[SADXA] CY9C OQRS now open

Fri Aug 9 12:39:45 EDT 2019

The Clublog system has undergone a lot of redesign and systems 
maintenance recently so if they chose to zero out the previous OQRS 
records, it harms nobody.  I was in touch with G7VJR a few weeks ago 
about one particular cosmetic problem with dead records on the OQRS 
list, and so got a glimpse from him of what was happening under the 
hood.  He and his team of volunteers do a great job, so I cut them a lot 
of slack for keeping the service in as good a shape as it is.

I don't know of a single DXpedition that used "unusual communications 
modes" so I'm not worried about a no-institutional funding possibility.  
The CY9C crew used at least SSB, CW, RTTY, and FT8, and perhaps others 
like PSK.  This particular group looks like they're primarily 
self-funded.  I doubt if they'd worry too much about getting a lot of 
external money, except perhaps to say that it would be nice to have.  It 
will be interesting to peruse their band-by-mode QSO matrix when it's 
published to see how effective the more traditional modes were with 
respect to the digital ones.

73,  Jim  W9FI

On 8/8/2019 6:25 PM, Wes wrote:
> I know how it works.  The point is, if you have already used OQRS then 
> it should show "Requested" with an option to request again.
>
> Most expeditions are asking for $3.00. I realize they can ask for 
> whatever they want.  They can also set their own QSL policy, that 
> said, some foundations frown on expeditions that don't use the bureau 
> system.  INDEXA, which I support, requires expeditions to follow 
> certain standards to receive funding from them.  They say this about 
> QSLing:
>
> "A fair QSL Policy is also required. INDEXA believes that DXers should 
> have an option to receive a paper QSL confirmation
> at no cost to them through the QSL Bureau system. The QSL could be 
> requested through OQRS or by sending a
> QSL card via the bureau to the DXpedition’s QSL manager. INDEXA 
> believes that DXers should be able to request a
> direct paper QSL from the DXpedition’s QSL Manager by providing an 
> SASE with necessary return postage or by providing
> an SAE with minimal funds necessary to cover return postage. This 
> policy encourages those with lesser means to
> participate in chasing DX. Perhaps encouraging young people now will 
> cause some of them to make significant contributions
> to DXing in the future if their interest is maintained and they don't 
> feel shut out now by the high cost of getting QSLcards.
> The DXer always has the option of contributing to the DXpedition’s 
> expenses if they are able, but it should not be
> a requirement to receive a QSL. INDEXA also believes that OQRS is a 
> service provided to the DXer. We believe a minimum
> charge for the service is warranted and is left to the option of the 
> DXpedition. A full LoTW upload is required within
> one year after the DXpedition is over."
>
> NCDXF, which I also personally support and SADXA supports has a 
> similar policy requiring LoTW uploads, AND...
>
> "Operations restricted to unusual communications such as RTTY, 
> satellite, EME, VHF and UHF are not supported, although HF CW and SSB 
> operations that we do support are welcome to use these modes as an 
> enhancement."  So no FT8-only operations are supported.
>
> Wes  N7WS
>
> , On 8/8/2019 2:11 PM, Jim Wysocki wrote:
>> Wes, I believe you can pick and choose among the QSOs.  Don't make a 
>> selection regarding any particular QSO and when you go to confirm the 
>> rest of them on the next screen it shouldn't be there.  Still it 
>> seems like a moot point to me.  Since confirmation of the first QSO 
>> is $4.50 and all of the rest of them are free, just check them all 
>> even if it means duplicating the confirmation of the 2016 QSOs.  All 
>> it means is there will be extra QSO lines on the QSL card, or 
>> duplicate LotW confirmation records.
>>
>> I'm getting five new band fills this time around, so that's only 50 
>> cents per QSO.  Throw in the other five confirmations from 2016 and 
>> they're a quarter a piece.  Everyone has their own threshold of 
>> tolerance, but for me OQRS is economically more viable than QSL cards 
>> and an SASE. As long as the LotW confirmations show up, I don't even 
>> care if a card ever arrives or not.
>>
>> On your other topic, even FT8 didn't help them over here on 15m and 
>> above and on 160.  With the Catalinas and Rincons being between me 
>> and St. Paul island, the mountains knocked down the signals to the 
>> point where CW was useless and even FT8 wasn't reliable enough copy 
>> to make QSOs on some bands.  The only way I got them on 80 was via 
>> FT8.  Their CW signal on that band was buried deeply enough into the 
>> QRN as to make it unreadable.  On 10, 12, 15, or 160 neither their 
>> signals nor their pileups were detectable on any mode.  On 80, 40, 
>> and 30, only FT8 got deep enough into the noise to pull out a CY9 
>> signal at this QTH.  So my opinion is to forget about tradition and 
>> bring on more FT8 DXpeditions.
>>
>> 73,  Jim  W9FI
>>
>> On 8/8/2019 12:13 PM, Wes wrote:
>>> Their records aren't very good.  Other than two recent FT8 QSOs, 
>>> that I won't worry about confirming, my 11 Qs from 2016 are all 
>>> confirmed, yet OQRS wants me to apply again.
>>>
>>> Additionally, $4.50 is above normal and I see they are taking 
>>> advantage of the recent change to OQRS that removed the requirement 
>>> that they needed to offer free bureau cards.
>>>
>>> Hope they had fun on their FT8 expedition.
>>>
>>> Wes  N7WS
>>>
>>>
>>> On 8/8/2019 11:02 AM, Jim Wysocki wrote:
>>>> The CY9C crew has ceased operations and now has their Online QSL 
>>>> Request Service open at ClubLog. Here's the link to where you can 
>>>> check on whether or not you're in their log and if so, to order QSL 
>>>> cards and (hopefully) early LotW confirmations as well.
>>>>
>>>> https://clublog.org/charts/?c=CY9C
>>>>
>>>> 73,  Jim  W9FI 
>>>
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