At 03:14 PM 11/19/03 -0500, K4IK wrote:
I will never replace all QSLing with LotW, that is, I will
continue to respond to bureau cards via the bureau and direct
cards (with SASE) direct. However, I see no reason for any
"premptive" QSLing at this point ... the preemptive QSLs will
be LotW uploads.
Joe, the reason I preemptively QSL is that it takes too much time to look
up and respond to each card individually -- I am sitting here right now
looking at a 10-lb box of QSLs, approximately 1500 QSLs. At 30 seconds a
card, including time to decide whether I've already QSLed that guy on that
band/mode combination, that's roughly 750 minutes, or 12 1/2 hours, just to
do the lookups. I get 3-4 such boxes a year!
If someone needs a paper card for their own reason, that's fine
but the ca. $2-$3 per card cost is no longer justified. I hope
LotW will someday support a printable card for those who want
to either store an electronic image or print a hard copy. Who
knows, I may even use eQSL.cc just to allow someone to have a
tangible card as opposed to an electronic record but LotW will
be my "standard."
Now THIS is a wonderful idea. With the storage capacity that is available
today, it should be relatively easy to allow LotW members, for a charge, to
be able to upload a master QSL card form. Then, when somebody runs through
his matches on LotW, he could see which ones offer the option of a QSL
image, and choose to receive a pdf image with the data filled in, either
free or for a small fee. If necessary, the image could be "watermarked" or
otherwise marked as not valid for DXCC, but would be fine for display.
I would jump at such an idea, and offer a much nicer QSL card than the one
that now goes to my bureau QSOs. Everybody wins.
73, Pete N4ZR
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