Greetings,
I have a question about exchanging QSL cards. When the last time the ISS xband repeater was up I made seven contacts. I was very excited because this was the first time I was able to work satellites. Very anxious, I sent out seven QSL cards. Waiting to get some back. I received only one. My questions is, is there a protocol for sending and receiving QSL cards for satellite work? When I get better, I would like to try for VUCC... Thanks in advance. 73, Stuart W8STU EN91
Stuart Underwood wrote:
Greetings,
I have a question about exchanging QSL cards. When the last time the ISS xband repeater was up I made seven contacts. I was very excited because this was the first time I was able to work satellites. Very anxious, I sent out seven QSL cards. Waiting to get some back. I received only one. My questions is, is there a protocol for sending and receiving QSL cards for satellite work? When I get better, I would like to try for VUCC... Thanks in advance. 73, Stuart W8STU EN91
Unfortunately fewer and fewer hams are willing to send QSL cards. I will always send a card if requested, and would usually send a card if it was to someone I had never worked on satellite. Also if it was something special for one or the other of us.
When I was trying to finish my satellite VUCC, it took some effort to get the last few card.
Satelllite VUCC #108
Stuart Underwood w8stu@att.net wrote:
> I sent out seven QSL cards. Waiting to get some back. > I received only one. My questions is, is there a protocol > for sending and receiving QSL cards for satellite work?
If you want the cards bad enough, you could always include a SASE with your card. Most of the time that will help your return rate. Good luck.
73, Gary -K8KFJ- Sat VUCC #125 Greetings,
I have a question about exchanging QSL cards. When the last time the ISS xband repeater was up I made seven contacts. I was very excited because this was the first time I was able to work satellites. Very anxious, I sent out seven QSL cards. Waiting to get some back. I received only one. My questions is, is there a protocol for sending and receiving QSL cards for satellite work? When I get better, I would like to try for VUCC... Thanks in advance. 73, Stuart W8STU EN91 _______________________________________________ Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
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Although you sometimes will not get a card back no matter what you do, to increase your chances here is what I have done.
Send all cards with a SASE (or self addressed envelop with a green stamp or IRC) Send a pre-filled out QSL card for them to complete (with date/time/callsigns, etc. and a place for them to sign) (this way, even if they do not have any QSL cards, they can provide you with one)
Now the disappointing part... you have done this once, need the country for a new one, send a card again only this time with $5 in it, no reply. Next you actually happen to come across someone that is traveling to that county and you give him a QSL card to carry with him and a blank made out card. He knocks on the door of the ham in the foreign country, asks him if he would please fill out the QSL card for his friend in the states and the ham doesn't want to have anything to do with it. This just was not a very nice ham at all. Oh well, I am still waiting for a satellite QSL card from Iceland back in 1993 or 1994.
Once upon a time, someone sent me a QSL card without a SASE (stateside ham). Having DXCC, WAS, VUCC and WAC on satellite, it was nice to receive a card from another state. I emailed the ham and said I would not send it direct without postage. He replied that this was the most economical way to exchange QSL cards, each side paid half the postage. That would be a great theory if QSL'ing were to start today and no one in the world had a QSL card from anyone else. What about people that are on fixed budgets and like to be on the air. If everyone sent them a QSL card, that would cost them so much they could not buy food that month.
I am the QSL manager for P5/4L4FN (North Korea operation). Very, very rare country. We had sent him equipment to get on AO-40 a few weeks before it went silent (sniff sniff). Anyhow, I have processed around 12,000 QSL cards for that operation. I still get requests. Many come direct without envelopes, SASE, IRC or green stamps. If I sent back even 1,000 of them on my own funds, that would be very expensive (envelope and postage) and I have absolutely nothing to gain towards any award. Those cards go back via the buro and I have to pay the postage and buro fee to send them (a lot less than postage on each one).
You have to remember that if you want a QSL card from someone, it is to further your fun in the hobby by earning some type of award, not the person that you are sending the card to. (If it was someplace I really wanted and I got their card before I sent mine, I would send them back their postage, IRC or green stamp as it was mutually beneficial).
73...bruce
Garie Halstead K8KFJ wrote:
Stuart Underwoodw8stu@att.net wrote:
> I sent out seven QSL cards. Waiting to get some back. > I received only one. My questions is, is there a protocol > for sending and receiving QSL cards for satellite work?If you want the cards bad enough, you could always include a SASE with your card. Most of the time that will help your return rate. Good luck.
73, Gary -K8KFJ- Sat VUCC #125 Greetings,
I have a question about exchanging QSL cards. When the last time the ISS xband repeater was up I made seven contacts. I was very excited because this was the first time I was able to work satellites. Very anxious, I sent out seven QSL cards. Waiting to get some back. I received only one. My questions is, is there a protocol for sending and receiving QSL cards for satellite work? When I get better, I would like to try for VUCC... Thanks in advance. 73, Stuart W8STU EN91 _______________________________________________ Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
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When I began in ham radio, I was 14 years old with a $2/month allowance. The fact that I even had a transmitter (Heath DX-35) was due to my Dad providing the $55 needed for the used radio (very unexpected since this was equal to the family monthly food budget back then). I later got a part-time job for $10/week so I could afford to QSL (3-cent postage back then). My mother made up 500 cards for me at the newspaper office where she worked (probably cost her about 5-cents a copy). I think she made $0.50/hour as a lineotypist back then. Those cards probably cost her more than a weeks salary! I am amazed at my folks back then.
As a K8 in Michigan, I certainly was not a rare DX station, but I recall receiving a QSL for every card I sent (late 1950's). Well, times have changed. Certainly not everyone has the finances to do Ham radio. As the only active ham in Alaska (a DXCC country) on 2m eme, I am sought for QSL's a lot. Fortunately, I can afford to send cards and do 100% QSL of all my eme contacts. I do not do 100% for satellite, but will reply to all who send a card. I send overseas contacts my card plus self-addressed envelope and $2 USD for postage. I make my own cards on the computer using 4x6 inch Avery postcard stock. This adds up! When I retire on social security I wonder how well I will be able to continue with QSLing.
Bruce brings up very good thoughts to consider when you QSL. BTW I do not have 100% reply rate for my eme QSLs, but it is not bad.
73 Ed - KL7UW
At 08:07 AM 3/28/2008, Bruce wrote:
Although you sometimes will not get a card back no matter what you do, to increase your chances here is what I have done.
Send all cards with a SASE (or self addressed envelop with a green stamp or IRC) Send a pre-filled out QSL card for them to complete (with date/time/callsigns, etc. and a place for them to sign) (this way, even if they do not have any QSL cards, they can provide you with one)
Now the disappointing part... you have done this once, need the country for a new one, send a card again only this time with $5 in it, no reply. Next you actually happen to come across someone that is traveling to that county and you give him a QSL card to carry with him and a blank made out card. He knocks on the door of the ham in the foreign country, asks him if he would please fill out the QSL card for his friend in the states and the ham doesn't want to have anything to do with it. This just was not a very nice ham at all. Oh well, I am still waiting for a satellite QSL card from Iceland back in 1993 or 1994.
Once upon a time, someone sent me a QSL card without a SASE (stateside ham). Having DXCC, WAS, VUCC and WAC on satellite, it was nice to receive a card from another state. I emailed the ham and said I would not send it direct without postage. He replied that this was the most economical way to exchange QSL cards, each side paid half the postage. That would be a great theory if QSL'ing were to start today and no one in the world had a QSL card from anyone else. What about people that are on fixed budgets and like to be on the air. If everyone sent them a QSL card, that would cost them so much they could not buy food that month.
I am the QSL manager for P5/4L4FN (North Korea operation). Very, very rare country. We had sent him equipment to get on AO-40 a few weeks before it went silent (sniff sniff). Anyhow, I have processed around 12,000 QSL cards for that operation. I still get requests. Many come direct without envelopes, SASE, IRC or green stamps. If I sent back even 1,000 of them on my own funds, that would be very expensive (envelope and postage) and I have absolutely nothing to gain towards any award. Those cards go back via the buro and I have to pay the postage and buro fee to send them (a lot less than postage on each one).
You have to remember that if you want a QSL card from someone, it is to further your fun in the hobby by earning some type of award, not the person that you are sending the card to. (If it was someplace I really wanted and I got their card before I sent mine, I would send them back their postage, IRC or green stamp as it was mutually beneficial).
73...bruce
Garie Halstead K8KFJ wrote:
Stuart Underwoodw8stu@att.net wrote:
> I sent out seven QSL cards. Waiting to get some back. > I received only one. My questions is, is there a protocol > for sending and receiving QSL cards for satellite work?If you want the cards bad enough, you
could always include a SASE with your card. Most of the time that will help your return rate. Good luck.
73, Gary -K8KFJ- Sat VUCC #125 Greetings,
I have a question about exchanging QSL cards.
When the last time the ISS xband repeater was up I made seven contacts. I was very excited because this was the first time I was able to work satellites. Very anxious, I sent out seven QSL cards. Waiting to get some back. I received only one. My questions is, is there a protocol for sending and receiving QSL cards for satellite work? When I get better, I would like to try for VUCC... Thanks in advance. 73, Stuart W8STU EN91
Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
Looking for last minute shopping deals? Find them fast with Yahoo! Search. _______________________________________________ Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
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Bruce Paige, KK5DO
AMSAT Director Contests and Awards
ARRL Awards Manager (WAS, 5BWAS, VUCC), VE
Houston AMSAT Net - Wed 0100z on SkyScanner Satellite Radio Network on Galaxy-25 @97° West, Transponder 23 (12115 Vert), Symbol Rate: 22425, APID: 1794 (DVB Free To Air) Also streaming MP3 at http://www.amsatnet.com
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----- Original Message ----- To: "AMSAT BB" Sent: Friday, March 28, 2008 03:24 UTC Subject: [amsat-bb] QSL CARD EXCHANGE
Greetings,
I have a question about exchanging QSL cards. When the last time the ISS xband repeater was up I made seven contacts. I was very excited because this was the first time I was able to work satellites. Very anxious, I sent out seven QSL cards. Waiting to get some back. I received only one. My questions is, is there a protocol for sending and receiving QSL cards for satellite work? When I get better, I would like to try for VUCC... Thanks in advance. 73, Stuart W8STU EN91
Hi Stuart, Even avid DXer's only get about a 60% return rate on their QSL's so don't get to discouraged. That said, here are a few suggestions to increase your return rate: -Always enclose an SASE (self addressed stamped envelope). -Be sure to record contact dates and times in UTC and indicate so on the card. -Be sure to write legibly. -Always sign your card. -Include all the information the other station might want for his/her own award goals (Grid Square, ITU Zone, CQ Zone, County, etc.) -Write a short note on the back thanking the other station for the QSO. -If the card is for a new State, Grid, Country, etc. say so on the card. -If you're working for an award say so on the card. -Some special events have QSL managers so be sure you know the correct place to send your card. -If the card is important and you don't get a response in a reasonable period of time send another card and be sure to note it's your second attempt. -If you're sending a card over seas don't bother with the SASE just include a self addressed envelope and a "green stamp" (one dollar bill) to cover local postage. -Overseas QSL's should never have a call-sign on the outside of the envelope to avoid mail theft.
If you're really desperate you can create a return card for the other station and send it to him to sign and return. Be sure to include a note explaining what your doing and an SASE. (I've done this twice and it worked both times).
Some other things to consider: -Personalized QSL cards get a higher return rate. -Unique QSL cards get a higher return rate. -Cards that are easy to read and understand get a higher return rate.
Things to avoid are: -Cards with the address or other information in non-standard form (Example: Street address at the top, City and State at the bottom). -Cards with political or religious messages. -Cards that have a commercial message or promote particular, non-amateur related causes.
One other note, sometimes it takes a while. I generally send out card every three months or so and I know hams that only reply to QSLs once a year.
Good Luck on the VUCC
Steve .. AI7W lm #2270
Steve wrote:
-If you're sending a card over seas don't bother with the SASE just include a self addressed envelope and a "green stamp" (one dollar bill) to cover local postage.
Keep in mind that with current exchange rates, one US dollar may not cover it for them today.
Nate WY0X
Stuart Underwood wrote:
Greetings,
I have a question about exchanging QSL cards. When the last time the ISS xband repeater was up I made seven contacts. I was very excited because this was the first time I was able to work satellites. Very anxious, I sent out seven QSL cards. Waiting to get some back. I received only one. My questions is, is there a protocol for sending and receiving QSL cards for satellite work? When I get better, I would like to try for VUCC... Thanks in advance. 73, Stuart W8STU EN91
Normal. I sent out over 500 cards for VHF+ contacts during June contest in 2006. My return rate was about 100, if that.
But, I will admit I put a letter in with them, and was more interested in letting folks know that I had a good time, I hoped they had a good time, and there was a line in there that stated clearly that I did NOT need a return QSL if they couldn't do it for any reason, but that they would be appreciated if they did.
Also, be patient. Many people (myself included) fall behind on QSL'ing and have to schedule a weekend day where NOTHING else gets done but QSLs... obviously these "catch up" sessions aren't much fun, so there's not much motivation to do them more than a couple of times a year. I have a (small, thank Goodness) stack of cards I still need to reply to.
During my next "QSL session" I think I've finally found some software I like for keeping my QSL and log information long-term... there's tons of options out there, but I decided to "just go" with one... so that day will probably be spent typing log information into that software... ad nauseaum.
That software should also post everything typed into it into LoTW and eQSL, for those that like those... neither of which is all that great for VHF+ Rovers, due to grid square changes, the decision whether to log as WY0X or WY0X/R, etc...
The *best* way to get a QSL back, is to beg for them, and include an SASE. That has the highest return rate these days. Ironically, most SASEs I send out, get returned... hams are usually willing to send QSLs, they're just too busy to do it. A note begging for a return QSL and an SASE is often just the "hint" needed to trigger someone like myself into one of those "QSL days" in the basement... and I send back people's SASEs so they can re-use them too.
Nate WY0X
participants (7)
-
Bruce -
Edward Cole -
Garie Halstead K8KFJ -
Jim Walls -
Nate Duehr -
Steve -
Stuart Underwood