The fairest way to do things is the way it is currently being done. LoTW is voluntary and it should always be such. Many reasons. There will always be people who "paper log". There will always be DXpeditions that "paper log". There will always be DXers who do not own a computer and/or do not have access to the internet. "Paper" QSLs therefore should always be available. I can say with strict confidence after handling 3Y0X (and associated calls), and the recent VU7 operations, that paper QSLing produces a rather large funding source for the mega expensive DXpeditions. Actually, much larger than I had originally thought. This will never be recovered if LoTW is utilized soon after a DXpedition is over. Never. Trust me on this. If DXpeditions were forced to utilize LoTW, it would definitely negatively affect the funding. And as such, it could very well make it more difficult to do DXpeditions, especially to the rarer hard to reach entities. As for some sort of PayPal donation account tied to LoTW in order to "fund" DXpeditions, that would of course be in contradiction to DXCC rules that state that nobody can ever "require" payment for a QSL card. And it would not be fair at all. Most DXpeditions pride themselves in offering QSLs to ALL who work them and request a QSL card; even those who send a minimum SASE or SAE/GS or SAE/IRC get a QSL card. And yes, even via the QSL bureaus (in due time), and "eventually" via LoTW if they so desire. If the ARRL was to mandate DXpeditions utilizing LoTW, then they would also have to mandate use of the QSL bureau system! Hey! What is fair is fair? Right? (Not gonna happen. You know that!) Actually, I like the relatively new concept that a "special souvenir" QSL is available to those who donate to the DXpedition. That is a novel approach for funding. Nobody loses. Having been on many DXpeditions myself, I am humbled by those who make serious contributions with their QSL card request. Please, let's not take more away from the personal touch that a QSL card brings to our hobby and to the pursuit of the DXCC (and other) awards. Postage rates go up. Everything goes up! Have you seen the cost of buying coax lately? This same argument is as old as the US postal system. How do I feel about LoTW? I think it is a superb place for all who have access to it in the "not so rare" countries to be able to confirm QSO's in order to bypass bureau expenses. I also have no problem with DXpeditions uploading their logs a year or two afterwards, but only if they choose to do so. But beyond that, it should NEVER be used in order to avoid having to deal with paper QSLs. I say that is unfair to those who do not (or cannot) use LoTW. QSLs cards are great fun! I love 'em! We gotta keep 'em!!!!!
See ya' in the Pileups! 73! Bob Schenck, N2OO GO SJDXA! www.sjdxa.org Old Barney ARC! www.obarc.org -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Ron Notarius W3WN Sent: Thursday, April 26, 2007 8:03 PM To: DX Chat Reflector; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [DX-CHAT] Re: U.S. Postal rates set to go up Pete, If the ARRL or DXCC desk were to mandate LotW posting for DXCC approval, you would hear even more screaming from a certain small but vocal element of the DX community. And frankly, mandating it would probably backfire on the League. I just can't see them doing it. The continual increase in postage is going to put even more pressure, though, for electronic or other non-postal confirmations. Which in many ways is sad... there's nothing like the actual feel of a QSL card... and I for one get a small "kick" out of the 1932 W3WN card I have sitting in the shack right now, it conveys a sense of history that a computer entry or .jpg file online never will. We're just going to have to figure out an alternative funding method for DXpeditions. One thought would be this... if I work your DXpedition, one of thousands of W3's... why not permit me to confirm electronically via your web site, and not only request your return QSL the same way, but cover the postage and a "donation" cost on-line via a PayPal or similar service? There are some pitfalls in this, of course -- the biggest one of which is determining what the minimum "charge" would be to cover postage and handling, closely followed by the need to make any amount above and beyond that purely and totally voluntary. So it's a thought, but it needs work. We can do better. We should. We will; we'll have to. 73, ron w3wn -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of Peter Dougherty Sent: Thursday, April 26, 2007 2:20 PM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [DX-NEWS] Re: U.S. Postal rates set to go up At 02:33 PM 04/26/2007, John Warren wrote: >Lou KE1F wrote; > >>Is time to be modern and replace paper QSLs for QSO confirmation? > >Nope. I like browsing through my old-fashioned QSLs, and I'm quite >willing to pay for that privilege. LOTW is fine as an option, but >not as the ONLY method. I'd be against the elimination of paper QSLing personally, but to be honest I think the League should be doing more to promote LoTW. If you're a casual operator and remember a lot of fun, special QSOs, paper cards are a fantastic way to do this. On the other hand, what does a DXpedition QSL manager need with 40,000 US hard-cards, or big-gun contest stations for that matter? I prefer getting paper QSLs for 80 and 160m QSOs, but I'd much rather get LoTW hits for everything else -- especially contests, or when I run Europe or JAs from home. Unfortunately, too, LoTW is not accepted by CQ Magazine for CQ WAZ, 5B WAZ or other similar awards, so I still need paper cards for each zone. >>One way would be is to mandate that DX Expeditions put logbook on >>LoTW if they want to be counted for DXCC credit. The problem is donations to DXpeditions would dry up, or be curtailed severely if everything was LoTW-only. What I'd like to see the League do is say that beginning on a specific date down the road, a DXpedition must agree to post their complete logs to LoTW within one year of the operation if it is to count for DXCC. I'd also like to see entrants to ARRL-sponsored contests either be required to submit to LoTW, be given bonus points for doing so or be penalized for not doing so, or better still, use the contest robot to automatically post the logs to LoTW. Cheers, Peter, W2IRT ---------------------------------------------------------- Archives http://www.mail-archive.com/[EMAIL PROTECTED] THE DXR is sponsored by the North Jersey DX Association. Please visit our website: http://www.njdxa.org/index.php scroll to bottom for subscribe/unsubscribe options ---------------------------------------------------------- Subscribe/unsubscribe, feedback, FAQ, problems http://njdxa.org/dx-chat To post a message, DX related items only, dx-chat@njdxa.org This is the DX-CHAT reflector sponsored by the NJDXA http://njdxa.org Subscribe/unsubscribe, feedback, FAQ, problems http://njdxa.org/dx-chat To post a message, DX related items only, dx-chat@njdxa.org This is the DX-CHAT reflector sponsored by the NJDXA http://njdxa.org
