Controversial
I think the QSL subject as I see it will be very controversial sometimes. In my opinion QSL is something you send when you're proud of the QSO, your station and yourself as a outstanding licensed radioamateur. In the old days it was very common to reply to your QSL, actually it just was a gentlemens agreement to reply. It just was your duty to confirm the QSO with a QSL. But times change, HAM radio is not always the same. It's a good thing but can be also bad. In case of QSL there is more and more a change to confirm QSL via the internet by systems like Logbook Of The World and eQSL. That's the good thing. The bad thing though is that paper QSL is getting abandoned, there is a tendency going on that people ask money for a QSL. In my opinion that is a very BAD thing. In some cases I can imagine that a HAM radio operator would ask for money, but in most cases it is absolutely NOT necessary. Therefore I am developing a QSL Code Of Conduct. I try to make some rules that in my eyes are correct, but any input is welcome of course. The QCOC is made by radioamateurs for radioamateurs. I hope many of HAM radio ops will support this. What I will publish on this blog is not a blacklist of bad behaving radioamateurs that ask for money, but the opposite. A list of well QSLing amateurs. When I go through my QSL archives I already have a list of calls in mind that QSL 100% via bureau. But to be on this list you need to be a very good direct QSL sender as well.
I fully agree with your initiative on the QSL Code of Conduct. I would like to include in this Code of Conduct also the answering of electronic QSL cards in any way. There a lots of Hams waiting a long time for getting all the rare DXCC entities confirmed via QRZ.com, eQSL.cc, LoTW, et cetera. For me teh QSL Code of Conduct also means, that I really try to answer ALL of the electronic QSL requsts via ALL those electronic systems.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, my experience about that issue is quite different. Even those OMs, who themselves have thousands of QSOs in their electronic logbook and have received many awards there, unfortunately are no longer willing to help others to come to this status. For example in my logbook at QRZ.com up to 25% of the stations worked obviously had been working with that logbook system befor (because they have hundreds or even thousands of QSOs listed), but are not answering anylonger to a QSL request via that system! Shame on them!