I am averaging about 60% return for my Eqsl's .. Would sure appreciate any "Tips" to increase the rate of return.. I don't understand why return rate is so low, after all it is free ... How many times is it appropriate to notify a DX station that you sent an Eqsl ??? tnx 73 George

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NY4FD George Porth

Consider yourself lucky. I've sent 1868 eQSL and received 317 in return, which works out to about 17%. Any tips you have will be greatly appreciated

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KE5AQD Roger Banks
ke5aqd@ke5aqd.com

Wow that's alot of contacts... showing poor return.. I wish I knew ... I was lucky last week and worked into VK and the guy was really great.. eqsl user and still no reply ??? would sure like some kind of answer about returns...

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NY4FD George Porth

I have only been using eQSL for a short time with 54 outgoing eQSLs. My return rate for all eQLSs is 22%. For eQSL members the return rate is 38%. Of course the rate for AG folks is somewhere in between. I actually joined because of a QSO with an overseas member who said he used the service. However, he is not AG. Is it harder for non US or Canada folks to get AG status? Anyway, those are my results. I would recomend mentioning the QSO that you use eQSL because notifying them later may be difficult or impossible.

73,
Bill - WA5PB

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WA5PB William Allen

I wouldn't send more than one e-mail request for an eQSL. Some people don't use eQSL, and they might consider such repeat requests spam. I go with the flow and QSL the way they want, especially if they are in the Third World and might not have the greatest Internet setup.

My return rate is just like the last respondant - 77 returns for 365 outgoing eQSLs, or about 21%. I would note by way of comparison that I only received 35 LOTW QSLs for the same QSOs, less than half the return rate of eQSL.

My eQSL is rather plain. Do people with more colorful eQSLs note better response?

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AI4LT David Hendricks

Looks like you guys have nothing to worry about, getting a returnrate that high.
Here are my percentage: For 7.000 qso from 1991-95 and 2.000 for end of 2005 I have received 640 qsl, some 14 percent.
With special prefix in May/June 2005, 1800 qso and 217 qsls, some 12 percent, and
finally from new qth, Feb-April 2006 out of 560 qsos so far received 44 cards through eQSL.
That is way below 10 percent.
I have seen on my outgoing page that there are more members that should have sent me a card, you know those marked with black, not grey on the page, but looks like they are not checking in regularly.
I do not send email, but wonder if anyone have experienced a higher return doing so???
73 de LA6CF, Jim

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LA6CF Jorgen S Aabech

WOW! 60% is a pretty good return rate. I don't think I ever had that high a return rate using paper QSLs.

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WA5PB William Allen

My return rate of eQSL is indeed also very poor and I would require a higher rate. Even from my QSOs from Zimbabwe the backrate is extremely poor:

DF3XZ (home) out 9306 - Archieve 638
Z2/DF3XZ 1991 out 768 - Archieve 19 !!!
Z2/DF3XZ 1997 out 2436 - Archieve 158 !!!
Z2/DF3XZ 1999 out 768 - Archieve 52

Additional many of the cards have no authentity status so that they are not valid for anything at all. The work of hacking the old paper logs into an electronic log programm took me a lot of time - slowly I ask me for what or whom I made this work, when the interests in eQSLs is so poor. No chance for me to ever receive the was- or waz-award under such circumstances.

vy 73 Ehrhart

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DF3XZ Ehrhart Siedowski

I find the return rate varies depending on the mode used. On SSB contacts my return rate is a lowly 13% but on BPSK31 it increases to 27% & on OLIVIA to almost 30%. What annoys me is USERS who do not bother to use the system ... there are lots with in boxes filled with unanswered cards!
Norman
GI8HXY

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GI8HXY Norman Henderson

What would be interesting is if the system did an automatic match with other users QSO files so that you would not have to wait for negligent members to check their inboxes. Is this possible?

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WA5PB William Allen

That would work PROVIDED the neglinent users upload their log in the first place!

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GI8HXY Norman Henderson

Sorry ... cannot spell negligent correctly

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GI8HXY Norman Henderson

Hi, everybody

here my 2 Cents for eQSL:
Outbox volume 1716 since May 2003
Archive volume 287, out of this 40 non-AG
Return percentage 16%, got a little better since I changed my card design some months ago from the 14% I had then.
Usable AG percentage 14%

Comparison to LoTW:
Uploaded 1716
Qsls resulted 247 hits comparable to 240 AG on eQSL
Return percentage 14%

So for me both systems result equally.

Without sending direct cards to any new country worked I could not have reached WAS and DXCC by now; eWAS standing is 28 states, eDX100 is 69 countries.
In fact, I am at 200 Dxcc confirmed, and certified DXCC on 10/15/20.

You want to better your percentage in eQSL: Skeds are the only answer!!
You cannot get 3y0x to upload on eQSL as long as they get directs with IRCs to refinance their endeavor. And that applies to most DXpeditions.
Some contest-stations like PJ2T upload on Lotw, only for the purpose to receive less paper through the mail. Some upload on eQSL for the same purpose.
More qsos will better the chance to get more AG, but will not better the return percentage.
I had to work 50 G stations to finally get a hit for AG, unluckily 3y0 does not have 50 stations, if you know, what I mean!

Generally said, there are a lot of hams out there that are simply not interested in qsling.

And, very few AGs in DX return sked requests of countries they have already confirmed. They concentrate on their own DX chase.

Okay, there is another way as mentioned above: Automated matching in the system like on LoTW............would be just great. I looked into my Outbox before I wrote this.
There are at least another 287 hits that have not been answered by members, yet. They are either not uploaded yet (which we cannot be sure about), or viewed and not confirmed. Those at least should be automatically confirmed.

Our AG here should have the same security as a LoTW Cert, so why not MATCH AUTOMATICALLY? Maybe N5UP could look a little deeper into this option!

Just my 2 Cents

73 to y'all from the desert
Hans, k6faf

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K6FAF Buchner, Hans A

......and before I forget:
I emailed some AG members in DX directly for skeds, after I did not receive an answer on an
automatic sked request, just to try out:
1. I am not interested in any sked, work me when you hear me!
2. I have already worked CA on all bands, sorry!
3. Please refrain from emailing me!
4. Not interested in any contact with U.S.!!!
5. No answer at all (30%)

What can u say about ham spirit.....
Out of 25 emails resulted 2 skeds!!!!!

I need EU on 40 for WAZ and WAE, I am working on this for a year now. 5 skeds negative, it is just frustrating, and then you get emails like above. Man, what is going on with our hobby?

73 de Hans

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K6FAF Buchner, Hans A

It doesnt surprise me at all on the return rate, what does surprise me is the trouble some teams go to to activate an island, you work them with a lot of patience, and then you dont get a QSL card. Very frustrating when you need the island for IOTA.
I've even had the odd card back with no IOTA ref number on the card. I think this doesnt qualify for counting.
Phil.G0REC

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G0REC Philip L Hunt

>Is it harder for non US or Canada folks to get AG status?

G'day Bill

No, infact its easier than the other popular QSL service which some of you may use

73 Adam VK4IM/ VK4KSS

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VK4IM Adam Jaroszuk


Edited by W3ZJ Rich Drake on Jun 15, 2006 at 03:09 PM

Digital cameras are everywhere these days. Is there really anyone in the world in this day and age who cannot at least borrow a digital camera long enough to photograph a ham license? It doesn't have to be a perfect picture, just readable. So, if it's more difficult for people outside the US and Canada, I sure don't know why.

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73, Rich - W3ZJ

I can only give my experience of gaining AD status.

AD status confirmed within 2 hours of forwarding scanned copy of license!

Norman

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GI8HXY Norman Henderson

In the early days of eQSL Dave Morris was trying to do it all himslef in addition to adding new features, fixing problems and working a full time "paying" job. At that time it may have taken days or even weeks for an AG approval. Then a few of the board members wrote to him and said "Hey Dave, stop knocking yourself out. That's something we can do." He took us up on the offer and now it's rare that anyone waits more than a day and usually much less than that.

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73, Rich - W3ZJ