[Dx-qsl] Peter One

[Matt Cassarino]

> Why is it that some folks feel that if they don't get their cards from 
> DXpeditions within the first week of them coming out then there's a 
> problem with postal thievery, dishonest managers, conspiracies, etc? Not 
> to personalize this at all, but in the last couple of years, I've seen a 
> good number with the same attitude.


Well, because all of mine were out a year or two before I posted that list ! 
Of course no one remembers these posts day to day, but I don't know if you 
missed the email I sent you. I did said that those were not just mailed. I 
omitted cards that were 6 months or less except for a few accidents I 
identified on here.

Unfortunately, I did all that you recommend since day one, but thanks for 
putting it out there because it's all good.

This was my second time around at pursuing QSLs (first time was 15 years 
ago). Back then, I received every QSO bureau unless they said Manager. There 
was none of this QSLL stuff. And to send a card to a manager and not have it 
back in a few weeks was never an issue. Of course when I was doing the 
limited amount I was, there were lots more stations using US managers.

That was my experience and a few ham friends. Guys who worked alot maybe 
wouldn't see what I did.

I will say this hearing and being told both viewpoints... use the letter 
appearance or business mail appearance. My mail looked like business and got 
decimated.

Now it doesn't and has improved.

Waiting is fine, but my sole concern is what someone told me recently after 
the log was open 2 years and I waited the full time before getting him to 
see where my card was as an expermient. "The log is closed, here print this 
attachment yourself."

That's cheating. I don't do that.

By the way, those two and OD5NH didn't get my card either. The latter times 
four !

Matt WV1K


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Peter W2IRT" <w2irt at comcast.net>
To: "dx-qsl-mailman.qth.net" <dx-qsl at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Wednesday, May 31, 2006 10:19 PM
Subject: Re: [Dx-qsl] Peter One


> Why is it that some folks feel that if they don't get their cards from 
> DXpeditions within the first week of them coming out then there's a 
> problem with postal thievery, dishonest managers, conspiracies, etc? Not 
> to personalize this at all, but in the last couple of years, I've seen a 
> good number with the same attitude.
>
> I've analyzed my cards for the last 7 months now. Every time I do a run of 
> direct QSLs I use a custom report in DX Base to show what got sent that 
> particular day. I print it out and put it in a binder and every so often I 
> go back in to analyze the results. By and large, on a typical run of 15 to 
> 20 direct cards, all but a few come back within 4 months.
>
> Nov. 9th: 14/14
> Nov. 25th: 17/18 (no longer need the 18th, either)
> Dec. 21 29/34
> Jan 12th: 32/38
> Jan 23rd: 27/32
> Jan 25: 7/10
> Jan 30: 4/6 (those two are both understandably delayed -- injury to one OM 
> (get well soon, Thor!) and CE0Z cards not out yet).
>
>
> The simple fact is, sometimes your envelope sits on the top of the 
> manager's pile, sometimes it's on the bottom and usually it's somewhere in 
> the middle. I can't think of a single medium-scale (i.e. 6O0N, ) or 
> large-scale (PW0T, TI9M, K1B, etc) DXpedition I've worked since getting 
> into DXing in 2001 that I haven't eventually gotten a card back from. It 
> takes as long as it takes, no more, no less. Peter 1 was the fastest by a 
> huge margin. K1B took what seemed like forever, but I wasn't worried. 
> Sure, it gets frustrating when you see 100 guys make posts about getting 
> their rare-entity QSLs on this reflector and you have nothing but cobwebs 
> in your mailbox, but sometimes that's just the way it goes. My worst was 
> TX0AT a few years ago. I got my card about 3 months after they started 
> coming out. So what, I got it. Now, if I was sitting at 325 confirmed and 
> need that one rare one for Honor Roll, I may feel somewhat differently!!!
>
> I would also recommend to anybody who has poor QSL return rates to examine 
> their outgoing requests as well. After I got back from C6A in March, you 
> wouldn't believe some of the QSL requests I got in. Make the manager's job 
> easier for him/her and you'll likely receive your reply quicker than one 
> requiring "special handling," a cryptologist to decipher card data from 
> poor handwriting, an origami specialist to unfold the return envelope that 
> was folded up a dozen times, etc. Leave your callsign off both envelopes, 
> use meter stickers from the post office for the "iffy" countries (or rent 
> your own postage meter if you send a lot of them), use nesting envelopes 
> (make your outbound a security-tinted number 10), print outgoing addresses 
> as labels instead of hand-addressing and make your mail piece look like 
> business correspondence.
>
> If you STILL think there's a postal problem, and you're on a rural route 
> or get kerbside delivery only, rent a post office box to be certain that 
> your card doesn't get dropped in a mud puddle while it's out for delivery. 
> My postman sometimes leaves my mailbox flap open a tad at the top (it's 
> not spring loaded), hence my mail gets soaked in heavy rain, so I did, in 
> fact, rent a PO box. And a nice thing with boxes, if you don't like the 
> service
> from your local post office, you can always rent a box in the next town 
> over!
>
>
>
>>Matt Cassarino wrote:
>>>I think I get your meaning and it was wholly uncalled for and mocking.
>>>
>>>So like what, I donate, join the clubs that sponsor the trips, and I have 
>>>get stressed waiting for some crotchity PITA to give me the business ?
>
> Why are you letting this stress you out in the first place? It's just a 
> QSL, it's just a hobby! Nothing in ham radio is worth worrying yourself 
> sick over! I love DXing and love QSLing even more, but not to the point of 
> stress. Sure, I'm cheesed off because I can't get ER4DX or ER1QQ to 
> confirm 40 and 80m Q's (they're the only ones I have any problem with), 
> but I don't let it get to me either.
>
>
>
>>>Oh well.
>>>
>>>>Matt Cassarino wrote:
>>>>>OK, thanks for the info guys... I'll continue to wait then.
>>>>>
>>>>>I'd like to say this because recently I was snapped at by a very few 
>>>>>managers after waiting months with no reply.
> <snip>
>>>>>(hey, it's summer and WABC !) like G3TXF, W3HNK, others and women. I 
>>>>>have heart failure and cardiomyopathy at 32 and don't ask for any 
>>>>>SPECIAL treatment. But my family has no use for my QSLs.
>>>>>
>>>>>So on the other hand, I don't expect to get stuck at the end of any 
>>>>>piles because I dared ask and becaus esomeone sees my age and assumes I 
>>>>>have 70 years to wait as punishment for my transgression.
>>>>>
>>>>>Not when hundreds of guys couldn't care less who / what / where you 
>>>>>are.
>>>>>
>>>>>Meaning, I don't believe for a minute US mail doesn't get where I'm 
>>>>>sending it if it's addressed to this country.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>Cheers,
>>>>
>>>>Peter,
>>>>W2IRT
>
>
>
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