Many thanks for the replies to my post. I wanted a few other opinions and I
had hoped for some from DX stations also but that didn't happen.

I believe that I will follow the 6 month elapsed time for a follow-up query.
I am mainly concerned right now with 80 meter DX contacts. (very hard to get
from the Midwest - every one is gold) and of course new countries.
DXpeditions take longer and should be allowed longer time before a query. I
just did some calculations and find that I get over 92% replies within 6
months. The other 8 percent are received within a year or never come.

Bureau is an entirely different matter and I never use it if I really need
something but I do respond to any bureau requests. Over the last 20 years I
have lost a lot of confidence in QSL'ing through the bureau. I don't do
E-QSL's yet but do use LOTW. I can see that by using the combination one
could get the QSL from one and the credit through the other. Hopefully they
will both continue to grow. I don't even want to know how much money I have
given to the mail thieves over the years. I sure welcome the new methods of
QSL'ing though.

Again, tnx for your inputs, Trav, WX0Y