In spite of all these "new fangled" computers (which were supposed to create a paperless society!), we still believe that you need the following information in printed form to keep handy to remind you about the important items when you send QSL cards.

Getting QSLs is important to you. If it weren't you would have little interest in the "GO List". Our goal is to help you get those important QSL cards. We have been gathering information from many sources and feel that you will find the following quite useful.

YOUR QSL CARD: All of the necessary information INCLUDING YOUR CALL should be on ONE side of your card. It is especially time consuming for those managers handling expedition cards to have to turn cards over to find the call. It is fine to have a two-sided card but PLEASE make sure your call is ALSO included on the side with the QSO information.

If you keep your log in Universal Time (UT) then the time on your card will agree with the time in the DX station's log and save the manager countless hours. You must have a clock (preferably 24-hour clock) in your hamshack that tells time in the International standard. Formerly referred to as GMT, also referred to as ZULU time by members of the military and MARS members. KEEP YOUR LOG IN UT.

REMEMBER that the date changes at 0000 UT. This is early evening in the U.S. (4 p.m. PST and 7 p.m. EST).

If you work a station on April 1, 1992 and you put 4/1/92 on the card and then send it to an overseas country there will be a problem. Most everyone but the U.S. abbreviates date with the day, month, year; someone outside the U.S. will read that date as January 4, 1992. Therefore, avoid confusion by writing out (or abbreviating) the NAME of the month. The biggest headache that QSL Managers have is trying to figure out the time and date that you worked their stations!

Be sure that all entries on your card are readable. If your handwriting is poor, please print. Do not correct mistakes, make a new card. Correcting errors on a card that is later used to apply for awards could cause that card to be disqualified as "altered".

SASE stands for "Self Addressed Stamped Envelope" and SAE is "Self Addressed Envelope". ALWAYS send at least one SASE or SAE. If your request is for several cards, and especially if it is for more than one station that is handled by the manager, send more than one envelope or be prepared to wait much longer for those cards. Postage expenses come out of the manager's pocket. Standard letter size envelopes are preferred by most managers. If you don't send some means for returning your card, it may come back via the bureau or perhaps NOT AT ALL. (Some managers refuse to answer bureau cards.) When you send a request to an overseas manager or direct to the station you want the card from, include IRC's (International Reply Coupons) for return postage AND a SAE. Some folks send "greenstamps" (US dollar bills) for return postage. Please use discretion when sending dollars overseas. They are good most everywhere. However, there are a few places where you may get the person on the other end in trouble by sending money, or, he may never receive it. Mail theft is quite common in some areas of the world.

If you fold your SASE put the fold in the bottom of the envelope in which you enclose it. Many SASE's have been cut in half by the letter opener because the fold was at the top! BE PATIENT. Managers have various ways of receiving the log information, but the most common is via the mail. Sometimes it may take six months due to lack of mail service to some remote islands. If the operation was a DXpedition the cards may not be printed until the operation is completed and if picture QSL's are to be printed they take extra long.

Ninety nine per cent or more of the QSL managers are honest, conscientious, hard working folks, who are doing the best job they are able to do to help you obtain QSL cards. Patience is the byword for obtaining QSL cards. PLEASE, be quite certain that you have allowed enough time for the manager to obtain logs before you take him(her) to task for taking so long.

Copyright (c) 1993 Electronics Enterprises.
Permission to copy or extract is given provided credit is given to the author and the source.