Treasured QSL

 Tell me, what are you doing with received paper QSL cards? Personally I never look at them once when I answer them and put them as received in my logbook. After that I never look at them again. Sometimes I scan the nice ones to keep them on the computer. I actually did throw a box full of cards away. Why keep them? I know people that have boxes full of cards stored on the attic. That means not 1000 or 2000 but more then 10000-20000 QSL cards they never look at.

Recently I wrote this on my QRZ page:

"QSL will always be answered 100% as long as you are in the log. SWL QSL welcome, please note the callsign of the station I was contacting and the right log info.

I prefer QSL via the digital way it is cheap, easy and much better for the environment."

Yes I prefer my QSL the digital way via the internet. I think paper QSL is nice and something you can touch. I still respect people that want my paper QSL card. I can imagine you find them valuable and when you make about a hundred QSO a year you can handle it and it is like you have a treasure in your hand when you receive them. But what about 2000-3000 QSL a year, imagine that. So much paper is not a treasure anymore but a weight that is burning your hobby budget. 

Digital QSL like eQSL and LOTW is much easier, cheaper and....when you think about it, much better for the environment.

But keep in mind one of the QSL Code Of Conduct rules:

• If you receive a QSL card via buro, reply via buro. If you receive QSL card direct, reply direct.

Of course if you receive a digital QSL reply the same way. And try to find out what sort of QSL someone prefers before sending that first QSL.