From: MSUORANTA@finabo.abo.fi (Mika Suoranta Tkkk)
Subject: Re: How to get QSL cards
Organization: Turku School of Economics
Date: Fri, 4 Sep 1992 20:33:56 GMT
X-News-Reader: VMS NEWS 1.20

In <26683@scicom.AlphaCDC.COM> rcw@scicom.AlphaCDC.COM writes:

> and the rec.radio.shortwave FAQ to no avail.  There was some mention of
> the SINPO code, but it went on to say that SIO is now used, or you can

     I don't think it makes much difference whether you use SINPO or 
     SIO. Major broadcasters have their own monitoring stations and
     they are not as dependent on our _technical_ observations as in
     the past.                                         
     
     You could just describe the reception as "excellent", "good", "poor"
     or "barely audible". What you should do is to give your assesment of
     all the frequencies that particular station was using. Interference
     from other stations should be mentioned, e.g. "from 1230GMT interference
     from Radio ABC 5kHz down from your freq. 15123kHz."

     You shold tell what kind of receiver and antenna you are using. It
     makes little sense to write that you have "Realistic 80287SX". Just
     classify as home portable / world band receiver / ham receiver /
     communications receiver (serious communications receiver are $1000 up)
     Tell what kind of antenna you have whip/indoor wire/outdoor dipole etc.
                                  
> So what do you say when you send away for a QSL?  How much detail is
> enough detail, and what kind of detail does a station want to have?

     I assume you mean "enough detail to prove I really heard them".
     Most stations want three or four pieces of evidence. Name of their
     news anchorman, DJ, topics of some program etc. "1700GMT The news
     headlines: Sarajevo, Iraq, Campaign 92" is no good, but "1715GMT
     Financial News; Bart Simpson reporting about a) MBI bankrutcy  and
     b) new Orange Clasisc IIx computer, interview with manager Mr AC/DC"
     is a good program detail. Keep in mind they have to be able to
     check you details.

     You should pay very much attention to giving your opinion on the
     program content. That is THE most important part of your letter.
     What you liked and why. What was boring, why. What you would like
     to hear more etc. Think you you as a customer and station as a 
     storekeeper. Be critical but businesslike. There is absolutely no
     need to say you liked their folk music program if you found it most
     boring. Now we are talking about international broadcasters. Sometimes
     I have written some stories to get a QSL from "a tough one". I
     remember how it once was hard to get any reply from Libya, but once
     I wrote how I admire their effort to make their point understood in
     the West, I got a 1/2lb letter in the return mail!

> Does anyone have a formletter that they'd care to post that I could
> adapt for my own usage?

     No need to use any special form. I would, however, type or use a
     word processing program and a good printer. Layout should be as in
     any business correspondence, but don't worry about such detail as
     how many blank lines should be left between the greeting and the 
     main body of the letter. Just make is look organised and neat. Make
     sure your address is complete with state, zip code and country.
     Using line spacing 1 (8 per inch) the letter should be no longer 
     than one page.

> Thanks in advance,
 
     Don't mention it. 
                   
 

>   [   Robert Carleton White, Jr.                      rcw@scicom.alphacdc.com]

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             Mika Suoranta, Leirikatu 11, SF-20360 Turku, Finland
             tel. +358-21-382637  E-mail MSUORANTA@finabo.abo.fi
             Ham Radio Call OH1NZQ   QRV all HF-bands
             "A Large Antenna Is the Best Preamplifier" (hi, hr gp!)
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