[Dx-qsl] Bureau

Wed Feb 26 17:36:00 2003

Steve's point about the indirect effect of Logbook of the World on major
DXpeditions is a valid one.

Setting aside for the moment the point of whether or not handling QSL cards
should be a revenue source for the DXpedition... the fact remains that if
the demand for physical QSL cards is reduced by LotW, then yes, I suspect
that many major DXpeditions of the future will probably decline to
immediately upload their logs to the LotW system.

Let me be more specific, though:
If a particular DXpedition, be it a one-man vacation DXpedition or a major
mulit-person effort to activate a rare or new entitiy, decides or determines
that the net amount of money & IRC's taken in by QSL requests is a wash
(when factoring in QSL printing costs, bureau cards & related handling fees,
and other misc. costs related to handling QSL's), or even a net money loser,
then I suspect that the on-line logs will be posted to LotW in relatively
short order.

On the other hand, if a particular DXpedtion determines that there is a net
revenue gain, then you may not see those logs posted for months after the
DXpedition is over -- possibly even a year or two.  Sadly, this will
partially defeat one of the purposes of LotW, since LotW will depend on logs
being uploaded.  But I can understand why a DXpedition, in this case, would
hold off on uploading the logs to avoid cutting down the revenue stream.
The key concept to keep in mind here is that I think that this case would
only occur IF a DXpedition organizers think that they'll make money on QSL
handling requests... and this also starts getting into the dangerous
situation of allegations of "buying" QSL cards without legit contacts, but
that's another story.

I don't know if there's an easy answer to this one, either.  I don't see how
you can arbitrarily compel a DXpedition to upload their logs online
anywhere.  But you may see some of the organizations that make major
donations to these DXpeditions insist, as part of their grant, that the logs
be uploaded (somewhere) after a reasonable time.

73, ron wn3vaw

"Igor, would you give me a hand with the bags?"
"Certainly!  You take the blonde, and I'll take the one in the turban!"
-- Young Frankenstein

----- Original Message -----
From: "Steven Wheatley KU9C" <[email protected]>
To: <[email protected]>; "Ron Notarius WN3VAW" <[email protected]>
Sent: Wednesday, February 26, 2003 3:57 PM
Subject: Re: [Dx-qsl] Bureau

ROn, two comments in support of your note:

With the stations I manage, I find a way to do bureau cards without going
into my beer fund.   Much of this is due to the generousity of the hams that
send direct cards....and my continually scrounging to find a few cents here
and there...and, no, i do NOT profit from the stuffers I put in my
envelopes, etc.  Further, in most cases, the DX I manage do not pay for
their cards.

Secondly, on duplicate QSL cards...let me be very clear on my bureau policy:

-i work bureau cards last.  I haven't worked bureau cards much in the last
year due to the work load.  However, I'm slowing up on 'incoming'...and not
taking on any new work at the moment, so I'll get to the bureau cards.  They
do get answered, but not in any rush.

-If you send more than one card via the bureau for the same QSO....they are
tossed.  If you send a card direct, and then via the bureau, they are
tossed.  The ONLY exception I make here is for operations such as that run
by Les WF5E....and the reason there is that I have incredible respect for
the value and service folks like he provide.

If someone wants greater detail....I can explain...but the facts above are
true, at least in my case.  It may have to do with the stations I manage,
but I also believe it is because I get some very nice donations.....which I
believe is largely due to what I do.  Further, I suspect many have gotten a
'surprise' bureau qsl from KU9C.

One thing we must all remember on LOTW....is if that source of 'donations'
for major dxpeditions were to dry up, how is that funding replaced?  As a
result, I suspect LOTW may work well for contest operations, where you can
work DXCC on a good weekend...and 'garden variety' dx....but I suspect most
of the rare or semi-rare ones will still require some work on the
deservings' part.

73

---------------------------
Steve Wheatley KU9C
PO Box 31
Morristown NJ  07963-0031
U.S.A.

email:  [email protected]
http://www.ku9c.com/