[Dx-qsl] re QSL Bureaus and direct buro mailing

Wed Aug 16 12:11:37 EDT 2006

Just got back from the postoffice. Took the whole kit and kaboodle in to
weigh, and have a total of 7.5 pounds right now. Had separated a few
countries by putting them in envelopes and then weighed them and had the
postmaster see what the individual costs would be. The heavest envelope, to
Germany, weighed just at half a pound (98 cards) , and the cost was cheaper
as Priority mail than any other way, and was over my esitmated break point
of 4 bucks per half pound. Another 3 ounce envelope was almost 5 bucks.
Heck with this, they are all going to be put in a Priority Flat Rate box
and mailed to the outgoing bureau. Even at 8 bucks per pound there, plus
the postage to Ct., it is going to be cheaper, and probably faster than the
slow boat to china I was gonna use for some of the larger numbers of cards.
Slow boat mail (3 month delivery time) is about 18.00 for 5 pounds OR LESS.
Thus I dont have the volume needed to get good rates per ounce. So my
whole 1000 or so cards is going to cost me just less than 70ドル.00 to send -
which is just about what I spend to send 30 cards direct to DX locations.
(buying IRCs from managers- and .87 per outoing stamp). I would still have
5 pounds or so of cards to send to the outgoing buro here - so the whole 7.5
pounds is going to be cheaper than my sending some out direct to buros and
the rest to the ARRL.
Given the response rate recently, to direct mailings, the response rates to
bureaus do not look so bad either.
We need to support these bureaus. Use them. Pay your money or buy the
special QSL stamps, belong to the organizations, keep SASEs on hand at your
sorters location. If we loose the capability to use bureaus, there will be
many hams who just cannot afford to "finsh the QSO" by sending cards. I
certainly could not afford it as a kid - and now in retirment is is even
more expensive, and I have other uses for my money. The ones who sent their
cards to me, and have their responses in this box, wouldnt be getting them
if I had to mail them direct.
Danny Douglas N7DC
ex WN5QMX ET2US WA5UKR ET3USA
SV0WPP VS6DD N7DC/YV5 G5CTB all
DX 2-6 years each.
moderator digital_modes at yahoogroups.com
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Nenad Stevanovic" <nenad at nortel.com>
To: "Danny Douglas" <n7dc at vabb.com>
Sent: Wednesday, August 16, 2006 10:31 AM
Subject: RE: [Dx-qsl] IARU Administrative Council re QSL Bureaus