There are many column inches devoted to getting eQSLs but I wonder if we can maybe look at where we need to concentrate efforts on getting people to use eQSL, or at least find out why they aren't. So here are my stats, which may not be representative of anyone else's, but at least provide a start. Other people may wish to post a little analysis like this too.

Total eqsls sent: 1564
Total Eqsl's received: 853 (54.5%)
AG eqsl's received: 720 (84.4% of all eQSL received)

On paper QSLs, I get about 75% return on cards sent directly, and about 33% return on cards sent via the bureau.


I grant that where I send and receive eQSL is related in a large part to my own QTH, but still...
Top 5 countries I receive from: US, CA, DE, IT, England
Top 5 countries where I get AG eQSL: BE, CZ, CA, US, Scotland
Top 5 countries where i get non-AG eQSL: FR, IT, DE, NL, England

I have found this kind of interesting. Lots of Italian amateur operators use eQSL, but they seem to have a relatively low incidence of AG, ditto for Germany and the UK. I wonder why that is? Is the process onerous for overseas operators? Is there something that makes it really easy for people in North America and difficult for Europeans? Is it just coincidence because I have a small sample size?

Overwhelmingly, digital mode eQSLs are returned and with AG. Voice modes and CW have the lowest return rate. I suspect this is due to the fact that people operating digital have computers and internet and generally are using software that submits eQSLs automagically.

Comment wise, I have heard people on SSB say they bundle stuff up to submit to LOTW and they don't seem to be interested in submitting here too. I can understand that - I submit here and have 0 interest in submitting to LOTW. I'm not sure there's a solution to this problem.

So I guess the point of this message is to ask these questions:

1. Is there some way that eQSL can be improved to increase the AG rate in Europe?
2. Is there a way we can make eQSL more attractive to SSB and CW ops?
3. Does anyone else other than me want to be able to run these stats online without having to do the math by hand :) like a dashboard, similar to the graphs in the public profile?

Inquiring minds want to know!

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VE3OIJ P. Darin Cowan

Hi Darin

The process is not onerous for overseas operators, it's very simple for all. Many EU OM not have familiarity with the service!

I apologize this, and I hope a future with only AG member!

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73 de Cosimo IW5ELL

The process itself is simple , correct BUT every user needs to have a certain amount of knowledge of English language and the will to read all the information being available . With English as a foreign language that means that registration is OK to many users but reading all the infos around is simply too much, lots of words to be picked up from the dictionary . So they are not aware of AG .
That may be the reason of the difference US - Europe .

Beside that Cosimo is right that many europeans are not very familar with eQSL as the standard way of QSLing here in Europe is still the old way of "via bureau " and still in these days , I learned that computers seems to be not a standard equipment in many shacks .
Different to the US and some other countries , QSLing via bureau is free in Germany , if you are a member of the German amateur radio club you can send and receive as many cards as you like, no extra charge , so that many hams simply do not see any reason why they should invest any time in an internet service .

73 Uli

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member of DARC , DOK M10 ( Grömitz )
EPC #2025 , 30MDG#0643
http://www.mydarc.de/dg7lae

>>With English as a foreign language that means that registration is
>>OK to many users but reading all the infos around is simply too much

Yes, international / native language support is always a challenge for anything put on the web that is intended to have a wide appeal.

>>Different to the US and some other countries , QSLing via bureau is
>>free in Germany , if you are a member of the German amateur radio
>>club you can send and receive as many cards as you like, no extra
>>charge , so that many hams simply do not see any reason why they
>>should invest any time in an internet service .

I've noticed that German amateurs respond very often by bureau, and have wondered why
they do. I guess that answers the question :) Bureau is mostly free in Canada (you have
to pay your own postage for inbound, outbound you have to belong to Radio Amateurs of Canada).

I send paper cards for every first contact, just to make sure I get fairly complete coverage.

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VE3OIJ P. Darin Cowan

Hi Darin ,

>>Overwhelmingly, digital mode eQSLs are returned and with AG. Voice modes and CW have the lowest return rate.

I noticed the same , looking at my local club , we have about 15 active with CW + SSB , almost none uses a PC , although some are sorry that they cannot take part in contest anymore as cabrillo logs are now recommended and not the old paper log anymore but still saying :computer -- NO , I want to work radio only ... , no pc , no internet ...

Refusing to accept new ways of communication and any change in the hobby but only dreaming of the good old days when every ham made all equipment by himself .
That is the story from my little corner of the world ,

73 Uli

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member of DARC , DOK M10 ( Grömitz )
EPC #2025 , 30MDG#0643
http://www.mydarc.de/dg7lae

Uli wrote:

> That is the story from my little corner of the world

Hi Uli, this is the story from all worldwide corner! :)

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73 de Cosimo IW5ELL

I agree with Cosimo... People are living in the past all around the world.

Although, having said that, one of the nice things about amateur radio is that it can accommodate that view. Let's face it, you couldn't really run a PC that was 20 years old and do anything useful, but 20 year old amateur radio gear and operation procedures still work just fine.

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VE3OIJ P. Darin Cowan
Edited by VE3OIJ P. Darin Cowan on Jun 21, 2008 at 02:52 PM

I operate 100% QRP cw on 17 and 20 meters. I like very much to eQSL my contacts, not to achieve an award, but as a note of appreciation to the other operator for listening to my weaker signal with a little more attention than might be usual for him or her. Two-way QRPers are used to weak signal work and we love it.

However, after looking up a call sign, finding the operator listed, then going to the operators eQSL page, I frequently find that person may have a couple hundred, or more incoming eQSLs waiting. Many from DX stations.

When I see that, I don't bother adding my own to his or her pile of incoming.

I can understand not printing every card that has been acquired. But, say you want mine for award purposes and haven't acknowledged those hundreds in your box, I am not going to contribute to the clutter.

Did that today. Or should I say, didn't do that today.

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N2UGB Richard Downey
Still a place for low-tech amateur radio in a high-tech amateur radio world.

About the inbox issue. I use dxlabs and DXkeeper for logging all ham stuff (spots,rig control, award tracking ...) it downloads all of my eqsls and lotw with a press of a button or two. The contacts still are in the inbox but i have them in logger, so i have looked at them.

When I saw a posting about what to do with all the jpg photos of eqsls then I active on the website. The idea of putting them in an electronic picture frame to display them was a great idea. Now 700 cards rotate through. Use a wide screen ( 16 by 9 ) though as 4 by3 get cut off.

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AF6JP John Pimlott

I love the qsl card feature of eqsl and think most the world should be using eqsl by now !

It'd be great if the qsl quality could be upgraded some but hey I'm not complaining.

73 to all
bri g0ier

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G0IER Brian Smith

> I frequently find that person may have a couple hundred,
> or more incoming eQSLs waiting. Many from DX stations.
> When I see that, I don't bother adding my own to his or her pile of incoming.

I have begun sadly to adopt the same policy. I have seen 3000+ cards waiting with some very nice DX represented in the Inbox. Sometimes the person has gone to the trouble of getting AG and is wanted DX by me for a new country.

However the comment that logging programs may download cards without archiving them suggests that my assumptions may be wrong and the station would actually respond.

The statistics for eQSL are not encouraging and I have a few countries where my only QSL is non-AG.

Disappointing. eQSL is such a good system. You would expect it to be more widely used.

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8Q7EJ Jim Evans

Interesting statistics Darin.

In October, I did a two-week stint as 8Q7EJ. In about 40 hours of operating 1127 QSOs - 1041 CW, 49 PSK, 33 ssb, 3 rtty. eQSL is indicated as a preferred option at qrz.com. I got AG status for the call as soon as I got back from the trip.

I have replied to 94 incoming cards in 27 countries and not sent out any unsolicited eQSLs - the assumption is that the unusual call will attract requests. The break-down is:

Mode - Cards - % of QSOs
CW 82 - 7.9%
PSK 8 - 16.3%
SSB 4 - 12%
RTTY 0

81 are AG, 13 are non-AG which is higher percentage AG than I was expecting from my experience with my G3 call

There have been no new eQSL requests for two days now so the initial rush is over.

I have 16 direct airmail requests so far. It is too early for Bureau cards.

I had expected a higher unsolicited request rate for an unusual call with a country which is probably not activated very often with AG status and eQSL promoted.

Country distribution of the QSOs was

European Russia - 21%
Japan 11%
Ukraine 9%
Germany 8%
Czech Republic 4%
USA 3%
Poland 3%
etc

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8Q7EJ Jim Evans
Edited by 8Q7EJ Jim Evans on Nov 6, 2009 at 07:03 PM
Edited by 8Q7EJ Jim Evans on Nov 6, 2009 at 07:08 PM