[amsat-bb] Re: QSL CARD EXCHANGE

[Nate Duehr]

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