eQSL

At the monthly meeting of the Kwajalein Amateur Radio Club I brought up the subject of eQSLs.    One of the topics of discussion was: what organizations accept eQSLs?  Does the ARRL accept them for DXCC and other awards?  The ARRL doesn’t and some other organizations do.  It brought up this thought.  What if an entire country of hams decided they would eQSL vice snail mail?  A majority of the operators for V73 come from right here on this island and last year V73E put the Enewetok Atoll on the air for many hams.  Could a country force the non-believer organizations into accepting eQSLs?    QSLing is getting expensive and this is a great alternative.  During a 6 meter opening on 6 Oct, I worked well over 100 JA stations.  Sure would be nice to have the uploaded log act as the QSL source too.  Your thoughts on this act of solidarity or stupidity?  Bert

 

Boy, you never know who you will run into or meet on the internet.

Now I know why you never sent me a real QSL card for a contact on 10 meters, 28.454mhz, SSB, October 20th, 2001, at 0109z.  You probably sent an image of a non-existant card to eQSL.  Even though I put $2 in the envelope.  Did you donate my $2 to eQSL?

Why don't you be a nice gentleman and return a card to me for the contact (a traditional one).  Check your log, it's in there.  If you want another card for the contact let me know.  Thanks.

As to your idea of forcing organizations to accept eQSL cards, I don't think so. Why should they. It is not in their interest.

Bill
K2WH
x-WA2AEH

 

I like the paper QSL card.  It is an amateur tradition.  I get hundreds of emails at work, and it is a nice change to go out to the mailbox and find a handscribed QSL postcard from another ham operator.  Materialistic? Yes, but it is like baseball card collecting to me.  As far as I know, there are no eBASEBALL cards are there?  That would eliminate the challenge of the hunt, and the personal touch a paper card provides.  

If we apply the Factory Mentality to all our endeavors, then pretty soon we have one massive factory -- worldwide.  I am beginning to think that is our goal.  Sure it takes time to use a pen, get up, walk to the mailbox, and patiently wait for a card back, but life should have some anticipation. If it is too expensive to send a blasted postcard, then that should be an indication that our leaders are not out to help us, but themselves.  SK

 

Okay boys and girls... Here's my take on E-QSLs: I hate em. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for bringing new technology into this hobby but this is just wrong! For one thing, they don't work well in my brag book... for another thing, no one will recognize them when it comes to getting my WAS pin. Look, if expense is a problem for you... if you are really too poor to stick a stamp on a card, let me know during the QSO. I'll be happy to send an SASE with my card that I will be sending you via the good ol postal service. Which leads me to another can of worms. Some people out there are jus too lazy to send anything at all. I think I get cards from only about 30 percent of the contacts I make on HF... The biggest excuse I get is "I just don't have any cards to send." HELLO! HAVE YOU NOT HEARD OF POST CARDS?!? (Okay.... breathe deeply Dave... it's only a hobby)

 

The ARRL Logbook of the World (LoTW) currently under development will allow "uploading" logs which are then used for electronic confirmations. Yeah, paper cards are cool too Both will be accepted for DXCC and other awards,

73
Ted KT1V ex KR1G

 

I think eQSL will be the wave of the future. (It can make QSLing the "final courtesy" again.) Most local operators (US operators on HF to other US operators) don't QSL, and most have no problem; if they want a QSL from the other station they should mention it in their QSO, and send a SASE. That's not a major problem. But when it comes to foreign stations, there's an entirely different picture.
First, I have to send a QSL card, cost $.20 to $.50 each. Then there's International postage, $0.80 or more. So that's already $1.00 US. If I want a reply, I have to provide return postage. That means an IRC, and some stations require TWO IRC's. (Are they padding their wallet? I don't know. Some may. others may not...) IRC's are now $1.75 each. So it can cost upwards of $4.50 to $5.00 for a single QSL card from a foreign station. (And there's no guarantee they will actually send their QSL card.) That can add up to a lot of money, real fast for a paper chaser! (Which I'm not.)
I believe ARRL members strongly encourage the ARRL to develop a plan to accept eQSL's. A system that will be fair, and equitable, and not subject to cheating any more that the current system of paper QSL cards. $450.00 for DXCC (assuming a 100 % return rate... Yeah, right&#33 is not in my current budget.
eQSL's can work, if a good method is worked out to allow verification of QSO's.
I realize some are dead set against eQSL's. You are entitled to your opinion. This post is IMHO. No harrassment is necessary.

 

Bicycling is a nice healthy hobby too. It doesn't cost as much. No electricty. No return mail postage. No permit fees for towers. And just think, your neighbors won,t get mad! All that money I spent for that WALL full of QSL cards was worth every penny of it! If ham radio is not worth it to you, look in an alley . I am sure you can get a bike for free ( It may cost you 25 cents to air up the tires though)

 

Some sort of electronic QSL-ing system is in our future.

I personally think the ARRL should work WITH eQSL, not against them.  eQSL offers features that the ARRL's Logbook of the World (LOTW) won't... and eQSL can work with LOTW.

Re eQSLs not being valid for WAS... this is because of the ARRL, not eQSL.  ARRL's position seems to be that since perhaps someone can hack into eQSL's server, therefore there is no guarantee of validity.  Hey... someone can print up a fake QSL card, too!  And, as another ham has posted on the Internet, many DX hams leave blank QSLs lying around at major ham get-togethers like Dayton.  I like ARRL and generally think they have their head on straight... but this excluding of eQSL for awards sounds too much like "not invented here" syndrome.

How hard would it be to fake physical QSL cards from DX hams?  Not too hard... certainly harder than faking eQSLs from registered "Authenticity Guaranteed" users (those who have sent eQSL a copy of their license via direct upload).  

I personally use both systems (physical cards AND eQSL).  I am trying to get the ARRL awards (need other hams to return QSLs&#33), and I will also try to get the eQSL awards.  I send out paper QSLs if I need one in return, and I will always reply to a paper QSL with a paper QSL to help out another ham, but if I don't need the paper QSL for an award then I will QSL via eQSL.

Come on, ARRL, get with the 21st century!

 

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (AC7RG @ Oct. 11 2002,13:56)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">I like the paper QSL card.  It is an amateur tradition.  I get hundreds of emails at work, and it is a nice change to go out to the mailbox and find a handscribed QSL postcard from another ham operator.  Materialistic? Yes, but it is like baseball card collecting to me.  As far as I know, there are no eBASEBALL cards are there?  That would eliminate the challenge of the hunt, and the personal touch a paper card provides.  

If we apply the Factory Mentality to all our endeavors, then pretty soon we have one massive factory -- worldwide.  I am beginning to think that is our goal.  Sure it takes time to use a pen, get up, walk to the mailbox, and patiently wait for a card back, but life should have some anticipation. If it is too expensive to send a blasted postcard, then that should be an indication that our leaders are not out to help us, but themselves.  SK[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
Amen brother.

 

I've been a Ham for almost 30 years and I say GO for it... Its time to bring Ham Radio into the 21st Century. You want a hard copy of the QSL... get a color printer and print to your hearts delight... and if you collect cards then the cost of YOUR part of the hobby is on you. And if I have a qso with you, just look on eQSL, and there your card will be.

Just my humble opinion for today.

HArry N0PU

 

When the Logbook Of The World gets up and going then that will help but I like the QSL. I usually have photo qsls printed and my last order via EA7JX for a 1000 photo qsls airmailed to my door cost me about 7 cents a qsl.  For rare dx or dxpeditions I qsl with IRC or dollars. Everyone else via the bureau. Geez, probably cost near 7 cents to print up a qsl on your printer with cost of ink cartridges. Now, if only I could get the qsl I sent dollars for back from the dx stations that say they qsl 100%. For the people that don't qsl or don't collect qsls or say they have been in the hobby forever and don't need the qsl, well then EQSL is the answer for them.

 

I see eQSLing and real QSL cards as different.

I see eQSLing as one way to get a eQSL certificate

I see received QSL cards via snail mail as in the traditional
way as an ARRL certificate

Separate and not similar

The two should be different and should not count towards
each others points.

I don't think any one country should not send only eQSLs but should send both if asked to in order to cover all the bases.
If a DXPEDITION were to state that only eQSLs are going to be sent out then that is what the eQSLs are.
But to limit a Country to just eQSL or just the standard QSL is the wrong thing to do.
Now that we have the choice of eQSL or QSL ARRL we should try to stay at that and not come up with some new way to confirm the QSO.

de KC7HDE

Norm. T.

 

Even if everyone now posted on Kwajalein in the US military decided to only confirm QSOs via eQSL, it would do nothing to bring about the professed goal of "forcing" people to start accepting eQSLs.  Why?  Just this month I received a couple of very nice photo QSLs (REAL QSLs, mind you&#33 from a couple of JAs who visited V7 on vacation.  The ARRL will continue to accept those for DXCC and continue to reject eQSLs.  People will have no trouble confirming the Marshall Islands for DXCC, and more Japanese tourists are sure to follow in their footsteps anyway. All I can say is thank God the Japanese still at least have a habit of making beautiful paper QSLs from their travels.

 

When I receive a card from a foreign country I also save the envelope it arrived in. Sometimes the postage stamps are as interesting as the card.

Jim

 

When I'm headed towards the goal of an award, if I need a particular state/country/planet I always send a SASE or "green stamp" to insure I get a card returned.

Right now I am about 5 months behind on my QSLing, and if anyone is wondering why I haven't sent a card it's because of time and financial restrictions. But rest assured someday I'll get to your entry in the log.

If receiving my card in a timely manner is so important that you will whine endlessly on an internet message board, then you send the SASE and you'll have the card faster.

As far as eQSLing is concerned, I started out doing that, and in fact I still get sent some cards via eQSL.cc. They can be printed and mailed from them for $1 I think so you can still get that thrill of feeling paper between your fingers.


73, Jim - kc2jca