[UK-CONTEST] QSL policy

[CHRIS COLCLOUGH]

As I am one of the instigators of this discussion, and as I initially said, the QSL policy is down to each individual - somewhere someone has written that we are saying it is wrong. BUT this is not what I am saying.

What my peeve was the fact that the initial request was for the G3 station to either send envelopes or does he want them destroyed. Now as many have said they don't want reams and reams of cards from stations for the QSO, but think the other guy may want the card. I use LOTW and upload my log every week, and I make my submissions for DXCC using this method, but as another correspondant said he has confirmations that were on cards and he would not have had the confirmations! 

The origional G3 also said he uses LOTW for the odd CW confirmation, which I think is selfish as he is thinking only of himself, again this is down to the individual but it again is not a replacement for the good old paper/card QSL.

As Roger has also said one of the biggest problems is the new GlobalQSL where individuals upload there logs and the contacts are automatically sent out - again many duplicates come this way.

I use a QSL manager, again this has been mentioned in earlier threads, because the hours I work would not allow me to send the ones out I need for band/mode slots and return to the ones that come through the bureau - which is a thread on its own. But I still handle my own incoming, whether via manager, direct or bureau. 

Now on to the bureau. We still need this service, all be it at the moment it is not working as it was. Below is a quote I received from a PA station this morning in reply to this thread;

I still enjoy every card I receive, but have via the rsgb/veron bureau
only received G-qsl's about 4 in 2 years time, so is a G-qsl really
easy to get? Via the ISWL there were more.

The quote "is a G QSL so easy to get" worries me! 

This is not just a one off as Tim - M0URX - a QSL manager for a number of stations, these include Steve 9M6DXX (G4VJG), John 9M6XRO (GM3OOK) and myself - has received a number of e-mails asking why he had not sent nor the requesting station not received their bureau requests from him. Most of these requests were online requests on his website - again this saves cards as only out going are sent. 

This prompted investigations with emails to the bureaus of many countries asking if they had received any packages from the RSGB bureau. This list includes the ARRL, ARI, RAC, and many others that have not received cards since the takeover in 2008. This maybe the wrong place to post this but it is out in the public domain now, and has been for a couple of weeks. I personally asked the ARRL bureaus and received almost the same reply from them all that they had not received any cards in the past 2 years, mainly because the initial complaints were from Eastern Bloc countries where we knew the postal system is not very reliable. If any of you would like to read more then see Tim's webpage (http://www.m0urx.com) where he has quite a bit of information. 

This subject is now in the hands of the RSGB and is being looked into.

 
Maybe it is because I have a passion for collecting QSL's that made me write my initial reply, but please lets never stop sending cards and go to electronic only. The wonderment in peoples eyes when they come and visit me for the first time and see my shack, then ask the question "How far can you get?" which then prompts me to get my QSL album of all confirmed DXCC's out and show them on a map, and a globe where these exotic places are will never be replaced with electronic QSL's.

Not everybodies cup of tea and I am not forcing the subject just airing my views and thoughts on the "Recycle the cards as I don't want them!"


Chris Colclough
G1VDP
http://www.g1vdp.com
http://www.mc0shl.com
30M digi Group Member #1432

Tel: 024 7673 5940
Mob: 07505 359709
QTHR