[Dx-qsl] QSL Mgr. experiences

[Donald McCoy]

Of course the big guns, Steve, Joe et al do much more than I but in my 4
years for just one Cuban station, I have become frustrated "a few times". My
pet peeves are: A plain QSL card, QSL in an envelope with no SASE, QSL in an
envelope with SAE, no stamp, not using standard dd/mm/yy recording, not
getting time and/or day right, USA stations sending me cards for the Cuban
through the ARRL bureau(spend the 74 cents if you really want the card)  and
not including an e mail address! I do my best as I enjoy receiving QSLs that
I want and or need. I have long since given up supplying stamps, envelops
etc and have a "dead letter" box should anyone contact me. I have considered
doing "direct only" for all the obvious reasons but have held off so far. I
will be 70 this year so it may come soon! The Ham in Cuba has a tough time
with his computer, the power grid, and a few other problems in his life. So
sometimes e mail goes back and forth re: a station that I do not find in the
log. I always ask and have only had 3-4 NILs in the past. He is a Physics
Professor at a University and earns $24 per month so I provide the QSLs etc.
I have sent him some $100 over the past few years using all kinds of
subterfuge. Nothing worked, the crooks won. He never received any of it. I
even sent $20 with a ("famous") Cuban Ham, Arnie, CO2KK, who was "visiting"
Denver. My guy did not get that either! Arnie said he sent it through the
Cuban mail. But I am hanging in there! (I had Shore Patrol & Liberty in
Havana in about 1953, as a 20 year old Navy man, when the Cuba Libres were
cold and the night life hot! I like to remember Cuba that way!) Try to cut
we managers a little slack! TIA!
73, gud dx!
Don w0dm  326/326
Littleton, CO (But born in The Bronx)