[OKDXA] Bureau Sorter Needed

[Jerry Chouinard]

Folks:

The W5 Incoming Bureau is looking for a replacement for a sorter to handle 
the letter I (eye).  The gentleman currently handling that letter is moving 
from a big city in Texas to the countryside in Mississippi.  He will be 
quite busy over this next year and needs more of his spare time to get 
settled.  He's a good one and I hate to lose him but understand his need 
for more time.  His past work has been appreciated by many.  He has 
graciously offered to help until a replacement can be located.

Most of the bureau sorters maintain a database of articles and activities 
relating to each of the call signs they handle.  That is one of the 
requirements of becoming a sorter for the bureau.  Several products are 
used by the sorters and almost any format can be imported and readied for 
the web page.  The current I (eye) database is kept in a Microsoft Works 
spreadsheet which is easily imported and formatted for the bureau's web 
query.  Other products used by sorters are Access, Excel and Works 
DB.  Generally after each month's sort and mail out activity a sorter 
emails a copy of their updated database to me which I then post to the web 
site.

Other than the database requirement, sorter methods and means vary based on 
a sorter's desires.  I haven't been around long enough to see all the 
different volunteer's setups for handling cards, envelopes, credits and 
mailings but do know different "tools" are used by all.  The W5 bureau has 
been known and continues to be known for it's responsiveness so timely mail 
outs and answers to user inquiries are desired.

An example of a sorter's "setup" can be seen at 
http://www.okdxa.org/buro/buro-lsetup Ken's is a nice one - if I did one it 
would likely not be quite as "XYL" approved.

The work of a bureau sorter is all volunteer time ie; no pay....  If, after 
pondering that statement, you would be interested in "volunteering" to be a 
bureau sorter, send an off reflector email to k5yaa@okdxa.org  and I'll be 
glad to elaborate on the duties and details involved in being a bureau sorter.

Thanks and 73,
Jerry K5YAA
W5 Incoming QSL Bureau Mgr.