[UK-CONTEST] QSL policy

[Andy Hewitt]

I was trying to keep out of this but I felt that I should add my ha'pth. I
like Don collected cards for many years for my personal enjoyment and I
still enjoy receiving them especially those exotic ones from far flung
places with well produced photographs on them. I never intended to apply for
DXCC, that was until at the Oct.2008 HFC I saw the presentation on LoTW. My
first submission on there got me a lot of ticks in the boxes but there were
gaps for some entities (7O!) going back in my career so I sent in a couple
of card submissions . I'm glad I had those cards available otherwise I would
not qualify for DXCC on 6m (for example), and with the present state of
solar cycle 24 it would take a long time to collect them again on LoTW.

I still look forward to the airmail envelopes and the rare (these days)
thump of a bureau package on the door mat.
73
Andy G3SVD


-----Original Message-----
From: uk-contest-bounces at contesting.com
[mailto:uk-contest-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of Don Field
Sent: 01 February 2010 17:26
To: UK Contest
Subject: Re: [UK-CONTEST] QSL policy

There's a real dichotomy here. This is a contest reflector, and many of you
will be making 10k, 20k or more QSOs a year. So paper QSLs become a real
problem.

But for the majority of folk we work, the "little pistols", it's a different
world altogether. I recall, as just one example, giving a DXpedition talk at
a certain radio club back in 1998, and then going on to use that club's
station for CQWW CW. I made just over 4,000 QSOs in the weekend. One of the
club members dropped in late in the contest and was gob-smacked. He
considered himself an active DXer and occasional contester, but I had made
more QSOs in a weekend than he had in his whole amateur radio career. As it
happens, he has moved on since then - his call is GU4YOX :-)

But the fact is that for the great majority of amateurs, they are not
looking for "proof of QSO" for awards. I collected cards for years before I
had even heard of DXCC. I suspect many of us were the same, if we could
remember that far back. They were, and are, tangible (as against virtual)
mementos of the QSO. When you are only making a few hundred QSOs a year,
QSLs still feel like "quality" rather than "quantity". LoTW and eQSL just
aren't the same.

I freely admit I get a lot less excited nowadays and I do get cross when DLs
keep sending cards for the same band/mode. My solution is only to answer
cards for a new band/mode slot.

But, as I say, let's not forget that the majority aren't like us :-)

Don G3XTT

On 1 February 2010 17:05, Chris Tran GM3WOJ <zl1ct1 at gm7v.com> wrote:

> Hello all
>
> I've been unable to resist the urge to join this thread (which seems to
> re-appear on this reflector from time to time)
>
> Many years ago I realised that I would not be able to operate at all if I
> had to do my own QSLing. As a contester I make thousands of QSOs every
year
> using different callsigns - the subsequent QSLing task would take up way
> too
> much time in my life. I have no interest in awards (if I work a station I
> know I've worked them and don't need a piece of paper to prove it) and I
do
> not subscribe to the ludicrous idea that a QSL card is 'the final courtesy
> of a QSO' - our hobby is an RF communications hobby - in reality there is
> no
> obligation on anyone to QSL any QSO at all, is there ?
>
> Hence I use LoTW and two QSL Managers - the LoTW sign-up procedures are
not
> difficult (I have 16 different callsigns/certificates) - uploads are easy
> and I have 70000 QSL matches so far - hopefully 70000 less paper cards
> printed. There are many people currently offering their services as QSL
> managers and eventually LoTW will cater for a wider range of awards.
>
> I respect anyone's wish to be a QSL collector, but please don't tell those
> who are not interested in QSLs that we are in the wrong.
>
> 73
> Chris
> GM3WOJ / ZL1CT
>
>
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> UK-Contest at contesting.com
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>
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