Posted: 1/1/2014 12:16:21 PM EDT
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I just picked up the QSL cards Office Depot printed for me. They look really good! Thanks for posting that link! Question is, if I send one, should I expect one in return? Postage isn't that expensive, but it will add up eventually. Thanks!
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I just picked up the QSL cards Office Depot printed for me. They look really good! Thanks for posting that link! Question is, if I send one, should I expect one in return? Postage isn't that expensive, but it will add up eventually. Thanks! If you want to increase your chances of getting one back, include a SASE. I usually get one back without doing that though. |
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If you want to increase your chances of getting one back, include a SASE. I usually get one back without doing that though. Quoted:
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I just picked up the QSL cards Office Depot printed for me. They look really good! Thanks for posting that link! Question is, if I send one, should I expect one in return? Postage isn't that expensive, but it will add up eventually. Thanks! If you want to increase your chances of getting one back, include a SASE. I usually get one back without doing that though. +1 It doesn't hurt to sign up for EQSL and LOTW either |
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Quoted: If you want to increase your chances of getting one back, include a SASE. I usually get one back without doing that though. Quoted: Quoted: I just picked up the QSL cards Office Depot printed for me. They look really good! Thanks for posting that link! Question is, if I send one, should I expect one in return? Postage isn't that expensive, but it will add up eventually. Thanks! If you want to increase your chances of getting one back, include a SASE. I usually get one back without doing that though. Ok, cool, works for me, now let me see if I can get the printer to print labels and I'm all set
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Quoted: +1 It doesn't hurt to sign up for EQSL and LOTW either Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: I just picked up the QSL cards Office Depot printed for me. They look really good! Thanks for posting that link! Question is, if I send one, should I expect one in return? Postage isn't that expensive, but it will add up eventually. Thanks! If you want to increase your chances of getting one back, include a SASE. I usually get one back without doing that though. +1 It doesn't hurt to sign up for EQSL and LOTW either I have eQSL, but I guess getting the actual card means more to me, I don't get a whole lot of mail these days
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The general rule is that you send them out as needed.
For example if you are working on a basic WAS award and you have three or four "Iowas" you don't need another so you simply log an Iowa QSO. If you get one unsolicited you send one back because he may need it for HIS award. The sender is responsible for sending along an SASE or an SAE and return postage which for us is about $1.20. However, sending coins is a giveaway that there's something in the envelope so $1 domestic or $2 overseas is customary. It IS expensive and it DOES add up. I figure a QSL from, say, Germany where postal rates are a little high is a $5 bill when you add everything up. $3 return postage ("Include # green stamps and SAE for QSL") $1.20 for postage TO Germany Add ABOUT 80 cents for your QSL card, 2 envelopes, ink, labels, radio wear, cough drops for wracking your voice on SSB etc. That's about $5 when it's all over and done with and it adds up FAST. Good QSL cards are not cheap and shooting them off to every QSO gets expensive fast. One card alone with no SASE runs about a buck apiece, card, stamp envelope. As far as QSL cards I receive I understand that they are expensive and never begrudge a less fortunate ham using an inexpensive card. You have to remember that some of us are handicapped and/or retired on fixed incomes, etc, There are a number of hams out there that are WW2 vets because ham radio is cheap to do when you have the gear. I do get mildly annoyed when I see the guy's QRZ page bragging about owning 3 boats, 2 airplanes a Rolls, a Porsche, 6 race horses and a $65K shack and getting a cheapqsls from him. The other thing you have to remember is that some guys in 3rd world countries have a mail system consisting of a man riding a goat that is paid by being able to steal whatever he can find (Including YOUR green stamps) I figure I'm taking about a 10% chance of getting beaten for my green stamps every time I send a QSL overseas. YMMV |
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Quoted: The general rule is that you send them out as needed. For example if you are working on a basic WAS award and you have three or four "Iowas" you don't need another so you simply log an Iowa QSO. If you get one unsolicited you send one back because he may need it for HIS award. The sender is responsible for sending along an SASE or an SAE and return postage which for us is about $1.20. However, sending coins is a giveaway that there's something in the envelope so $1 domestic or $2 overseas is customary. It IS expensive and it DOES add up. I figure a QSL from, say, Germany where postal rates are a little high is a $5 bill when you add everything up. $3 return postage ("Include # green stamps and SAE for QSL") $1.20 for postage TO Germany Add ABOUT 80 cents for your QSL card, 2 envelopes, ink, labels, radio wear, cough drops for wracking your voice on SSB etc. That's about $5 when it's all over and done with and it adds up FAST. Good QSL cards are not cheap and shooting them off to every QSO gets expensive fast. One card alone with no SASE runs about a buck apiece, card, stamp envelope. As far as QSL cards I receive I understand that they are expensive and never begrudge a less fortunate ham using an inexpensive card. You have to remember that some of us are handicapped and/or retired on fixed incomes, etc, There are a number of hams out there that are WW2 vets because ham radio is cheap to do when you have the gear. I do get mildly annoyed when I see the guy's QRZ page bragging about owning 3 boats, 2 airplanes a Rolls, a Porsche, 6 race horses and a $65K shack and getting a cheapqsls from him. The other thing you have to remember is that some guys in 3rd world countries have a mail system consisting of a man riding a goat that is paid by being able to steal whatever he can find (Including YOUR green stamps) I figure I'm taking about a 10% chance of getting beaten for my green stamps every time I send a QSL overseas. YMMV You are right, I'm staring a stack of 60 QSL cards of all the contacts I made in 2 weeks... This might sound dumb, but what are green stamps?
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Green stamps= dollar bills most likely
IRC's were good for a while. International reply coupon http://www.qsl.net/w9ol/IRC_Chart.htm |
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Green stamps= dollar bills most likely IRC's were good for a while. International reply coupon http://www.qsl.net/w9ol/IRC_Chart.htm The USPS no longer sells IRCs. |
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I just picked up the QSL cards Office Depot printed for me. They look really good! Thanks for posting that link! Question is, if I send one, should I expect one in return? Postage isn't that expensive, but it will add up eventually. Thanks! It does get expensive, really expensive. But if you are interested in awards, it is the only way other than LoTW |
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Quoted: You are right, I'm staring a stack of 60 QSL cards of all the contacts I made in 2 weeks... If you are looking at all 60 being domestic you are looking at close to $75. Figure $1.25 each after all is said and done. If you are looking at all 60 being overseas you are looking at about $300. Figuring $4-5 apiece. I figured $5. Incidentally, check the QRZ page before you mail any overseas cards. They generally specify return postage. If you come up short, most will not QSL. You SHOULD be able to get a basic WAS award for about $75-100 after all is said and done if you are frugal. DXCC? Likely about a $750-1000 after all is said and done. 
Incidentally, some guys overseas say they mail direct but take your $2-3 and toss a card in the bureau.
It is a good idea to send your local bureau a half-dozen SASEs and email them periodically. Google around to find your local bureau. eQSL is cheap or even free. LoTW is free with membership to the ARRL. Act now and get a set of Ginsu knives. Another inexpensive source of WAS is to join the OMISS people and chip away at it. They have a bureau and that's a cheaper way to go. You send your OMISS QSOs in one envelope to them and they send them out. If you go that route have a few SASEs there and email them every so often. They'll send out several in one envelope. Direct (through the mail) paper is expensive and I only paper QSL when I have a specific reason to (except for Arfcommers.) Still, when I get a new entity in the mail I'm always a happy camper. 
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Not nice to ask for money. Some legalities. So, "green stamps". I think a green stamp is valued at about one US buck. I suppose. Or so I've been told.
Never ever send any cash to Cuba. Nor write your or his call sign on the outside. In fact, for any other country, no call signs. That is as much "STEAL ME" as REMINGTON on a long skinny cardboard box. Look at QRZ to see if the foreign contact uses a "QSL Manager" and follow directions. Many Cubans, for example, use QSL Managers in Spain or Portugal. I even mark it in my log in a special colum, as "eQSL", "USPS", "QSL Mgr". In a QSL column I mark S for Sent, R for received, or S/R meaning I sent and received a card, or R/S meaning I received, then sent a card. This is not a commercial logging program. I made my own log form in Excell to suit my own purposes. I Call Sign, Time On, Time Off, Power, Band, Freq, State or Country, Comments (such as "Freewheeler's Net", ARES Net, Special Event ____), Name, Grid, Miles (from QRZ, from me to the contact), QSL (S/R), QSL Method. I think that covers all anyone would want to know. |
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The USPS no longer sells IRCs. Quoted:
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Green stamps= dollar bills most likely IRC's were good for a while. International reply coupon http://www.qsl.net/w9ol/IRC_Chart.htm The USPS no longer sells IRCs. There is a DX supply house in NJ that sells them. |
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Dang, tons of info, thanks a lot!! I know for sure I will mail the Japan contact I made, my friend told me Japanese hams always mail back a QSL card (he showed me the ones he's got) Thanks again, plenty of info! ps: I kinda quit using eQSL because the website is in Czech, or is it just me? |
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Quoted: If you want to increase your chances of getting one back, include a SASE. I usually get one back without doing that though. Quoted: Quoted: I just picked up the QSL cards Office Depot printed for me. They look really good! Thanks for posting that link! Question is, if I send one, should I expect one in return? Postage isn't that expensive, but it will add up eventually. Thanks! If you want to increase your chances of getting one back, include a SASE. I usually get one back without doing that though. This. I also check the other station's QRZ page and see if they mention QSL by mail (aka "direct"). If they don't mention paper QSL I don't bother sending one.
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Dang, tons of info, thanks a lot!! I know for sure I will mail the Japan contact I made, my friend told me Japanese hams always mail back a QSL card (he showed me the ones he's got) Thanks again, plenty of info!
ps: I kinda quit using eQSL because the website is in Czech, or is it just me? Japanese hams are really polite and prolific. They almost to a man QSL. Cubans HAVE to go through a service. CO8LY lost everything during Sandy and was off the air. He lost his house, everything. Several weeks later he was back on the air, likely living in a tent. I had QSO'd him a little before Sandy and his QSL manager asked me if I'd donate a couple of bucks to help him out. IIRC I PayPal'd him $10 and asked if it was possible for the card to come from Cuba and forgot about it. Son of a bitch! A couple weeks later I opened the box and there it was, with the Cuban stamp and postmark! It is one of the proudest cards I have! |
Incidentally when you get a card in the mail don't bother guessing where it came from by the postmark
I got my QSL card from Egypt by sending my QSL to Russia and getting the card from Texas. I opened an envelope from Romania after QSOing a guy in the Caribbean by mailing off to the Neteherlands. It's really pretty interesting. |
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ps: I kinda quit using eQSL because the website is in Czech, or is it just me? Log in as you normally would. Click on either the Inbox or Outbox icons. When that page loads look in the very upper right. There are links to change the sites language. Find EN and click that. If you do any kind of DXing and want to chase awards you'll go broke on sending paper cards. Figure on $4 a shot. Sign up for LoTW. Your only other option is the bureau but the turnaround time for that method is about 18 months. |
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Quoted: It's you. Log in as you normally would. Click on either the Inbox or Outbox icons. When that page loads look in the very upper right. There are links to change the sites language. Find EN and click that. If you do any kind of DXing and want to chase awards you'll go broke on sending paper cards. Figure on $4 a shot. Sign up for LoTW. Your only other option is the bureau but the turnaround time for that method is about 18 months. Quoted: Quoted: ps: I kinda quit using eQSL because the website is in Czech, or is it just me? Log in as you normally would. Click on either the Inbox or Outbox icons. When that page loads look in the very upper right. There are links to change the sites language. Find EN and click that. If you do any kind of DXing and want to chase awards you'll go broke on sending paper cards. Figure on $4 a shot. Sign up for LoTW. Your only other option is the bureau but the turnaround time for that method is about 18 months. I don't see it... I saw it before I logged in, but once in the site... no idea  yeah, it gets expensive! 1.10 to mail a letter to Europe... I figured I can do US contacts that I make on PSK31 where I actually have a conversation with a person. Found it, I'm an idiot... |
| You guys have to use your head....if kd5txx ( me) talks to ab1cde in Maine...I get a qsl card put it in an envelope and address it to myself. Put ab1cde address in return address. Don't put any postage on it and drop it in a box at the postoffice. They look ...see no stamp and return it to the return address. Put a addressed envelope with nonstamp and instructions inside the qsl. I thought everyone did this..... |
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You guys have to use your head....if kd5txx ( me) talks to ab1cde in Maine...I get a qsl card put it in an envelope and address it to myself. Put ab1cde address in return address. Don't put any postage on it and drop it in a box at the postoffice. They look ...see no stamp and return it to the return address. Put a addressed envelope with nonstamp and instructions inside the qsl. I thought everyone did this..... isn't that theft of services? |
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isn't that theft of services? Quoted:
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You guys have to use your head....if kd5txx ( me) talks to ab1cde in Maine...I get a qsl card put it in an envelope and address it to myself. Put ab1cde address in return address. Don't put any postage on it and drop it in a box at the postoffice. They look ...see no stamp and return it to the return address. Put a addressed envelope with nonstamp and instructions inside the qsl. I thought everyone did this..... isn't that theft of services? No, just postal fraud |
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No, just postal fraud Quoted:
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You guys have to use your head....if kd5txx ( me) talks to ab1cde in Maine...I get a qsl card put it in an envelope and address it to myself. Put ab1cde address in return address. Don't put any postage on it and drop it in a box at the postoffice. They look ...see no stamp and return it to the return address. Put a addressed envelope with nonstamp and instructions inside the qsl. I thought everyone did this..... isn't that theft of services? No, just postal fraud I just call it my sence of humor. I don't condone doing this and really don't think anyone does this...the part about sending instructions should have given it away. And I cant make smileys work on my kindle. |
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Easy to overlook. Did the same thing. Accidentally changed the language and it took me a while to figure it out. Quoted:
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Found it, I'm an idiot... I never did figure it out. It was a whole lot easier to learn Chinese so Ieft it that way and learned Chinese. 
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Quoted: I never did figure it out. It was a whole lot easier to learn Chinese so Ieft it that way and learned Chinese. Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Found it, I'm an idiot... I never did figure it out. It was a whole lot easier to learn Chinese so Ieft it that way and learned Chinese. when you click in the inbox, to the top right, in the very corner, they put [EN] [RU], etc... The design of the website is awful if you ask me.
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