On Tue, 21 Jun 2005 20:18:04 GMT, (pd) wrote:

One aspect of our hobby that I have always enjoyed is collecting QSL's. I
have a certain amount of interest in various operating awards. Currently my
goals are 6 and 2 meter WAS & DXCC and 80 and 160 meter DXCC. Overall, my
rate of return on QSL's sent is good for DX stations, but it is dismal for US
stations. I always include an SASE and a personal note, and generally engage
in the type of QSO the other person seems to be looking for, such as a quick
exhange of reports on AU or MS or an opening or a more lengthy QSO when
conditions are appropriate. In the past I have even included contact cards
already filled out with the QSO information so the repcient only had to sign
it and return it in the enclosed SASE.

I would like to hear others' opinions as to the reasons for not returning a
QSL and on how to improve the rate of return.

Welcome to ham radio in the 21st century.

I worked my first 2 meter MS QSO in about 1970. In those days, hams
were unfailingly polite and QSL rates were essentially 100%. I think
it was the expertise of the hams, and the difficulty of the QSOs that
made it important to memorialize the contacts.

I wasn't low-band DXing then, but I imagine that it was a similar
situation.

Today's new hams just don't have the courtesy to give a damn about a
QSL. After all, the packet cluster tuned their radio to the
frequency, the voice keyer made the call and it's time to move on. On
vhf, the new digital modes that allow a "QSO" to take place without
the participants actually hearing each other likely makes a QSL seem
like an anachronism.

I too am having a hard time with QSL returns but in this case it's
from DX. I need a few 80-meter cards for 5BDXCC and can't get them.
When I first started semi-seriously DXing in the late 70's my returns
were nearly 100%.

The 2 or 3 that I need for Honor Roll will likely come from
expeditions so I'll probably get them but otherwise, I feel for you
and don't know what the answer is.

Sorry to come across as a sour old fart, but that's the way I see it.