QSL Questions
We were on 6-meters today trying out our newly constructed delta loop. As luck would have it, one of the first QSOs was with our manager, VE1YX. We never really thought too much about it, just exchanged grid squares and signal reports. It wasn't much of a QSO as we were only 60 miles apart. FN84 - FN74, but when on 50-MHz, do as is done on 50-MHz.
Later on we got some feedback. One of the Local QRPers was listening, and he called us on 2-meters later on. Said "How come you told VE1YX to QSL to VE1YX for that QSO?" Son of a Gun! One never knows when a QRPer is going to be listening so we told him, quite properly, that VE1YX is our QSL manager.
"Who else would he send to for a QSL?" we asked him. "But," the Local continued, not understanding the Mysteries of the Ages and the Eternal Enigmas of DXing, "wouldn't that be a waste of postage and an IRC? If he is your QSL manager, why doesn't he just fill out one of the cards from your logs?" We thought about it for a minute and replied, "He likes to see them come in by the mail. That way, he knows the QSL is good."
This QRPer still didn't get it so we said: "What he'll likely do is send for it by the buro. Once he gets his own card back by the buro, he'll respond by the buro, and then he'll finally get a VE1DX QSL 6 months later in his buro shipment. Then he'll know it is genuine and a counter." This seemed to satisfy the Local, and he signed and went away. Sometimes you have to be quick on the draw when cornered up by a Local QRPer!
This story is in the public domain and may be reproduced in any format. - VE1DX
Last updated 14 December 2020