RSARS QSL BUREAU – Newsletter 119 (Bryan’s Bureau Blog)

Future and Current Events: (Full details on our website)

Special Event and DX Stations. (All with Affiliated Numbers)

GB4RS President RSGB from 23 April 2016 for two years. G3RWF

GI3KVD (N2DAN Key Award) from 20 June 2016 for one year. GI3KVD

G6NHY (N2DAN Key Award) from 20 June 2016 for one year. G6NHY

RADCOM

Well I am pleased to report that we had our second RSARS news item in the February 2017 edition of RADCOM, first one covering the visit of our member Rick AI5P to our AGM. I also managed a small news item, twice, in ARRL QST magazine thanks to the editor Steve WB8IMY. If you missed it in RADCOM please turn to page 13 and all will be revealed. Not a large article but certainly big enough to get noticed, which it has been. As the result of this small item being published we have already three new members and maybe one rejoining member. Who knows what the month of Feb-ruary may bring as RSGB members read their RADCOM for the second or third time - I do :-) I must record my thanks to Elaine G4LFM, RADCOM editor, for publishing the RSARS item. She has another from me ready for the April edition, we will have our copy early March and am hoping for further interest. G3SIG Award Members are needed to operate G3SIG during 2017

A Glutton for punishment or maybe a lot of enjoyment for Chris G2ABR who has kindly put his towel on the months March, April and May.

2017 Area Operator

February

March G3SIG G2ABR

April G3SIG G2ABR

May G3SIG G2ABR

June

July G3SIG G4JVJ

August

September

October

November

December

Bureau Users

Members joining the bureau since 01 January 2017

None

The Statistics: (January)

Cards Received Sent

2007 244 283

2008 153 222

2009 169 71

2010 177 76

2011 92 51

2012 466 542

2013 266 489

2014 202 169 2015 99 38 2016 304 82 2017 72 108 STAMPS: Don’t send them alone. I have during January received two envelopes containing only stamps. They are very welcome as they show that the members wish to continue using our bureau and exchange cards. However, may I suggest that members don’t waste money (yes I am mean) only sending stamps and wait until they can be hidden between a couple of QSL cards. Each time cards are sent to members I include a cover note. This shows how many cards are being sent, how many are being returned if the bureau user list had not been checked and this member is not a bureau user, and importantly a stamp/cash balance. If the balance is shown as NIL, this does not mean that you have to rush to the post office and purchase and send stamps immediately. It is a reminder that you are now out of stamps and it is a request that when sending in your next batch of cards (yes I also wish) to please get back into credit. When I was a RSARS bureau user some 10 years ago (doesn’t time fly when you are enjoying yourself?) I sent 5 x 2nd class stamps when I reached a

balance of 1. This I think helped my predecessors and when times were busy I would occasionally send 10 x 2nd class. Oh happy days? Again, not a lot of news as we are rather short of Special Event stations. David GI3KVD and Keith G6NHY both still hold the N2DAN key until June 2017 and are worth an extra CW point if you have not worked them yet with the new AFF number. Final comment - Perks of the Job? Well the main perk of being RSARS QSL Bureau Manager is that I don’t have to send stamps to receive my cards? Another is the fact that I tend to get early information of what is happening, sadly not always good news. Another is that I do receive some great cards across my desk. These are not only from members but, as an example, I received a card this morning from KC0EM for his QSO with GB4AFR on 20 No-vember 2011. Yes, it was quite a while ago and having taken a while to get to him since Dennis GW4XKE sent his card via the RSGB bureau he had already moved house. It caught up with him eventually and not wishing to delay things further has sent it to me direct. Not only did he send me an attractive card, but also a little bit of history about the small town of Ponemah, one of two closed Indian reservations in the United States. The card and history sheet will go to Dennis GW4XKE, the holder of GB4AFR, but I thought other members may find it to be of interest. They are located at the end of this newsletter.

73, Bryan M0OIC

RSARS QSL Bureau Manager

Late news:

It was good to be joined by David M0NMI 4280, yes our latest member, with other members during our Tuesday afternoon net. Yes, I need the points but it was good to hear David responding to calls from other members. By the evening net, again on 80m, David was well practiced and ready for a busy night. He even managed to get Mike EA7JVZ for an overseas point – can’t be bad.

It was also my pleasure to put on my G3SIG hat and give David his first G3SIG F099 contact – only five to go.

So, for members wondering whether it is worth switching on the rig, most definitely it is for who knows what local conditions are like.