[Elecraft] QSL cards + A Question

[Stephen W. Kercel]

Tom:

Paper QSLing has become very expensive.

eQSL is not recognized for major awards such as DXCC and WAS. (Unless 
the policy has recently changed)

LOTW is recognized for DXCC and WAS, and is likely to expand to other 
awards. I have about 1600 QSOs logged on LOTW resulting in about 200 
QSLs, about 12.5% rate of return. Many contesters routinely upload 
their Cabrillo files to LOTW, and most of my LOTW QSLs are from 
contest QSOs. However, I do find that electronic QSLing is mere data 
processing and nowhere nearly as interesting as collecting paper QSLs.

I will send a paper QSL to any station that sends me a paper QSL, 
whether they include return postage or not. (I can afford to be 
generous because I receive very few unsolicited QSL cards.)

In addition, if I really want a domestic QSL card (e.g., a new state 
for 80 m QRP WAS), then I'll send a paper QSL and SASE with first 
class postage affixed. My response rate is better than 90%.

For all other domestic QSOs, I QSL via LOTW.

On DX QSLing, if I really want a DX QSL card (e.g., a new DXCC 
country), then I'll send a paper QSL and SASE with airmail postage 
affixed. Rather than IRCs, I buy foreign airmail stamps from William 
Plum. As with domestic SASEs, my response rate is better than 90%.

I QSL most other DX QSOs via the Outgoing ARRL Bureau.

One exception: I work a lot of contests and end up working the same 
stations over and over again in different contests. Once I've swapped 
QSLs with a given station on a given band, I usually do not send 
paper QSLs for subsequent contacts with the same station on the same band.

Hope this helps,

73,

Steve
AA4AK





At 05:47 PM 6/5/2006, Tom Skinner wrote:
>Hello Group,
>
>I'm slowly returning to active status after a very long hiatus, and I'm
>starting to fill up the log.  I'm not sure if the "old etiquette" for QSLing
>still holds.
>
>In the past, exchanging QSL cards was considered part of the hobby - sort of
>a polite way to "end" the QSO.  I know representative costs are probably the
>same now as they were "then", but in terms of actual dollars an active ham
>could spend a whole bunch of money on paper.
>
>Is it "OK" to send QSL cards (and expect a reply) to stations we work in
>contests?  Seems like that would be a huge expense for the contester - given
>the cost of the QSL and current postage rates.
>
>How about this eQSL thing, is it a worthwhile venture?  LoTW?  Do contesters
>usually post their logs on these services?  eQSL and LoTW seem kinda
>sterile, but are they accepted as part of our computer-world?
>
>73,
>
>Tom, KJ3D
>
>
>
>
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