This post might better be titled “supporting things that you value.” A recent large-scale DXpedition to a “new one” just started sending out QSL cards in the past few weeks. I have seen a bit of traffic leaking onto the regional contest club’s e-mail reflector about QSLing this operation and today someone complained that QSL requests that included donations were being processed rapidly and that he had not yet seen his. He was thoroughly chastised by a number of people on the reflector (including one of the DXpedition operators who went on at some length about the cost of the DXpedition) before the thread was (wisely) quashed by the moderator.
I composed a short reply very early in the melee, but decided (also wisely) not to contribute it because it really had little to do with contesting. So, I’m writing here in hopes that someone finds it interesting.
When I was a new ham, I won a copy of the ARRL Operating Manual at a hamfest. It sounds inane now, but I read the thing cover to cover. In the chapter on DXpeditions, the author writes, “A donation should never be a condition for receiving a QSL card.” That has stuck with me through the years. The fundamental question is: why spend tens of thousands of dollars on the effort only to hold the operators who worked you hostage for a donation that might cover your QSLing costs if you’re lucky?
But, life is rarely black and white and most DXpeditions understand the futility of that question, so the situation outlined above rarely happens. In the present scenario, the DXpedition stepped into the gray by prioritizing donors ahead of non-donors. I have no problem with this. In fact, as I began to write in my reply, it is a matter of supporting things that are important to you. If having a card for the “new one” is important so you get on the Honor Roll for this year’s DXCC Yearbook, how much is that worth?
This falls into the same category as people who used to complain about the results of contests sponsored by CQ magazine being unavailable for free online. Well, if you want the results, buy the magazine!
Enough ranting…did somebody mention that CW Sweepstakes is this weekend? SWEEPSTAKES!
