[Dx-qsl] ARRL incomming bureau

[Nenad Stevanovic]

Folks,


Some rasons why the QSL bueau is slow you can find at:


http://www.magma.ca/~ve3exy/qsl_tips.html


Interestingly enough over the last couple of years the QSL bureaus
situation constantly deteriorates. Here are some more reasons:


1. Declining number of members in many organizations world wide.

2. Less activity (less people in contests, less random QSOs). More
   focussed work (DXpeditions, specific region, or islands), which
   results in less bureau card exchange.

3. Some QSL bureaus are closed completly (typically 2/year).

4. Some bureaus are underfunded, and more and more bureaus are
   becoming incoming QSL  bureaus only, rather than two way.

5. Many national bureaus have introduced surcharges, either
   outgoing, incoming, or both. This has a negative effect of 
   dicouraging members to use QSL bureau extensively, or n some cases
   even to claim their own cards.

6. Some individuals opt to become members of other organizations,
   for the sole purpose of using still functioning QSL bureau.

7. More and more bureaus, being underfunded, opt for hand-in-hand
   exchange to avoid postal costs. All sorts of 'the go-betweens'
   are used for this activity.


Hope this covers most of cases, but feel free to append.
   


73  Nenad   VE3EXY  ....