[Dx-qsl] SWL Reports

[N7DC@cs.com]

This subject seems to have gotten the attention of a very large number of our 
fellow hams, and that is good.  What do each of you do with SWL cards, other 
than put them in a box?  Are they of any value to you?  Im not talking about 
good will etc, but to you , the ham who is in receipt of the SWL card.  What 
standard do you hold the SWL to, before you send him a card?  Do you set 
standards of correctness for Ham QSL cards?  It would appear that a large 
percent of those who have responded to this subject, just fill out a card and 
mail/or send it to the buro, and thats it. Do you actually check your logs 
for SWL cards?  
   Personally, receiving a SWL card from someone in Germany etc. telling he 
he heard me on 20 meters at 0300Z on xx date at yy time with a 59 signal 
report doesnt really help me at all, unless I was running .002 watts to an 
underground antenna at the time.  Now, it would be interesting to hear from a 
SWL in FT5W (Crozet ) that he had heard me calling cq at 0100Z on 20 meters ( 
or any other band), since I have not worked that somewhat rare entity.   But 
what type of report am I receiving from any of these SWLs?   Normally its " I 
heard you on 20 meter SSB on  xx date yy time, working DL7AAA."  I go to my 
logs and indeed I did work DL7AAA at the time and place indicated.  Now my 
question is: Did the SWL hear me?  Or did he hear DL7AAA, talking to me?  I 
have no idea.  It could have been either way.  So far, no proof .  Lets say 
he also states: " after you worked DL7AAA,  I heard you give a QRZ and you 
worked JA7AAA, at zz time.  You mentioned that you were going to bed shortly 
because your grandson had been visiting and you were tired."   Now that is a 
report that tells me he REALLY DID, hear my end of the conversation.     I 
know some will say,  that with the " hello your 59 thanks" QSOs of today, 
there isnt much he can say about my conversation (if thats what I was doing). 
 But he could give me a list of several stations I worked, the time, my 
report to them (No - everyone I work is NOT 59).  Then that too would be 
adaquate to prove his reception of my signals.  Other than that, I plainly do 
not confirm just everything that comes down the pike here.  I will return his 
card, explaining that I need more information before I can QSL.  I believe 
this is a teaching process, that we as hams can use to increase the QSLing 
capabilities of the .SW Listener, making their reports more acccurate and 
useful.
   When I stopped sending  SWL reports, back in the 60s, I was number 3 in 
the USA for countries confirmed, as a member of the North American Shortwave 
League, so had a lot of experience in confirming  stations, and learned from 
my fellow shortwavers how to listen, make antennas, send reports etc. Its 
very much like I tell Scouts:  "You are being held to a high standard, which 
is set by your Scoutmaster, because he wants to insure every Scout whom you 
test for rank requirements meets  the minimum standard requirement of both 
the Boy Scouts of America and your Troop.  Doing  any less, reduces the 
overall effectivness of the program."
Holding SWLs to at least a minimum standard of reporting, helps hold the 
standard of the SWL ranks up to something in which they can be proud.  I have 
actually only received a dozen or so SWL cards in the past 18 years at this . 
 Two of them contained good, solid reports, they received my cards.  The 
others got their own cards back, with an explanation.  One of those sent a 
follow-up with a good report, and got his card.  The others??? No idea, but 
with the buro, they may yet be in the system.




--- StripMime Report -- processed MIME parts ---
multipart/alternative
  text/plain (text body -- kept)
  text/html
The reason this message is shown is because the post was in HTML
or had an attachment. Attachments are not allowed.
Please post in Plain-Text only.---