Well I jumped on six meters a few years ago
Worked all 50 states except KY
Sent SASE's to all states and over 120 Grid square contacts

Only 60% of the Grid Squares have come back - Sent 18 Months Ago

Of the states -- all came back except WY and RI

In todays mail my SASE to WY came back -- 3 and half years after I sent it !
Oh well at least I got it

For RI after a year -- sent another SASE -- no return. After another year --
made up a QSL card for the guy along with an SASE -- no return. Only a few
thousand Hams in RI and I am on the west coast. Could be years B4 I catch
another.

So if you work six meters it is important to QSL, the award managers want
the cards as proof.

Working all states on six is achievable -- but not easy - could take several
years.

I gave up on 100 grid squares VUCC just such a poor QSL return

Grouse and complain

CL looking for KY on 6

I agree with your observations.

After checking my log and return on 6 meter QSL's I have found that 6 meter
ops are the worst return rate I have. I do better on DX either direct, to a
manager or via the buro.
Have never figured out why it is so hard to get confirmations of 6 meter
contacts.
Don't know what else a person can do after sending a card with an SASE,
following that up a couple of months later with an email and another card
with SASE and still not getting anything back.

Topaz305RK wrote:
Don't know what else a person can do after sending a card with an SASE,
following that up a couple of months later with an email and another card
with SASE and still not getting anything back.

I have had some (though by no means complete) success by preparing a QSL
for the other operator. Just draw something up on your computer, the
way you'd design a QSL for your own station, fill it out as if it was a
card from the other guy, then mail it to him w/SASE & ask him to sign &
return if it's accurate. That's how I got my first QSL from California
on 6.

But some people simply do not QSL. (I think others don't reply at all
if their log indicates you did not, in fact, QSO. One would *hope* they
would write "not in log" on your card & return it.)

I would have to concur that 6m return rates are not very good.

Caveat: I forget, what's your callsign? I worked the June contest last
year from the mobile on the way to Wisconsin, and made a fair number of
QSOs from Kentucky. If you worked me, the fact that QRZ.com says I'm in
Tennessee doesn't necessarily mean you worked Tennessee. That operation
is also in LOTW.

My only 6m capability, in fact, is mobile. It takes about a half-hour
to get across the state line from here. If it were 40 meters, I'd be
delighted to run a sked - but of course on 6, the chances a sked would
work at any predetermined time are not very good!

--
Doug Smith W9WI
Pleasant View (Nashville), TN EM66
http://www.w9wi.com

"Topaz305RK" wrote in message
...
I agree with your observations.

After checking my log and return on 6 meter QSL's I have found that 6
meter ops are the worst return rate I have. I do better on DX either
direct, to a manager or via the buro.
Have never figured out why it is so hard to get confirmations of 6 meter
contacts.
Don't know what else a person can do after sending a card with an SASE,
following that up a couple of months later with an email and another card
with SASE and still not getting anything back.

I suspect the low rate of return may be because there are many Technician
class operators on the band and as such do not have QSL cards like the HF
ops. But gee one can make their own with a computer and an ink jet printer
http://www.qsl.net/wa7s/

or get the economy QSL cards. Examples: one can buy generic cards for $4.95
a hundred
http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/hamacc/1116.html

or standard economy cards for $10.00 a hundred.
http://www.cheapqsls.com/standard.htm

Be aware that there are only about 2300 Hams (total) in Rhode Island and
about 1600 Hams in Wyoming -- so you must help these folks with postage --
Self Addressed Stamped Envelopes (SASE)
In fact I send SASE's for all 6M contacts.

6M the Magic Band - Lets keep it alive and QSL

CL

(Caveat Lector) wrote in
:

"Topaz305RK" wrote in message
...
I agree with your observations.

After checking my log and return on 6 meter QSL's I have found
that 6 meter ops are the worst return rate I have. I do better on
DX either direct, to a manager or via the buro.
...

I suspect the low rate of return may be because there are many
Technician class operators on the band and as such do not have QSL
cards like the HF ops. But gee one can make their own with a
computer and an ink jet printer http://www.qsl.net/wa7s/

Heck; do it online for free:

http://www.arrl.org/lotw/

--
Bert Hyman | St. Paul, MN |

Caveat Lector wrote:

I suspect the low rate of return may be because there are many Technician
class operators on the band and as such do not have QSL cards like the HF
ops. But gee one can make their own with a computer and an ink jet printer
http://www.qsl.net/wa7s/
or get the economy QSL cards. Examples: one can buy generic cards for $4.95

My "log" is an Access database and I've got homemade QSLs
set up as a report; it prints either one on demand from the
QSO form, or prints all QSLs since the last print run,
depending. I print them onto Sparco 3.5x5.5 perforated
index cards; it's fast and easy, and now that the print job
is set up, I can print special cards for special events
(contests, etc.) if I want.

What I really wanted to add to this discussion, though, is
that I always appreciate QSLs, but I especially like the
homebrewed cards--anything from fancy full-color ones done
on an inkjet, to simple hand-drawn ones photocopied onto
cardstock. All QSLs are good, but the ones that are made
at home by the hams themselves are particularly fun--they
give you a better sense of the ham on the other end of the
QSO, often provide more information than the standardized
ones, and they're just more fun all around.

So new hams: do NOT let not having store-bought QSLs keep
you from QSLing! Heck, write it by hand on an index card--
the recipients WILL like them, honest!


_______________________________________________
Ken Kuzenski AC4RD ken . kuzenski at duke .edu
_______________________________________________
All disclaimers apply, see? www.duke.edu/~kuzen001

This assumes the other guy is with LOTW -- I suspect few Techs are on this
program.
My return of LOTW for 6M contacts is minimal. But pretty good for HF.

But a worth while program Logbook of the World
http://www.arrl.org/lotw/#about

CL

"Bert Hyman" wrote in message
...
(Caveat Lector) wrote in
:

"Topaz305RK" wrote in message
...
I agree with your observations.

After checking my log and return on 6 meter QSL's I have found
that 6 meter ops are the worst return rate I have. I do better on
DX either direct, to a manager or via the buro.
...

I suspect the low rate of return may be because there are many
Technician class operators on the band and as such do not have QSL
cards like the HF ops. But gee one can make their own with a
computer and an ink jet printer http://www.qsl.net/wa7s/

Heck; do it online for free:

http://www.arrl.org/lotw/

--
Bert Hyman | St. Paul, MN |

Indeed Kuzen -- my prize QSL card is a homemade card from a little 12 year
old Maori girl in New Zealand. It is hand painted.

Also got one from a student in Guyana. Also hand painted.

CL


wrote in message
...
Caveat Lector wrote:

I suspect the low rate of return may be because there are many Technician
class operators on the band and as such do not have QSL cards like the HF
ops. But gee one can make their own with a computer and an ink jet
printer
http://www.qsl.net/wa7s/
or get the economy QSL cards. Examples: one can buy generic cards for
$4.95

My "log" is an Access database and I've got homemade QSLs
set up as a report; it prints either one on demand from the
QSO form, or prints all QSLs since the last print run,
depending. I print them onto Sparco 3.5x5.5 perforated
index cards; it's fast and easy, and now that the print job
is set up, I can print special cards for special events
(contests, etc.) if I want.

What I really wanted to add to this discussion, though, is
that I always appreciate QSLs, but I especially like the
homebrewed cards--anything from fancy full-color ones done
on an inkjet, to simple hand-drawn ones photocopied onto
cardstock. All QSLs are good, but the ones that are made
at home by the hams themselves are particularly fun--they
give you a better sense of the ham on the other end of the
QSO, often provide more information than the standardized
ones, and they're just more fun all around.

So new hams: do NOT let not having store-bought QSLs keep
you from QSLing! Heck, write it by hand on an index card--
the recipients WILL like them, honest!


_______________________________________________
Ken Kuzenski AC4RD ken . kuzenski at duke .edu
_______________________________________________
All disclaimers apply, see? www.duke.edu/~kuzen001

I suspect the low rate of return may be because there are many Technician
class operators on the band and as such do not have QSL cards like the HF
ops. But gee one can make their own with a computer and an ink jet printer
http://www.qsl.net/wa7s/


I use the Kit from this guy, works well easy to do and you print em as you
go.

http://www.hamstuff.com/

http://www.arrl.org/lotw/

That isn't the best either, 2000+ contacts and I have 400 QSL cards for it.