked up, swiped put and put down by the check out 
person, put back in the trolley by me, picked up and put in the car, 
transferred from car to kitchen, put in storage area and eventually 
used. Now, I enjoy cooking and eating good food so all that "wasted" 
time and
energy seems worthwhile to me, I guess though others who don't share my 
passion for food might think the whole process a bit OTT for the end result!

One final point - since contesting is such a small part of the RSGB's 
activity, (I think some silly survey a while back said about 5%,) I look 
forward to receiving a £41.80 refund on my recent subs!!  £2.20 is an 
adequate contribution surely, particularly as I didn't get a trophy for 
winning last year's 21/28 Contest!!

S'all good fun, init?   Chris G3SJJ



Peter Hobbs wrote:
> Nigel,
>
> Actually it was you in particular I was expecting (hoping for!) a reaction 
> from mate.  I did say my remarks were tongue in cheek, but I seriously do 
> believe that soft has to be the way ahead.  Why should a paperless QSL be 
> any less attractive?  It could carry a lot more interesting background 
> information on station, operator, QTH, history, etc. than is practical to 
> handle manually, all instantly accessible.
>
> And even an amazing collection like yours would easily fit a shoebox!
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Nigel" <nigel at G3TXF.com>
> To: "UK Contest reflector" <uk-contest at contesting.com>
> Sent: Sunday, December 16, 2007 4:19 PM
> Subject: [UK-CONTEST] "Collecting" QSLs...
>
>
>   
>> Hello Peter,
>>
>> Sorry, but I can no longer refrain from hitting the keyboard, having read
>> your observations on QSL cards!
>>
>> Many collect QSL cards just to "collect" them. No other reason. Not
>> primarily for awards, not for claiming anything, but just for the pure fun
>> of collecting them.
>>
>> Others might collect cigarette cards, original Picasso paintings, pit-bull
>> terriers, fossils or old Morse keys. Serious collecting is addictive. That
>> applies equally to QSL cards.
>>
>> http://www.g3txf.com/QSL-Office/QSL-Off.html
>>
>> 73 - Nigel G3TXF
>>
>>     
>
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