1. Topics
  2. Special Event Calls and Cards

Special Event Calls and Cards

VA7GEM-1470 <boat.anchor@...>
 

As some of you recall I had the pleasure of using two special event callsigns for all of 2017.

I used CF7GEM for FT/JT contacts and I used VB7150 for all others. I had to purchase the VB7150 call but CF7GEM was free. I purchased QSL cards for both callsigns, 400 for VB7150 & 200 for CF7GEM. Total outlay was CAD185.00. With the hopes of off setting some of the costs I asked for two green stamps for a QSL card. Postage to USA is CAD1.20 and balance was applied to outlay.

VB7150 Summary:
          3411 contacts made
          72 requests rcvd

 

CF7GEM Summary:
          4316 contacts made
          28 requests rcvd 

8 requests were rcvd without postage included (all USA stns). 

Total contacts made was  7,727

Total QSL requests was 100

My math would indicate that this is about 1.3% of contacts wishing cards.

Total exactly 100 requests times CAD0.80 covers CAD80 leaving  CAD105.00 out of pocket.

I am not sure if electronic cards have had a major impact on QSL card exchanges or if just the fact of asking the requester to cover the postage drove the numbers down.

Would I do it again.
Yes I would purchase a special event callsign if available for a full year (unusual).   
No I would not purchase special cards but would instead just offer electronic exchange. 

Now contemplating if I should re-order more cards for VA7GEM or just go electronic with it as well. 

Have fun with this one.
Barry

 

 

 
VA7GEM-1470 <boat.anchor@...>
 

No reaction at all??
Barry


On Sun, Feb 25, 2018 at 01:59 pm, VA7GEM-1470 wrote:

As some of you recall I had the pleasure of using two special event callsigns for all of 2017.

I used CF7GEM for FT/JT contacts and I used VB7150 for all others. I had to purchase the VB7150 call but CF7GEM was free. I purchased QSL cards for both callsigns, 400 for VB7150 & 200 for CF7GEM. Total outlay was CAD185.00. With the hopes of off setting some of the costs I asked for two green stamps for a QSL card. Postage to USA is CAD1.20 and balance was applied to outlay.

VB7150 Summary:
          3411 contacts made
          72 requests rcvd

 

CF7GEM Summary:
          4316 contacts made
          28 requests rcvd 

8 requests were rcvd without postage included (all USA stns). 

Total contacts made was  7,727

Total QSL requests was 100

My math would indicate that this is about 1.3% of contacts wishing cards.

Total exactly 100 requests times CAD0.80 covers CAD80 leaving  CAD105.00 out of pocket.

I am not sure if electronic cards have had a major impact on QSL card exchanges or if just the fact of asking the requester to cover the postage drove the numbers down.

Would I do it again.
Yes I would purchase a special event callsign if available for a full year (unusual).   
No I would not purchase special cards but would instead just offer electronic exchange. 

Now contemplating if I should re-order more cards for VA7GEM or just go electronic with it as well. 

Have fun with this one.
Barry

 

 

 
Rick - N7WE
 

Barry-
No suggestion about what would work for you...but I stopped doing paper cards quite some time ago.  Can't remember exactly when but it has to have been about 10 years.  Since then I think I have only had maybe two or three on-air requests for paper cards that I had to say "Sorry, don't have paper cards anymore."  I do upload all QSOs to LoTW, eQSL, and QRZ.com Logbook.  I think anymore most people (even DX) use one or more of those three. I have on maybe two or three occasion received a paper card requesting a QSL.  When that happens, I go to eQSL Outbox, do edit, display as card, open in new tab, and print one for them. Hope that helps. 
--
Rick - N7WE
070 - #1602
K8TOM
 

Rick,

You probably do not have a lot of JA traffic going into your log, as we do in my QTH area. 

My JA experience is that paper QSL confirmation often follows, even if eQSL and/or LOTW confirmation is done.

So I keep a supply for those who still have that expectation.  YMMV.

73 
Tom
K8TOM
815
Jerry N9AVY
 

Still have about 500 or so blank QSLs left.  Requests are getting fewer these days and most are LoTW or Eqsl.  The cost of postage seems to be getting increased every year. When I worked for QSL Bureau my monthly shipments dwindled from a thousand of more to just  100-200 a month.  LoTW/Eqsl has taken the bulk of the cards away from bureaus and direct mailing.  In time, the bureaus may all disappear.

What I don't understand is the need for QRZ and others to feel the need to confirm contacts. All it seems to do is add extra work to making a contact. If a station says confirm via QRZ they get ignored by me.  My logging program only has 2 buttons for QSLs:    1)  LoTW  and 2) Eqsl . Simplify, simplify in he words of Henry David Thoreau.

Went overboard and didn't allow for crummy band conditions when I ordered last batch of cards.  Think Barry might have waited a year before ordering cards  so he would get a better idea of how many to order. That may be what ARRL did with the Centennial QSLs.


Jerry  n9avy


From: Rick - N7WE <n7we1980@...>
To: 070Club@groups.io
Sent: Monday, February 26, 2018 11:48 AM
Subject: Re: [070Club] Special Event Calls and Cards

Barry-
No suggestion about what would work for you...but I stopped doing paper cards quite some time ago.  Can't remember exactly when but it has to have been about 10 years.  Since then I think I have only had maybe two or three on-air requests for paper cards that I had to say "Sorry, don't have paper cards anymore."  I do upload all QSOs to LoTW, eQSL, and QRZ.com Logbook.  I think anymore most people (even DX) use one or more of those three. I have on maybe two or three occasion received a paper card requesting a QSL.  When that happens, I go to eQSL Outbox, do edit, display as card, open in new tab, and print one for them. Hope that helps. 
--
Rick - N7WE
070 - #1602


Jerry N9AVY
 

In the old days when 10/15 meters was open to JA from here I would get a ton of JA QSLs.  The only problem was if you worked same JA station 10 times on same band, there would be QSLs for all those same band QSOs. Got to give JA stations a lot of credit for being on top of QSLing chores !!!

Jerry  n9avy


From: K8TOM <tsingle@...>
To: 070Club@groups.io
Sent: Monday, February 26, 2018 12:47 PM
Subject: Re: [070Club] Special Event Calls and Cards

Rick,

You probably do not have a lot of JA traffic going into your log, as we do in my QTH area. 

My JA experience is that paper QSL confirmation often follows, even if eQSL and/or LOTW confirmation is done.

So I keep a supply for those who still have that expectation.  YMMV.

73 
Tom
K8TOM
815


Sherri Rapp
 

I like getting QSL cards and am willing to reply with my own card. I keep a minimal stock of cards (less than 10 at a time that I print and cut put myself) for that purpose. I think I've sent 3 QSL cards out of about 120 QSOs. I upload to LOTW, eQSL, and QRZ for all QSOs. 

Sherri, WB4OSU, #2601

On Feb 26, 2018 1:47 PM, "Jerry N9AVY" <n9avy@...> wrote:
Still have about 500 or so blank QSLs left.  Requests are getting fewer these days and most are LoTW or Eqsl.  The cost of postage seems to be getting increased every year. When I worked for QSL Bureau my monthly shipments dwindled from a thousand of more to just  100-200 a month.  LoTW/Eqsl has taken the bulk of the cards away from bureaus and direct mailing.  In time, the bureaus may all disappear.

What I don't understand is the need for QRZ and others to feel the need to confirm contacts. All it seems to do is add extra work to making a contact. If a station says confirm via QRZ they get ignored by me.  My logging program only has 2 buttons for QSLs:    1)  LoTW  and 2) Eqsl . Simplify, simplify in he words of Henry David Thoreau.

Went overboard and didn't allow for crummy band conditions when I ordered last batch of cards.  Think Barry might have waited a year before ordering cards  so he would get a better idea of how many to order. That may be what ARRL did with the Centennial QSLs.


Jerry  n9avy


From: Rick - N7WE <n7we1980@...>
To: 070Club@groups.io
Sent: Monday, February 26, 2018 11:48 AM
Subject: Re: [070Club] Special Event Calls and Cards

Barry-
No suggestion about what would work for you...but I stopped doing paper cards quite some time ago.  Can't remember exactly when but it has to have been about 10 years.  Since then I think I have only had maybe two or three on-air requests for paper cards that I had to say "Sorry, don't have paper cards anymore."  I do upload all QSOs to LoTW, eQSL, and QRZ.com Logbook.  I think anymore most people (even DX) use one or more of those three. I have on maybe two or three occasion received a paper card requesting a QSL.  When that happens, I go to eQSL Outbox, do edit, display as card, open in new tab, and print one for them. Hope that helps. 
--
Rick - N7WE
070 - #1602


Matthew King - AK4MK <kk4cps@...>
 

I really enjoy paper QSLs, and request one at the end of each QSO (it's in my "bye" macro). 

I get them on occasion, but certainly not with the regularity that I request them!

Speaking of being on top of QSLing.... I'm not. I have several hundred to send out, both for my old KK4CPS call and AK4MK.  I did, however, just receive my AK4MK cards from Gennady (UX5UO) in Ukraine, so that's my excuse on that one!

73

Matt King
AK4MK - 070 #1708
PODXS 070 Club Executive Director


On Mon, Feb 26, 2018 at 2:00 PM, Sherri Rapp <srapp7@...> wrote:
I like getting QSL cards and am willing to reply with my own card. I keep a minimal stock of cards (less than 10 at a time that I print and cut put myself) for that purpose. I think I've sent 3 QSL cards out of about 120 QSOs. I upload to LOTW, eQSL, and QRZ for all QSOs. 

Sherri, WB4OSU, #2601

On Feb 26, 2018 1:47 PM, "Jerry N9AVY" <n9avy@...> wrote:
Still have about 500 or so blank QSLs left.  Requests are getting fewer these days and most are LoTW or Eqsl.  The cost of postage seems to be getting increased every year. When I worked for QSL Bureau my monthly shipments dwindled from a thousand of more to just  100-200 a month.  LoTW/Eqsl has taken the bulk of the cards away from bureaus and direct mailing.  In time, the bureaus may all disappear.

What I don't understand is the need for QRZ and others to feel the need to confirm contacts. All it seems to do is add extra work to making a contact. If a station says confirm via QRZ they get ignored by me.  My logging program only has 2 buttons for QSLs:    1)  LoTW  and 2) Eqsl . Simplify, simplify in he words of Henry David Thoreau.

Went overboard and didn't allow for crummy band conditions when I ordered last batch of cards.  Think Barry might have waited a year before ordering cards  so he would get a better idea of how many to order. That may be what ARRL did with the Centennial QSLs.


Jerry  n9avy


From: Rick - N7WE <n7we1980@...>
To: 070Club@groups.io
Sent: Monday, February 26, 2018 11:48 AM
Subject: Re: [070Club] Special Event Calls and Cards

Barry-
No suggestion about what would work for you...but I stopped doing paper cards quite some time ago.  Can't remember exactly when but it has to have been about 10 years.  Since then I think I have only had maybe two or three on-air requests for paper cards that I had to say "Sorry, don't have paper cards anymore."  I do upload all QSOs to LoTW, eQSL, and QRZ.com Logbook.  I think anymore most people (even DX) use one or more of those three. I have on maybe two or three occasion received a paper card requesting a QSL.  When that happens, I go to eQSL Outbox, do edit, display as card, open in new tab, and print one for them. Hope that helps. 
--
Rick - N7WE
070 - #1602



Jerry N9AVY
 

You're are either going to have writers cramp or buy a lot of labels.  


Jerry  n9avy


From: Matthew King - AK4MK <kk4cps@...>
To: 070Club@groups.io
Sent: Monday, February 26, 2018 1:06 PM
Subject: Re: [070Club] Special Event Calls and Cards

I really enjoy paper QSLs, and request one at the end of each QSO (it's in my "bye" macro). 

I get them on occasion, but certainly not with the regularity that I request them!

Speaking of being on top of QSLing.... I'm not. I have several hundred to send out, both for my old KK4CPS call and AK4MK.  I did, however, just receive my AK4MK cards from Gennady (UX5UO) in Ukraine, so that's my excuse on that one!

73

Matt King
AK4MK - 070 #1708
PODXS 070 Club Executive Director


On Mon, Feb 26, 2018 at 2:00 PM, Sherri Rapp <srapp7@...> wrote:
I like getting QSL cards and am willing to reply with my own card. I keep a minimal stock of cards (less than 10 at a time that I print and cut put myself) for that purpose. I think I've sent 3 QSL cards out of about 120 QSOs. I upload to LOTW, eQSL, and QRZ for all QSOs. 

Sherri, WB4OSU, #2601

On Feb 26, 2018 1:47 PM, "Jerry N9AVY" <n9avy@...> wrote:
Still have about 500 or so blank QSLs left.  Requests are getting fewer these days and most are LoTW or Eqsl.  The cost of postage seems to be getting increased every year. When I worked for QSL Bureau my monthly shipments dwindled from a thousand of more to just  100-200 a month.  LoTW/Eqsl has taken the bulk of the cards away from bureaus and direct mailing.  In time, the bureaus may all disappear.

What I don't understand is the need for QRZ and others to feel the need to confirm contacts. All it seems to do is add extra work to making a contact. If a station says confirm via QRZ they get ignored by me.  My logging program only has 2 buttons for QSLs:    1)  LoTW  and 2) Eqsl . Simplify, simplify in he words of Henry David Thoreau.

Went overboard and didn't allow for crummy band conditions when I ordered last batch of cards.  Think Barry might have waited a year before ordering cards  so he would get a better idea of how many to order. That may be what ARRL did with the Centennial QSLs.


Jerry  n9avy


From: Rick - N7WE <n7we1980@...>
To: 070Club@groups.io
Sent: Monday, February 26, 2018 11:48 AM
Subject: Re: [070Club] Special Event Calls and Cards

Barry-
No suggestion about what would work for you...but I stopped doing paper cards quite some time ago.  Can't remember exactly when but it has to have been about 10 years.  Since then I think I have only had maybe two or three on-air requests for paper cards that I had to say "Sorry, don't have paper cards anymore."  I do upload all QSOs to LoTW, eQSL, and QRZ.com Logbook.  I think anymore most people (even DX) use one or more of those three. I have on maybe two or three occasion received a paper card requesting a QSL.  When that happens, I go to eQSL Outbox, do edit, display as card, open in new tab, and print one for them. Hope that helps. 
--
Rick - N7WE
070 - #1602





Joseph <ljl2002@...>
 

Barry,
You know that if there was any way I could have snagged one of those VB7150's I would have but the Prop Gods denied me the pleasure.  Would have paid gladly for the return trip too.
 
Canada planning anything in the next year???
 
Joe
KA1PPV  #1482
 
 
 
On Mon, Feb 26, 2018 at 12:11 PM, VA7GEM-1470 via Groups.Io wrote:
 
 

No reaction at all??
Barry

On Sun, Feb 25, 2018 at 01:59 pm, VA7GEM-1470 wrote:

As some of you recall I had the pleasure of using two special event callsigns for all of 2017.

I used CF7GEM for FT/JT contacts and I used VB7150 for all others. I had to purchase the VB7150 call but CF7GEM was free. I purchased QSL cards for both callsigns, 400 for VB7150 & 200 for CF7GEM. Total outlay was CAD185.00. With the hopes of off setting some of the costs I asked for two green stamps for a QSL card. Postage to USA is CAD1.20 and balance was applied to outlay.

VB7150 Summary:
          3411 contacts made
          72 requests rcvd

 

CF7GEM Summary:
          4316 contacts made
          28 requests rcvd 

8 requests were rcvd without postage included (all USA stns). 

Total contacts made was  7,727

Total QSL requests was 100

My math would indicate that this is about 1.3% of contacts wishing cards.

Total exactly 100 requests times CAD0.80 covers CAD80 leaving  CAD105.00 out of pocket.

I am not sure if electronic cards have had a major impact on QSL card exchanges or if just the fact of asking the requester to cover the postage drove the numbers down.

Would I do it again.
Yes I would purchase a special event callsign if available for a full year (unusual).   
No I would not purchase special cards but would instead just offer electronic exchange. 

Now contemplating if I should re-order more cards for VA7GEM or just go electronic with it as well. 

Have fun with this one.
Barry

 

 

 
Joseph <ljl2002@...>
 

Jerry,
I for one love to get and send paper.  It's been that way since my SWL days long ago.
It would be sad to see confirmations reduced to several lines of text but at least EQSL gives you a picture of a card.
I only use EQSL and LOTW and several others because so many Hams have asked for them.  I still like getting them in the mailbox though.  Old fashioned I guess.
 
Joe
KA1PPV  #1482
 
 
 
On Mon, Feb 26, 2018 at 02:11 PM, Jerry N9AVY wrote:
 
 

You're are either going to have writers cramp or buy a lot of labels.  


Jerry  n9avy


From: Matthew King - AK4MK <kk4cps@...>
To: 070Club@groups.io
Sent: Monday, February 26, 2018 1:06 PM
Subject: Re: [070Club] Special Event Calls and Cards

I really enjoy paper QSLs, and request one at the end of each QSO (it's in my "bye" macro). 

I get them on occasion, but certainly not with the regularity that I request them!

Speaking of being on top of QSLing.... I'm not. I have several hundred to send out, both for my old KK4CPS call and AK4MK.  I did, however, just receive my AK4MK cards from Gennady (UX5UO) in Ukraine, so that's my excuse on that one!

73

Matt King
AK4MK - 070 #1708
PODXS 070 Club Executive Director


On Mon, Feb 26, 2018 at 2:00 PM, Sherri Rapp <srapp7@...> wrote:
I like getting QSL cards and am willing to reply with my own card. I keep a minimal stock of cards (less than 10 at a time that I print and cut put myself) for that purpose. I think I've sent 3 QSL cards out of about 120 QSOs. I upload to LOTW, eQSL, and QRZ for all QSOs. 

Sherri, WB4OSU, #2601

On Feb 26, 2018 1:47 PM, "Jerry N9AVY" <n9avy@...> wrote:
Still have about 500 or so blank QSLs left.  Requests are getting fewer these days and most are LoTW or Eqsl.  The cost of postage seems to be getting increased every year. When I worked for QSL Bureau my monthly shipments dwindled from a thousand of more to just  100-200 a month.  LoTW/Eqsl has taken the bulk of the cards away from bureaus and direct mailing.  In time, the bureaus may all disappear.

What I don't understand is the need for QRZ and others to feel the need to confirm contacts. All it seems to do is add extra work to making a contact. If a station says confirm via QRZ they get ignored by me.  My logging program only has 2 buttons for QSLs:    1)  LoTW  and 2) Eqsl . Simplify, simplify in he words of Henry David Thoreau.

Went overboard and didn't allow for crummy band conditions when I ordered last batch of cards.  Think Barry might have waited a year before ordering cards  so he would get a better idea of how many to order. That may be what ARRL did with the Centennial QSLs.


Jerry  n9avy


From: Rick - N7WE <n7we1980@...>
To: 070Club@groups.io
Sent: Monday, February 26, 2018 11:48 AM
Subject: Re: [070Club] Special Event Calls and Cards

Barry-
No suggestion about what would work for you...but I stopped doing paper cards quite some time ago.  Can't remember exactly when but it has to have been about 10 years.  Since then I think I have only had maybe two or three on-air requests for paper cards that I had to say "Sorry, don't have paper cards anymore."  I do upload all QSOs to LoTW, eQSL, and QRZ.com Logbook.  I think anymore most people (even DX) use one or more of those three. I have on maybe two or three occasion received a paper card requesting a QSL.  When that happens, I go to eQSL Outbox, do edit, display as card, open in new tab, and print one for them. Hope that helps. 
--
Rick - N7WE
070 - #1602


 
 
 
K8TOM
 

Joe,

Yes, I think most of us appreciate the personal touch involved in the paper QSL.  Not only did someone take the time to honor us with the personal reply, but often you get to see their picture, QTH setup or some other aspect of their life that they find to be of note.  Future QSOs with that individual/callsign will likely be informed by the memory of the information on that QSL.

In the days that QSOs were perhaps a bit less numerous, the postage less, and the internet non-existent, I can sure understand paper.  In the present days of digital/FT8 rapid-fire QSO rates it has become a challenge duplicating on paper what the computer allows us to do fairly automatically on the air.

73,

Tom
K8TOM
815
Jerry N9AVY
 

Joe:

Pretty much the same here with QSLs.  Back in my SWL days (1958-1975) my day pretty much hinged around the daily mail delivery ... Sundays and Holidays were torture ! 

Ham radio was much the same for first few years, but was extremely disappointed in the number of cards not received; chalked it up to 1) other guy has no cards, 2) too cheap to spend $$ on postage , 3) was waiting for my card first , or 3) just to lazy or putting it off until his retirement. Finally figured out in a decade or two that worst QSLers are FD stations... for every 100 QSOs you might get one card. If I sent out QSLs it was worse - nada.

Used to have lots of "wallpaper" , i.e. , QSLs hanging on wall but discovered that were better dust collectors so took them down; they now reside in about 6 shoe boxes - alpha-numerically sorted in case I ever need to find one ! 

Sorry for those who don't use LoTW/Eqsl/Bureau/direct because they are in the minority and will receive fewer confirmations and will someday find out what happens when the decide to go after awards.  DX stations and DXpeditions have nicer QSLs it seems, but they're all good.  One of my plainer QSLs received was from Wallis & Futuna Island back in 1980's... It was just an airmail envelope with a slip of paper inside which had pertinent QSL data  and ARRL accepted it for credit !!! (Was among my first 100 DXCC entities !)

One of the interesting ones one was from a Greek station who had the box of QSO data printed on the back of an envelope. Guess it was in case envelope and card were separated the recipient would somehow get the confirmation. Neat idea.

Suppose we have to keep up with the times and that's why we have digital logs and digital QSLing. Makes sense since we are, after all, digital hams. Remember life as a QSL Manager back in 1980's when I had to search through hand-scrawled logs ... oh what a joy digital logs are !

Jerry  n9avy

From: Joseph <ljl2002@...>
To: 070Club@groups.io
Sent: Monday, February 26, 2018 2:01 PM
Subject: Re: [070Club] Special Event Calls and Cards

Jerry,
I for one love to get and send paper.  It's been that way since my SWL days long ago.
It would be sad to see confirmations reduced to several lines of text but at least EQSL gives you a picture of a card.
I only use EQSL and LOTW and several others because so many Hams have asked for them.  I still like getting them in the mailbox though.  Old fashioned I guess.
 
Joe
KA1PPV  #1482
 
 
 
On Mon, Feb 26, 2018 at 02:11 PM, Jerry N9AVY wrote:
 
 
You're are either going to have writers cramp or buy a lot of labels.  


Jerry  n9avy


From: Matthew King - AK4MK <kk4cps@...>
To: 070Club@groups.io
Sent: Monday, February 26, 2018 1:06 PM
Subject: Re: [070Club] Special Event Calls and Cards

I really enjoy paper QSLs, and request one at the end of each QSO (it's in my "bye" macro). 

I get them on occasion, but certainly not with the regularity that I request them!

Speaking of being on top of QSLing.... I'm not. I have several hundred to send out, both for my old KK4CPS call and AK4MK.  I did, however, just receive my AK4MK cards from Gennady (UX5UO) in Ukraine, so that's my excuse on that one!

73

Matt King
AK4MK - 070 #1708
PODXS 070 Club Executive Director


On Mon, Feb 26, 2018 at 2:00 PM, Sherri Rapp <srapp7@...> wrote:
I like getting QSL cards and am willing to reply with my own card. I keep a minimal stock of cards (less than 10 at a time that I print and cut put myself) for that purpose. I think I've sent 3 QSL cards out of about 120 QSOs. I upload to LOTW, eQSL, and QRZ for all QSOs. 

Sherri, WB4OSU, #2601

On Feb 26, 2018 1:47 PM, "Jerry N9AVY" <n9avy@...> wrote:
Still have about 500 or so blank QSLs left.  Requests are getting fewer these days and most are LoTW or Eqsl.  The cost of postage seems to be getting increased every year. When I worked for QSL Bureau my monthly shipments dwindled from a thousand of more to just  100-200 a month.  LoTW/Eqsl has taken the bulk of the cards away from bureaus and direct mailing.  In time, the bureaus may all disappear.

What I don't understand is the need for QRZ and others to feel the need to confirm contacts. All it seems to do is add extra work to making a contact. If a station says confirm via QRZ they get ignored by me.  My logging program only has 2 buttons for QSLs:    1)  LoTW  and 2) Eqsl . Simplify, simplify in he words of Henry David Thoreau.

Went overboard and didn't allow for crummy band conditions when I ordered last batch of cards.  Think Barry might have waited a year before ordering cards  so he would get a better idea of how many to order. That may be what ARRL did with the Centennial QSLs.


Jerry  n9avy


From: Rick - N7WE <n7we1980@...>
To: 070Club@groups.io
Sent: Monday, February 26, 2018 11:48 AM
Subject: Re: [070Club] Special Event Calls and Cards

Barry-
No suggestion about what would work for you...but I stopped doing paper cards quite some time ago.  Can't remember exactly when but it has to have been about 10 years.  Since then I think I have only had maybe two or three on-air requests for paper cards that I had to say "Sorry, don't have paper cards anymore."  I do upload all QSOs to LoTW, eQSL, and QRZ.com Logbook.  I think anymore most people (even DX) use one or more of those three. I have on maybe two or three occasion received a paper card requesting a QSL.  When that happens, I go to eQSL Outbox, do edit, display as card, open in new tab, and print one for them. Hope that helps. 
--
Rick - N7WE
070 - #1602


 
 
 
Rick - N7WE
 

Roger that Tom.  I haven't logged a JA since October of 2015 and here in Florida there were scarce before that!
--
Rick - N7WE
070 - #1602
Jerry N9AVY
 

You guys need to swap your stations for a week when prop is good - problem solved !  
N9AVY

From: Rick - N7WE <n7we1980@...>
To: 070Club@groups.io
Sent: Monday, February 26, 2018 2:47 PM
Subject: Re: [070Club] Special Event Calls and Cards

Roger that Tom.  I haven't logged a JA since October of 2015 and here in Florida there were scarce before that!
--
Rick - N7WE
070 - #1602


Rick - N7WE
 

Jerry-
My version of HRD logging has upload buttons for LoTW, eQSL, HRDLog, QRZ, and Clublog.  Also has download for LoTW and eQSL which adds received confirmations to the HRD Log.  I kind of like that.
--
Rick - N7WE
070 - #1602
Matthew King - AK4MK <kk4cps@...>
 

My most recent JA call was 11/15/15 on 15m!  It was jJune 3rd before that, on 17m. My 2013 and 2014 logs are chock full of them, mostly on 15m & 17m. There were some SSB contacts in 2011 on 10m.

My have times have changed!

73

Matt King
AK4MK - 070 #1708
PODXS 070 Club Executive Director


On Mon, Feb 26, 2018 at 3:46 PM, Rick - N7WE <n7we1980@...> wrote:
Roger that Tom.  I haven't logged a JA since October of 2015 and here in Florida there were scarce before that!
--
Rick - N7WE
070 - #1602


Dan Morris - KZ3T
 

Same here.  Last Japan contact was back in March 2015 on 15M PSK31, 7L4VYK, Hiroshi — Nothing
since.  

Dan Morris  KZ3T  070-1065

I live to live for Him!




On Feb 26, 2018, at 3:59 PM, Matthew King - AK4MK <kk4cps@...> wrote:

My most recent JA call was 11/15/15 on 15m!  It was jJune 3rd before that, on 17m. My 2013 and 2014 logs are chock full of them, mostly on 15m & 17m. There were some SSB contacts in 2011 on 10m.

My have times have changed!

73

Matt King
AK4MK - 070 #1708
PODXS 070 Club Executive Director


On Mon, Feb 26, 2018 at 3:46 PM, Rick - N7WE <n7we1980@...> wrote:
Roger that Tom.  I haven't logged a JA since October of 2015 and here in Florida there were scarce before that!
--
Rick - N7WE
070 - #1602
Jerry N9AVY
 

Too much extra stuff ... unless you're a button pusher.

Jerry   




From: Rick - N7WE <n7we1980@...>
To: 070Club@groups.io
Sent: Monday, February 26, 2018 2:52 PM
Subject: Re: [070Club] Special Event Calls and Cards

Jerry-
My version of HRD logging has upload buttons for LoTW, eQSL, HRDLog, QRZ, and Clublog.  Also has download for LoTW and eQSL which adds received confirmations to the HRD Log.  I kind of like that.
--
Rick - N7WE
070 - #1602


Joseph <ljl2002@...>
 

Jerry,
It's just that I received so many really awesome cards back in the SWL days and yes Sundays and holidays were long waiting periods. I just wanted it to continue and for the most part it has.  I have some really good looking cards from all over the world and, as Tom said, when you look back at them it brings back the memory that is attached to that card.  I really enjoy that part of the hobby because I consider all those Hams as friends.  I don't know if any other hobby can boast a list like that.
 
Joe
KA1PPV  #1482
 
 
 
On Mon, Feb 26, 2018 at 03:29 PM, Jerry N9AVY wrote:
 
 

Joe:

Pretty much the same here with QSLs.  Back in my SWL days (1958-1975) my day pretty much hinged around the daily mail delivery ... Sundays and Holidays were torture ! 

Ham radio was much the same for first few years, but was extremely disappointed in the number of cards not received; chalked it up to 1) other guy has no cards, 2) too cheap to spend $$ on postage , 3) was waiting for my card first , or 3) just to lazy or putting it off until his retirement. Finally figured out in a decade or two that worst QSLers are FD stations... for every 100 QSOs you might get one card. If I sent out QSLs it was worse - nada.

Used to have lots of "wallpaper" , i.e. , QSLs hanging on wall but discovered that were better dust collectors so took them down; they now reside in about 6 shoe boxes - alpha-numerically sorted in case I ever need to find one ! 

Sorry for those who don't use LoTW/Eqsl/Bureau/direct because they are in the minority and will receive fewer confirmations and will someday find out what happens when the decide to go after awards.  DX stations and DXpeditions have nicer QSLs it seems, but they're all good.  One of my plainer QSLs received was from Wallis & Futuna Island back in 1980's... It was just an airmail envelope with a slip of paper inside which had pertinent QSL data  and ARRL accepted it for credit !!! (Was among my first 100 DXCC entities !)

One of the interesting ones one was from a Greek station who had the box of QSO data printed on the back of an envelope. Guess it was in case envelope and card were separated the recipient would somehow get the confirmation. Neat idea.

Suppose we have to keep up with the times and that's why we have digital logs and digital QSLing. Makes sense since we are, after all, digital hams. Remember life as a QSL Manager back in 1980's when I had to search through hand-scrawled logs ... oh what a joy digital logs are !

Jerry  n9avy

From: Joseph <ljl2002@...>
To: 070Club@groups.io
Sent: Monday, February 26, 2018 2:01 PM
Subject: Re: [070Club] Special Event Calls and Cards

Jerry,
I for one love to get and send paper.  It's been that way since my SWL days long ago.
It would be sad to see confirmations reduced to several lines of text but at least EQSL gives you a picture of a card.
I only use EQSL and LOTW and several others because so many Hams have asked for them.  I still like getting them in the mailbox though.  Old fashioned I guess.
 
Joe
KA1PPV  #1482
 
 
 
On Mon, Feb 26, 2018 at 02:11 PM, Jerry N9AVY wrote:
 
 
You're are either going to have writers cramp or buy a lot of labels.  


Jerry  n9avy


From: Matthew King - AK4MK <kk4cps@...>
To: 070Club@groups.io
Sent: Monday, February 26, 2018 1:06 PM
Subject: Re: [070Club] Special Event Calls and Cards

I really enjoy paper QSLs, and request one at the end of each QSO (it's in my "bye" macro). 

I get them on occasion, but certainly not with the regularity that I request them!

Speaking of being on top of QSLing.... I'm not. I have several hundred to send out, both for my old KK4CPS call and AK4MK.  I did, however, just receive my AK4MK cards from Gennady (UX5UO) in Ukraine, so that's my excuse on that one!

73

Matt King
AK4MK - 070 #1708
PODXS 070 Club Executive Director


On Mon, Feb 26, 2018 at 2:00 PM, Sherri Rapp <srapp7@...> wrote:
I like getting QSL cards and am willing to reply with my own card. I keep a minimal stock of cards (less than 10 at a time that I print and cut put myself) for that purpose. I think I've sent 3 QSL cards out of about 120 QSOs. I upload to LOTW, eQSL, and QRZ for all QSOs. 

Sherri, WB4OSU, #2601

On Feb 26, 2018 1:47 PM, "Jerry N9AVY" <n9avy@...> wrote:
Still have about 500 or so blank QSLs left.  Requests are getting fewer these days and most are LoTW or Eqsl.  The cost of postage seems to be getting increased every year. When I worked for QSL Bureau my monthly shipments dwindled from a thousand of more to just  100-200 a month.  LoTW/Eqsl has taken the bulk of the cards away from bureaus and direct mailing.  In time, the bureaus may all disappear.

What I don't understand is the need for QRZ and others to feel the need to confirm contacts. All it seems to do is add extra work to making a contact. If a station says confirm via QRZ they get ignored by me.  My logging program only has 2 buttons for QSLs:    1)  LoTW  and 2) Eqsl . Simplify, simplify in he words of Henry David Thoreau.

Went overboard and didn't allow for crummy band conditions when I ordered last batch of cards.  Think Barry might have waited a year before ordering cards  so he would get a better idea of how many to order. That may be what ARRL did with the Centennial QSLs.


Jerry  n9avy


From: Rick - N7WE <n7we1980@...>
To: 070Club@groups.io
Sent: Monday, February 26, 2018 11:48 AM
Subject: Re: [070Club] Special Event Calls and Cards

Barry-
No suggestion about what would work for you...but I stopped doing paper cards quite some time ago.  Can't remember exactly when but it has to have been about 10 years.  Since then I think I have only had maybe two or three on-air requests for paper cards that I had to say "Sorry, don't have paper cards anymore."  I do upload all QSOs to LoTW, eQSL, and QRZ.com Logbook.  I think anymore most people (even DX) use one or more of those three. I have on maybe two or three occasion received a paper card requesting a QSL.  When that happens, I go to eQSL Outbox, do edit, display as card, open in new tab, and print one for them. Hope that helps. 
--
Rick - N7WE
070 - #1602


 
 
 
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