I didn't see the beginning of this thread. It is quoted that the final
courtesy of any QSO is a QSL.
I happen to hate to write by hand and do not log. Used to have to log
every CQ, much less QSO, way back when. Now, no logging, just ID every
ten minutes.
Although this seems heretical to many, I enjoy getting on the air without
any obligation or overhead to do paperwork, which I hate. Many hams love
the opposite - to log various details, and to be able to tell you when you
last spoke, what you ate, and the like. That certainly is fun but if I wrote
it down I couldn't read it anyway. I like to do CW in the car, and half the
fun is doing it however accurately or not. The pressure to chase QSL or DX
was more than I could bear, and it seemed more work to figure out how to get
some card via some route than to put up the station and work'em. Accordingly,
one day I spontaneously torched the whole collection, realizing that some of
these so-called "countries" might never emerge from the sea again, but
what the heck. It sounds really perverse, but to be free from this stuff
forever was so refreshing. This in no way is meant to imply any disrespect for
those who do QSL and log religiously, and have wonderful collections. I have
seen cards with personal messages and pictorial beauty which were
irreplaceable., and I respect all the work it takes to get those cards, DXCC
type awards,
top of the honor rolls, you name it. I enjoy contesting and have to do those
logs, but it's a lot easier.
The problem is being in Delaware, whose cards are important to many. I use to
make up all kinds of clever cards on the computer, rubber stamps which verified
cards I received, and now, with these funny color printers, will do something
weird. Can't escape the duty of sending a card if needed. But it is possible
to imagine others who do not QSL for some reason which may be important or
peculiar to them.
Many want to preserve the gentlemanly heritage of amateur radio. Me too.
But there seem to be many more facets to this than in the days of yore....
Anyway, GO FRC!
--
CQ-Contest on WWW: http://www.contesting.com/_cq-contest/
Administrative requests: cq-contest-REQUEST@contesting.com
|