Interesting comments about QSLing. I QSL "pre-emptive-ly" as well, although
I think I mean this in a little differently way. When I get a card from a
station, my logging program pulls up all of the QSOs that I have had with
that station. I have space to print as many as 10 QSOs on a QSL and I select
as many of the QSOs from that station as possible. When I print out the QSL
it marks all of those QSOs as having been confirmed. I don't send a second
QSL for a confirmed QSO except for very good reason. Many DX stations send a
QSL for every QSO even after 10-15 QSOs for the same mode and band!
When I really want a card, I send a self addressed envelope and 2 dollars or
2 IRCs. All other cards get sent back the same way I get them.
I do QSLs at the end of each month so it doesn't get too tiresome. I also
upload to LOTW and E-QSL at the end of the month. I respond to all QSLs and
within the parameters that I mentioned and probably spend 1.5 hours per
month on QSLs, including bureau, direct, LOTW and E-QSL. This process must
work pretty well because I have far less than 20 pounds of QSLs per year and
I have made many QSOs over the last several years.
I think that QSLing is a choice. If you choose not to QSL, don't. Put a note
on QRZ.Com that you do not QSL or that you only QSL through E-qsl or LOTW.
Ask the bureau to put your cards in the trash. Ham radio is a hobby not a
business, it's supposed to be fun. If you do decide to QSL, plan a strategy
that will maximize your efforts and enjoyment.
Adios,
Bill, W5VX
>-----Original Message-----
>From: cq-contest-bounces@contesting.com [mailto:cq-contest-
>bounces@contesting.com] On Behalf Of Pete Smith
>Sent: Thursday, August 09, 2007 8:11 AM
>To: Shelby Summerville; CQ-Contest
>Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] Pre-emptive QSLing - was:Contesters and LOTW
>
>What I've done for about 7 years is to pre-emptively QSL from my own logs,
>using a sorting routine that only generates QSLs for the first QSO with a
>station on a given band/mode combination. Then when QSLs come in from the
>bureau I just cull through them for the ones I need, and figure that I have
>already covered the rest. DX4WIN does the sorting of outgoing QSLs,
>described above, very easily. Both cost and time (in particular) are much
>better than going through each card, and I find that year by year I am
>producing QSLs for a smaller percentage of total QSOs made. I still QSL
>direct for all cards received directly, though not always right away.
>
>That being said, I would love to see LOTW become universally accepted - I
>have 96,000 QSOs on it now, so a lot of people could get my QSL for DXCC or
>WAS a lot more easily than paper QSLing. But back when LOTW started, I
>asked the question whether I should rely exclusively on LOTW, and the
>consensus was that it was way too soon to stop paper QSLing.
>
>73, Pete N4ZR
>
>At 05:23 AM 8/9/2007, Shelby Summerville wrote:
>>Andrei Stchislenok wrote: "LoTW is a good thing."
>>
>>As I sit here, actually dreading to start processing another of my,
>>quarterly, 4 pounds of cards, from the bureau, I wonder: "if LoTW is such
>a
>>"good thing", why I continue to get 20+ pounds of cards annually"? I don't
>>consider myself an "overly active" contester, and I also wonder how the
>>"overly active" stations deal with this issue, if they experience it?
>>The vast majority, 95%, of these cards are unsolicited, and from RTTY
>>contesters! I have absolutely no problem with answering any/all "first
>>request", regardless of band/mode. I do have a problem with receiving many
>>duplicate band/mode requests! Just how many times can any specific DX
>>station want KY confirmed on 20 meters? I suspect that many DX stations
>>"dump their entire contest logs into their outgoing bureau"? Sorting the
>>duplicate band/mode request from the "first request" cards, is a time
>>consuming process, and has literally taken the enjoyment away from
>operating
>>DX contests, for me! It has also made me seriously consider withdrawing
>from
>>the inbound ARRL QSL bureau, and accepting only direct, or email requests.
>I
>>would much rather receive several email requests, after any contest, and
>>return that request, via the bureau, than continue to receive 20+ pounds,
>>annually!
>>
>>Bottom line: If you're a DX station, and need my card....do us both a
>favor,
>>and send me an email request!!
>>
>>73, Shelby - K4WW
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>>CQ-Contest@contesting.com
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>
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