Got this in the mail today




Nothing Earth Shattering, but lots of nice full color cards

You guys getting into HF should really get setup in the bureau

after a while, if they don't get an envelope from you, they'll throw them away


http://www.arrl.org/incoming-qsl-service

That's great!  

The best thing about bureau cards is that they are always so unexpected.


ETA:  out of curiosity, how old are the contacts?

Good question

2011 and 2012

Yeah the bureau makes JT65 look like a high speed data mode but it has its place. Out of the blue when you don't expect it an envelope shows up with cards from QSOs a year or more ago. The Old Guard tells me that was the primary way to QSL DX way back when. If you were a rich bastard you could afford to mail direct but it probably would get pilfered for the return postage cash along the way. (Some things don't change.)  

As Derek45 said, you new guys getting on HF do get set up with your call districts bureau. A few envelopes and 'forever' stamps and you're set. It's part of the 3 legged stool of QSLing. LoTW, bureau and direct.

As an aside I haven't gotten any cards in a few weeks. This week a batch did come in direct. St. Helena Is, Burkina Faso, and a band fill from the Polish St. Vincent DXpedition. The Burkina Faso card is a keeper. Photo of the DXpedition operating location with a Spiderbeam sitting just outside a mud hut.

I really need to start using the outgoing bureau for the cards I would like, but don't want to spend the money to get direct.

This.

I got 3 cards from the Bureau earlier today and sent them 3 SASEs in return.

IMO if you want a card badly enough go direct.

I already do go direct for the ones I am really after.  But for repeats of countries that would be just more interesting cards, I am thinking the bureau is how I want to approach it.  It beats what I am doing now, which is not sending one!