[ADXA] Long overdue QSL Card and QSLing rehash... de K5YY

[HamOP]

I still have all my paper logs from my first DXpedition to Swan Island in July 1970 up thru my next 6 DX trips thru mid 1983 when I had to stop and practice medicine to put my 3 kids thru college. Hi  We had no logging systems on computers or websites then, at least I did not know of any.

My second stint of DXpeditions began in 2001, and on solo trips I continued to use paper logs and computers were just coming into the picture and so were websites and logging systems and memory “sticks” thumb drives as time went on. On “team” trips that following my trip to V51 Namibia, some form of logs were copied by hard drives or logging programs like K1MM and use of the keyboard took over the pen and paper. So then I used the simple method that did not involve paper pages stored in folders.  A thumb drive then downloaded my files to my PC in a folder of specific DXped spots. 

On a couple of more “solo” trips like EA8 and V31 I did do paper logs again and it was sorta fun, being able to make comments on the side of the page about a guy being an “SOB” or a deliberate intruder, etc. Or a comment of “?? QSO”.. And with less QSOs it was easy for me to flip 3-4 pages for each day and timeframe to find a guy in the log. I had fun doing it again like in the old days.  I do not do LoTW, tho I did try in the mid 2000s and it blew my computer and locked it up going thru all the steps. Then later I saw a 50/50 % split on Product Reviews on LoTW and how half hated it and the yearly upgrades, passwords, etc and the other half love it, mainly because it saved them money over having to send SASEs or SAE/IRC or SAE/USD. 

So many guys want the paper card in hand and LoTW doesn’t help as much. But to a new DXer, the common first 200 countries are perhaps best done thru LoTW I guess, then having to go thru ClubLog OQRS to get a card quicker than wait a few months for rare DXpeditions to upload to LoTW, some rare exceptions…  Rare and semi-rare DXpeds make a lot of money on the pre and post trip donations and agree to usually post LoTW within 6 months post trip to be ethical, so to speak. So the DX game quandary involves getting a QSL paper card OR getting a QSO confirmation without a card as on LoTW… 

To each his own; a lot varies on how old some of us DXers are and the habits we developed years ago and finding a reason to change or not. At least the LoTW is there and so is OQRS. Unfortunately the BURO systems are about the go belly up all over the world. Each QSL costs at least a few cents and then there are Buro charges, etc. DXpeditions with many 1000s of QSOs do not look forward to sending out Bureau QSLs and some clearly state they will REFUSE Buro cards, too much work and costs money for cards and shipping to the ARRL incoming buro, etc. The DXped guys do NOT WANT your card, and they mention this all the time.  Isn’t this a crazy and great hobby?? Especially if you are a DXer type and enjoy the chase, making a QSO and being elated when you get a confirmation, especially after many decades!!!  LOL  >> Congrats to Jay and George on their persistence and comments. Fun reading and brings back memories!

San   That’s my comment and digression for today! 

Sent from Mail for Windows 10

From: WB5JJJ
Sent: Friday, August 16, 2019 2:17 PM
To: ADXA at mailman.qth.net
Subject: [ADXA] Long overdue QSL Card

Back in my younger years (1989), I worked XF4L on 10m as a Technician.  When I started taking the QSL cards and such into more serious consideration, back around 2000, I was going through old logs and found that I did not have a confirmation from this DXP back in the day.  I set this thought aside for another day.  And pretty much forgot about it.  You all know how that goes.  

Researching my QSL info again in 2012 after I retired and had time to do so, I found that I needed to be in touch with OH2BN for that QSL information.  So I set off on a trek to get this card.  I snail mailed my QSL card and included a SAE and some $$$ in hopes of getting a card.  But not really expecting one.  

I included my email address and in a few weeks, I got an email from OH2BN saying he was going to go to the garage of a friend that had all their DXP logs from years past.  Since I had given him exact date/time/band/mode info on my card, he said in a latter email, that it made short work of finding the proper box/log/page/entry and THERE IT WAS.  He said that their (original) card would be in the mail the next day.  In a week or so, I received the card and he also uploaded my info to LoTW at the same time.  WooHoo.  I got the card and the LoTW.  I emailed him back a big thanks.  

Since that time, I've been more diligent in keeping up with and responding to QSL requests for those that don't use LoTW.  So far, I've not been "stung" by a $$$ or PayPal request for a "direct QSL" request.  

HRD automatically uploads to all the major on-line logbooks on each entry in my log, and I upload about every 15-20 entries or at least when I shut down each day, to LoTW.  I just can't comprehend those that say they upload "maybe" once a year to LoTW.   I just figure they are still using paper logs.  And that would be a big PITA for sure.  

The interesting thing about all of this as I am continually amazed when I suddenly get a LoTW confirmation from 10, 15 or 20+ years ago.  Those guys have finally stepped into the 21st Century of logging.  And I know for some, it was a traumatic experience.  But I thank them for all the efforts they made.  

George - WB5JJJ

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