The Final Courtesy

Hams have passionate opinions on QSLing contacts. I am no different. Some readers will not like what I have to say about the matter. I'll introduce my take with a short history of my ham life.

Before I became a ham I did a little broadcast SWLing around 1970. It was a thrill to borrow the family's kitchen 5-tube AM radio in the evening and listen to stations from all over North American. On occasion I could copy Spanish stations from further south and a few from Europe. The idea and the dynamics of radio propagation and its possibilities were mesmerizing.

I sent out some QSL requests and received cards back from several broadcast stations. I proudly propped them up on my bedroom desk. For a while. The thrill of SWLing died quickly once I became obsessed with becoming a ham. That occurred in 1972, when I was still quite young.

Soon I was making contacts and receiving QSL cards. I had very little money so these sat around until I could manage to get a few hundred cards printed cheaply. The backlog was cleared and I sent envelopes and money to the local incoming bureau. More cards arrived and I happily answered them. Postage to the outgoing bureau was another monetary burden. Work part time I was able to afford this and other shack equipment while saving for university.

Contests increased the flow of cards. I was being inundated. Many hams wanted a VE4 confirmation for awards or just because it was relatively uncommon. As my school and social activity filled my time I began to resent every envelope from the bureau. QSLing had become a burden. Despite this, and as my budget allowed, I sent money and SAE to rare DX to get their cards. More often I rolled the dice by hoping for success via the QSL bureaus.

In short I did not enjoy QSLing, either the sending or receiving of cards. I continued because I felt a duty to do so. As it was said and still is: QSLing is the final courtesy of a QSO. So I persisted, and grumbled quietly. Although receiving rare DX cards was nice I discovered that after admiring them for a few minutes they went into a box and were rarely looked at again.

My reluctant QSLing followed with my move to VE3 and the building of a new station. I would stack received cards until they toppled over then spend a snowy winter day grinding through the lot. When I went QRT in 1992 outstanding QSL requests were ignored. Within two years the influx slowed to a trickle and then nothing. In any case my supply of cards was exhausted. I was gone for the hobby for good. Or so it seemed.

When I returned to the amateur radio in 2013 (and started this blog) the idea of QSL cards was far from uppermost in my mind. I dabbled with small antennas and QRP and pursued DX. Soon I was receiving nag messages from the incoming bureau. I sent them money and cards trickled in. But I did not print cards. Indeed I haven't bought stamps for about as long and I have mostly eliminated printed material from my home, be it books, magazines or QSL cards.

Once my remaining supply of about a dozen cards was exhausted replying to direct requests I stopped QSLing entirely. Instead I joined LoTW (Logbook of  the World) and regularly uploaded my logs. As my station and contest activity grew my count of uploaded QSO count grew to tens of thousands. I could watch my awards credits accumulate. Very few of the countries I worked don't confirm via LoTW so it works well. For those that don't I merely shrug and carry on; it does not bother me in the least.

Yet a small but steady stream of direct cards continued as did a larger number via the bureau. I regret to say these cards are never answered and I will not apologize for that. They are opened, perused, closed and filed out of sight. Enclosed money and postage remains untouched.

As you can see, other than a brief period of youthful zeal I have never enjoyed QSLing and I derive little or no enjoyment from those I receive. Neither do I need them for awards since I never apply for them, not even DXCC. Many hams are passionate about awards and pursue QSL cards to that end. The ones I know seem to enjoy the challenge of extracting cards from reluctant hams.

Confirmation of my QSOs is solely via LoTW. There are other electronic QSL services that may be of use for non-ARRL awards. I've looked at a few and I have yet to see much value in uploading my logs to those services. Were I ever to do so it would be to help others since I gain nothing by it.

Those who do send me cards especially those who send them direct a further explanation may be due. I'll do so as directly as I can. Most of my QSOs last no longer than 30 seconds. The vast bulk of those are contest QSOs which may take 10 seconds.

Responding to a QSL request takes far longer. I must open the envelope, find the log, search it for the QSO, check the details, fill in a card then mail it or collect them for the outgoing bureau. Unlike when I was young the money involved is not a concern. Time is the problem. Responding to a QSL request can take 10× as long as the QSO and it is tedious and unwelcome work that keeps me from doing things I enjoy.

It isn't courteous to expect that. For me the final courtesy of a QSO is to request confirmation without placing a burden on others who neither want nor deserve that burden. I extend the courtesy of QSO confirmation by uploading my logs to LoTW after every contest and monthly for my non-contest logs. Others can extend the courtesy to me by doing the same.

There are many who feel differently and may take offense at my approach to QSLing. I am not antagonistic or doctrinaire about it, just very very possessive about using my time to do what I like and making it possible for others to confirm our QSOs with the minimum burden on both parties.

That is my definition of the final courtesy of a QSO.