[ADXA] [Fwd: VP6DX Ducie Island press release #29]

[Earl]

FYI !!
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-------- Original Message --------
Subject:VP6DX Ducie Island press release #29
Date: 	Thu, 09 Oct 2008 09:59:09 -0400
From: 	Eric Scace K3NA



For Immediate Release
News #29 - 2008 Oct 08
*Highlights:*
... QSL cards confirming 78,286 QSOs mailed to 11,363 stations ...
... LOTW confirmations for these stations have also been uploaded to the
LOTW server ...
... For comparison, the total log contains 183,503 QSOs with 38,502
callsigns. ...
... When to inquire about your "missing card" ...
... and other information about QSL processing ...
1. QSLs sent:

During the last three months the volunteer QSL team made significant
progress on the backlog of requests:

a. All requests made on-line by donors, and received through Aug 1, have
been processed. Note: We recently discovered that a batch of on-line
donor cards for donations made after Aug 1 had not been processed, and
are working on those cards now.

b. All postal requests for direct-mailed cards (donors and non-donors)
received through Sep 30 have been processed.

c. All postal requests (donors and non-donors) for SWL cards received
through Sep 30 have been processed.

d. The website home page now contains a link to a list of callsigns for
which QSL cards have been sent
<http://ducie2008.dl1mgb.com/news/QSL%20report.pdf>. We will try to
update this list every few weeks. Check the VP6DX website home page for
updated versions of this list.

e. LOTW: We recently discovered 2360 callsigns to which QSL cards had
been sent, but an LOTW confirmation had not been uploaded. The QSOs for
these stations will be uploaded to LOTW in the next few days.

2. QSL backlog status:

The next groups of QSL requests to be handled are:

     * Recent on-line donors.
     * Requests made on-line for a QSL via the bureau: about 5000
       requests received to date.
     * Requests received via post with insufficient postage or no return
       envelope (to be answered via the bureau): less than 50.
     * Research on QSL requests which do not match the log or appear
       fraudulent. Note: Information about QSOs which appear to be
       fraudulent is sent to the ARRL DXCC program administrator for
       appropriate action.

3. E-mail inquiries:

About 1000 emails have been received containing a message similar to:
"My friend has his QSL card. Where is my card?" These inquiries fall
into three categories:

     * 60% of email inquiries are about QSL cards which are already in
       the mail or in a group not yet processed. Answering these messages
       has taken over 40 man-hours away from the job of preparing QSL
       cards. Beginning today, through the link on the vp6dx.com website
       home page mentioned above, anyone can check when a QSL was prepared.
     * 40% of these messages are from people who did not include their
       callsign with their donation. As of Sep 30, 662 names remain in
       the "unknown callsign" database. The website home page now
       contains a list of sponsor names without callsigns
       <http://ducie2008.dl1mgb.com/news/unknown%20call%20report.pdf>. We
       will update this list occasionally. Note: We have a backlog of
       about 95 additional email inquiries from Sep 5 forward on which we
       are working. Some of these emails provide calls for these
       sponsors. If you have notified us recently of your callsign, there
       is no need to re-transmit your information. We are catching up!
     * Less than 10 people had their postal QSL request, donation, or QSL
       card lost in the mail.

4. What to do if you have requested a QSL, but have not received it:

Please follow the suggestions according to your category:

/Your name is on the list of "donors without callsigns": /

     * Send us your name and callsign on-line here
       <http://ducie2008.dl1mgb.com/contactus/index.php>.
     * If you have not requested your QSL on-line, please enter the QSO
       data on-line here <http://ducie2008.dl1mgb.com/oqrs/index.php>.

/You requested that your QSL card be sent via the bureau: /

     * The volunteer QSL team has not yet started work on these requests.
       Work begins next week. Please wait.

/You made a donation and requested your card on-line, or
You requested your card via the post, and mailed your request before Sep
1: /

     * Your QSL request almost certainly has been processed. Please check
       the list of QSL cards sent
       <http://ducie2008.dl1mgb.com/news/QSL%20report.pdf> for the
       preparation date of your card. Many cards are still in the postal
       system. If you do not receive your card before Nov 1, please send
       us a note via the web here
       <http://ducie2008.dl1mgb.com/contactus/index.php>.

5. What to do if you want a QSL card, but have not made a request:

There are three choices:

/QSL card mailed direct to you - fastest method: /

     * Use the on-line QSL request procedure here
       <http://ducie2008.dl1mgb.com/oqrs/index.php>.
     * If you have not made any donation in the past, please make a
       donation of at least US$5 or €3. On-line donation is the fastest
       and easiest to process:
       Donation in US$ or Euro via PayPal
       <http://ducie2008.dl1mgb.com/howtohelp/paypal/index.php>
       Donation via European bank transfer
       <http://ducie2008.dl1mgb.com/howtohelp/banktransfer/index.php>
       Donation via German "Spenden"
       <http://ducie2008.dl1mgb.com/howtohelp/dlspenden/index.php>
       Donation via credit card (not a PayPal member): Send us a message
       via the website <http://ducie2008.dl1mgb.com/contactus/index.php>.
       Include your name, callsign, email address, and the amount you
       wish to donate (US$ or Euro). You will receive a message from
       PayPal with instructions for credit card processing. PayPal
       membership is not required to use credit card payment.

These requests will be processed in groups once each week.

/ QSL card mailed direct to you - slow method: /

     * Send your card with SASE via the post to the address listed here
       <http://ducie2008.dl1mgb.com/qslinfo/index.php>. These requests
       will be processed in groups once each week.

/QSL card sent via bureau to you: /

     * Use the on-line QSL request procedure here
       <http://ducie2008.dl1mgb.com/oqrs/index.php>. That is all you have
       to do. These requests will be processed in groups once per month.

6. Protect your computer log!

We have received about 30 emails from operators who lost their log
because of a computer hard disk failure. Unfortunately, to protect the
integrity of the QSL process, we cannot provide detailed log
information. We are sorry to hear about these problems.

Please backup your log files today!

- end -

We would be delighted if DX editors would publish this information as
widely as possible and DXers bring it to the attention of their clubs
and fellow DXers.