[Dx-qsl] Peter One

Thu Jun 1 16:41:59 EDT 2006

You know ... it USED to be an informal rule in the hobby (and I'm going 
to be dating myself with this one ... but I admit I have been in this 
hobby since the early 60s)... that "The final courtesy of a QSO is a 
QSL"... We didnt used to "charge" someone else
for our card ... not even an SASE was requested most of the time. I 
sent my card and requested one and got one back. That usually took 
place EVEN IF the other party didnt want mine in the first place. If I 
asked for one, the other ops were usually courteous enough to send one 
of theirs ... they knew I was probably going for some award.
It even worked that way with DX stations. Now days, unless youre going 
through a bureau, if you want a card, it seems that you have to PAY for 
that card ... a greenstamp, an IRC or some other form of "payment".
We may have sent some money to a DXpedition group before they left .. 
but it wasnt really expected that we would. The ops went on the 
DXpedition because they WANTED to ... It was their "vacation" if you 
will. I dont know how the rest of you do things .. but I sure as heck 
dont pay for my neighbors vacation to Disneyland with expectations that 
the neighbor family will bring me back a mug or a T-shirt or anything 
like that. Donating to support a DXpedition was the exception, not the 
rule .... It seems to be the rule now days for some reason. 
I've done a few "special event station" operations .. which, granted, 
arent as expensive as a DXpedition. During the 2002 Winter Olympics, 
we worked over two thousand stations. While it was mentioned that SASE 
was appreciated, it was NOT madatory that an SASE be sent ... or a 
greenstamp either.. A lot of stations did, and a lot didnt. Even 
those who didnt got a card. The only thing
that occured is that it might have taken a bit longer to get a non SASE 
card sent out .. but that was because it was faster to stuff a card into 
an SASE. Those without were worked on as quickly as possible though. 
This "expectation" of "payment" of some sort seems to be all part of 
today's societal philosophy of "what's in it for ME?"....
If I were to decide to go someplace and conduct a DXpedition, I wouldnt 
ask anyone for "contributions" and wouldnt expect to get "paid" in some 
manner for a QSL card in return. After all, it's a HOBBY not a 
profession.
Just my two cents worth.... And anyone who want, is free to throw 
stones at me now ... or rotten tomatoes. HI HI
Ray WA7ITZ
Danny Douglas wrote:
>I have heard enough. First of all, the expediton got out a lot of cards as
>faster or faster than any other dxpediton I remember. Usually we wait while
>the organizers seem to juggle around to get a design, for weeks. Then they
>wait until they know how many incoming envelopes they receive, in order to
>not over-order cards. Then and only then they get around to starting to
>fill out responses. This group got that done in a quick hurry.
>>Now - I disagree with the methodology of going thru incoming envelopes, and
>taking "contributions" out and stacking the envelopes according to how much
>was in the envelope. To me that smacks of buying a card. I believe in the
>idea of "first in- first out". Its great that people want to help balance
>the finances of such an expedition, and I guess that this is all figured in
>when the budget is decided before the trip is completely planned and
>underway. I just dont feel that my, or anyone elses, financial status or
>contribution should figure in with the rate of card returns. I suspect in
>this case that the incoming envelopes were opened and some arbitrary
>stacking system was used, after the contributions were removed. Probably
>stacks of 100ドル or over, 75 or over, 50 or over, etc. down to those who
>simply put in a SASE (which I would almost bet is the majority).
>>Now, that many have blown off steam, its time to stop and just wait for your
>card. The group has no idea if your health is poor, if you are going to
>move next week, or its your last ever needed card - nor frankly, should any
>of those reasons make any difference to how quickly you get your card.
>Lets wait until they tell us all the cards have been responded to. Then,
>and only then should we send an email and ask. Your emails are slowing
>things down now, and causing the rest of us to wait longer - with you. When
>the card comes - I will have it. If I die first, it want make a tinkers
>dam when or if it comes.
>\
>----- Original Message ----- 
>From: "Jack - K4WSB" <K4WSB at arrl.net>
>To: "HK3CW" <cwdude at gmail.com>; <dx-qsl at mailman.qth.net>
>Sent: Thursday, June 01, 2006 10:03 AM
>Subject: Re: [Dx-qsl] Peter One
>>>>>>Amen,
>>>>All you complainers and conspiracy believers should try and be a QSL
>>manager sometime... especially for a station putting several hundred
>>(thousand) QSO's daily into the log. How long do you think it takes to
>>sort the mail, open the envelope, check the log, print a QSL, stuff and
>>lick the envelope and get it to the mailbox?
>>>>I caught the tail end of a discussion at the ICOM booth during the Dayton
>>hamfest. They had just finished several thousand(S) and got them in the
>>mail just before leaving for Dayton.
>>>>For those that belive BIG BUCKS get served first: if it was me those
>>>>>cards
>>>>would be mailed out as soon as the expedition was over, otherwise how long
>>would it take to sort through the sacks to find the envelopes from those
>>stations.
>>>>>>At 07:47 AM 6/1/2006 -0500, HK3CW wrote:
>>>>>>>Crap...the speed that you receive your QSL is directly proportional to
>>>your patience. Why the big fuzz about it? Can't you wait, do you think
>>>>>>>the
>>>>>ops or are going to steal your freakin 2 dollars? or 10 or 15 ...
>>>Get a life people!
>>>>>>73 de HK3CW so..I have not rcvd my qsl either...so what??
>>>>>>----- Original Message ----- From: "Tom" <n4nw at n4nw.org>
>>>To: <dx-qsl at mailman.qth.net>
>>>Sent: Thursday, June 01, 2006 6:55 AM
>>>Subject: Re: [Dx-qsl] Peter One
>>>>>>>>>>>>>The speed in which you will receive your QSL is directly proportional to
>>>>the amount of money you sent to support the operation!
>>>>>>>>At 10:26 PM 05/31/2006, you wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>>>>Is there anyone on the list who sent their card around 27 Feb and
>>>>>contributed what they could and how they could who does not have a card
>>>>>>>>>>>yet ?
>>>>>>>Just wondering.
>>>>>>>>>>And getting suspicious; I'd like to make a comment but won't.
>>>>>>>>>>Thank you
>>>>>Matt WV1K
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Jack Hartley
>>>>K4WSB
>>>>ARRL - QCWA - OOTC
>>>>DXCC Honor Roll
>>>>>>>>>>&quot;Don't it always seem to go that you don't know what you've
>>>>>got...till it's gone.&quot; from Big Yellow Taxi (Joni Mitchell) but also
>true about QSL.NET if more users don't open their wallets and help
>financially. Please contribute TODAY !!
>>>>-- 
>>No virus found in this incoming message.
>>Checked by AVG Free Edition.
>>Version: 7.1.394 / Virus Database: 268.8.0/353 - Release Date: 5/31/2006
>>>>>>>>>>>&quot;Don't it always seem to go that you don't know what you've got...till it's gone.&quot; from Big Yellow Taxi (Joni Mitchell) but also true about QSL.NET if more users don't open their wallets and help financially. Please contribute TODAY !!
>>>>