[Dx-qsl] AR - VE7CC
Alfred J. Cammarata
italiancookbook1 at juno.com
Fri Dec 30 11:50:29 EST 2005
Gents,
My 2 cents worth. I do like to have the paper QSL's to confirm "new
ones". I don't collect wallpaper, awards etc but to each his own. I
have been chasing the IOTA (islands on the air) for a few years to keep
my interest up (I lack working about 8-10 DXCC entities). RSGB/IOTA has
very strict rules regarding award credit. Must submit paper QSL, the QSL
must have island name printed on by either printer or a label affixed by
the originator (iota # optional but nice). I think LOTW is great and it
would be nice if everyone would accept LOTW or one standardized
electronic system for all awards etc. Getting cards can be very
difficult even when you provide the sase/GS/IRC etc. After 50 years of
hamming, it seems harder and harder lately to get a prompt reply (by that
I mean having to wait 6 months to years - if ever). Including buro cards
as well. HNY to all and good hunting. 73 Al w3awu
On Fri, 30 Dec 2005 10:14:39 -0500 "Danny Douglas" <n7dc at vabb.com>
writes:
> I dont know what to say. I certainly understand one wanting to have
> a card on hand, but I also know the financial part of this, and one of
the
> main reasons for the LOTW to start with. It is now costing at minimum
> $3.00 per card to get direct cards. That is probably on the low side,
> considering having to print the card, buy envelopes and stamps and
provide the 2
> green stamps many are now saying they must have. Just yesterday I was
> working on a bunch of direct cards and looking at qrx.com info.
Several were
> asking for 2 IRCs, and that is even more than $2.00. Personally, I
would
> like one card from every country I work, but am more than willing to
> electronically confirm and receive fills.
>
> Look at just one band alone: Lets say 300 countries, with cards
> needed for
> SSB, CW, RTTY at minimum. That is 900 cards needed (of course if we
> are
> lucky we can cover several modes and bands with one card- but that
> doesnt
> always happen as many do not work more than 1 or 2 modes.
> That is $2,700 for confirming just one band, or $24,300 to confirm 9
> bands
> with the three modes. I dont know about the rest of you, but my
> budget
> constrainments wont do that. Thus, I use the bureau for as many as
> possible. But, many of the big guys dont even want the buro, so its
> direct
> or nothing.
>
> In the 21 years I have been at this address, I have only 21,090
> contacts in
> the electronics logs (a few contests dont appear there). There are
> 333
> countries worked and confirmed with cards. In almost every one of
> those
> instances, I made a card out for the bureau, but of course the
> bureaus dont
> cover the world, and some people say right off the top that they are
> not
> bureau memebers, so we know if must be direct, or to a manager. I
> finally
> managed to get over-the-top and get the final cards in, by having to
> go
> direct on a couple of dozen stations.
>
> Now I would like to get the fills, but it is becoming more and more
> exasperating with bureaus dropping out right and left, and fewer and
> fewer
> DX stations having access to one, or simply refusing to use the one
> they
> could. Even more irritating is the refusal of some of those same
> hams to
> accept the services of a manager who could take over QSL dueties for
> them,
> and give them more air time. Believe me, when Joe , W3HNK, first
> offered me
> his services, I snapped it up and have been very glad ever since.
> Of course
> I wasnt one of the "poor" hams who wanted to collect green stamps to
> pay for
> my hobby. I provided him with money for postage, card printing,
> etc. as
> should be done. I certainly understand there are people with very
> limited
> means who need and deserve the help that managers provide and
> applaud those
> guys/gals who do it, but I also dont like to pay for Holidays to
> Majorica,
> or some such place for a guy who works 20,000 contacts a year so he
> can do
> so.
>
> As to LOTW being an alternative way, Fred, that is certainly true,
> but YOU
> are the one that wants cards. The other guy simply wants the
> confirmation
> for an award. Times are surely changing and the whole idea of a
> simple
> exchange of cards has gotten out of hand financially. I just cant
> afford it
> any more. Now if you could just figure how to get my retirment to
> increase
> at the same percentages and amounts as the present employees, I
> might think
> differently. But, meantime, QSL IS VIA LOTW, THANKS.
> Danny
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Alfred Laun" <hs0zar at gmail.com>
> To: "Ernie Walls" <vk3cew at ozemail.com.au>
> Cc: <dx-qsl at mailman.qth.net>
> Sent: Friday, December 30, 2005 9:08 AM
> Subject: Re: [Dx-qsl] AR - VE7CC
>
>
> On 12/29/05, Ernie Walls <vk3cew at ozemail.com.au> wrote:
> > Very interesting to note the (scarcity) of 'big gun' DX'ers and
> > contesters from the list of LOTW participants!!!
> >
> > Yes, yes, I know, no one HAS to be a member, and no one should
> join just
> > to please others, like me, but it, NEVERTHELESS, is interesting!!
>
> Ernie seems to forget that many of us are QSL card collectors more
> than just awards chasers. We really do want to have and keep the
> QSLs, a fine tradition of the Amateur Radio service. Therefore we
> don't want to provide the people who we work an alternative way of
> getting a confirmation from us.
>
> 73, Fred, K3ZO
>
> "Don't it always seem to go that you don't know what you've
> got...till
> it's gone." from Big Yellow Taxi (Joni Mitchell) but also true
> about
> QSL.NET if more users don't open their wallets and help financially.
> Please
> contribute TODAY !!
>
>
> --
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>
>
>
> "Don't it always seem to go that you don't know what you've
> got...till it's gone." from Big Yellow Taxi (Joni Mitchell) but
> also true about QSL.NET if more users don't open their wallets and
> help financially. Please contribute TODAY !!
>
>
ALFRED CAMMARATA
W3AWU
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