Why not use 'em all? (LoTW, eQSL, ClubLog, hard card)
Although hard QSLs have a nice physical presence, I can only say a handful of
the hard cards I get are not computer generated, most also for award purposes.
Of the hundreds that roll in, maybe a half dozen have a neat design, or better
yet a personal message worthy of a smile, or chuckle.
Generally I don't expect anything considering how many are contest related
contacts.
It's easy enough to upload logs and take care of the Ham on the other end who
may not use "real" QSLs.
72/3,
Julius
Julius Fazekas
N2WN
Tennessee Contest Group
http://k4tcg.org/
http://groups.google.com/group/tcg1?hl=en
Tennessee QSO Party
http://www.tnqp.org/
Elecraft K2 #4455
Elecraft K3/100 #366
Elecraft K3/100 #
--- On Fri, 2/17/12, Eddy Swynar <deswynar@xplornet.ca> wrote:
From: Eddy Swynar <deswynar@xplornet.ca>
Subject: Re: Topband: LOTW Participation
To: "Jeff" <w7jw@arrl.net>
Cc: topband@contesting.com
Date: Friday, February 17, 2012, 9:16 AM
On 2012-02-16, at 9:25 PM, Jeff wrote:
> "...so we can get those coveted awards we all like."
Hi Jeff et al,
I certainly have nothing against LotW, or the folks who swear by it. It is the
"coming thing" IMHO, and given time will surely render hardcopy QSLs a place
atop the scrap heap of Ham radio history that includes such quaint novelties as
spark transmissions, cat's whisker detectors, separate transmitter-receivers,
etc. etc.
Personally, however---despite its many obvious advantages---I want no part of
it. I enjoy the look & feel of an honest-to-goodness QSL card in my hands, &
even after 41 years in the game, I still thrill at the prospect of opening up
that fresh bundle of cards that might await me in my mail box from the QSL
bureau.
Look at this way: LotW caters especially to the awards-seeking crowd, correct?
Instant gratification! Great! But what if the ARRL, and others, was to suddenly
announce that they'd no longer issue hard copy certificates---"virtual awards"
only, viewable on-line...? I wonder if that might cool one's enthusiasm for ANY
paper-chasing. We now have virtual QSL cards---can virtual awards be far
behind...?
So many objects of desire in to-day's society anymore seem to be reduced to
fleeting collections of electrons visible on a computer screen: turn the power
off, the objects are gone. Yet real, paper QSLs are actual things that can
easily outlive our own stay in this place & time---I liken them to leaving
proverbial footprints in the sands of time. Long after MY own "...collection of
BIOLOGICAL electrons" ceases to function & disappears, my hard copy cards &
certificates, for better or worse, of relevance or none, will remain, testament
at least to the fact that at one time I really & truly was here...
Somehow I just don't think the virtual world of eQSLs & LotW will work quite
the same way...
~73~ de Eddy VE3CUI - VE3XZ
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UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
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UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
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