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 ne of the greatest
bargains of League membership is being able to use the ARRL Outgoing
QSL Service to conveniently send your DX QSL cards overseas to
foreign QSL Bureaus. Your ticket for using this service is proof
of ARRL Membership and following the fee schedule below. For
those of you who are not quite so DX active you can send 10 cards
or less for just $1.00. You can't even get a deal like that at
your local warehouse supermarket! And the potential savings over
the substantial cost of individual QSLing is equal to many times
the price of your annual dues. Your cards are sorted promptly
by the Outgoing Service staff, and cards are on their way overseas
usually within a week of arrival at HQ. Approximately two million
cards are handled by the Service each year!
QSL cards are shipped to QSL Bureaus throughout the world,
which are typically maintained by the national Amateur Radio
Society of each country. While no cards are sent to individuals
or individual QSL managers, keep in mind that what you might
lose in speed is more than made up in the convenience and savings
of not having to address and mail each QSL card separately. (In
the case of DXpeditions and/or active DX stations that use US
QSL managers, a better approach is to QSL directly to the QSL
manager. The various DX newsletters, the GOLIST QSL manager
directory, and other publications, are good sources of up-to-date
QSL manager information.)
As postage costs become increasingly prohibitive, don't go broke
before you're even halfway towards making DXCC. There's a better
and cheaper way ?? "QSL VIA BURO" through the ARRL
Outgoing QSL Service!
How To Use The ARRL Outgoing QSL Service
1) Presort your DX QSL's alphabetically by parent callsign prefix
(AP, C6, CE, DL, ES, EZ, F, G, JA, LY, PY, UN, YL, 5N, 9Y and
so on). NOTE: Some countries have a parent prefix and use additional
prefixes, i.e. G (parent prefix) = M, 2E, 2I, 2M, 2W,.... When
sorting countries that have multiple prefixes, keep that country's
prefixes grouped with the parent prefix in your alphabetical
stack. Addresses are not required. DO NOT separate the
country prefixes by use of paper clips, rubber bands, slips of
paper or envelopes.
2) Enclose proof of current ARRL Membership. This can be in the
form of a photocopy of the white address label from your current
copy of QST. You can also write on a slip of paper the information
from the label, and use that as proof of Membership. A copy of
your current Membership card is also acceptable.
3) Members (including foreign, QSL Managers, or managers for
DXpeditions) should enclose payment of $4.00 for the first ½
pound of cards or portion thereof--appro-ximately 75 cards weigh
1/2 pound. $8.00 for one pound, the fee rate then increases at
the rate of $4.00 for each additional ½ pound (i.e. a
package containing 1 ½ pounds of cards should include
the fee of $12.00 and so on). A package of only ten (10) cards
or fewer sent in a single shipment costs only $1.00. Please pay
by check (or money order) and write your callsign on the check.
Send "green stamps" (cash) at your own risk. DO NOT
send postage stamps or IRCs.
DXCC credit CANNOT be used towards the QSL Service fee.
4) Include only the cards, proof of Membership, and fee in the
package. Wrap the package securely and address it to the ARRL
Outgoing QSL Service, 225 Main Street, Newington CT 06111.
5) Family members may also use the service by enclosing their
QSL's with those of the primary member. Include the appropriate
fee with each individual's cards and indicate "family membership"
on the primary member's proof of Membership.
6) Blind members who do not receive QST need only include the
appropriate fee along with a note indicating the cards are from
a blind member.
7) ARRL affiliated-club stations may use the service when submitting
club QSL's by indicating the club name. Club secretaries should
check affiliation papers to ensure that affiliation is current.
In addition to sending club station QSL's through this service,
affiliated clubs may also "pool" their members' individual
QSL cards to effect an even greater savings. Each club member
using this service must also be a League member. Cards should
be sorted "en masse" by prefix, and proof of Membership
enclosed for each ARRL member.
Countries Not Served By The Outgoing QSL Service
Approximately 260 DXCC countries are served by the ARRL Outgoing
QSL Service, as detailed in the ARRL DXCC List. This includes
nearly every active country. As noted previously, cards are forwarded
from the ARRL Outgoing Service to a counterpart Bureau in each
of these countries. In some cases, there is no Incoming Bureau
in a particular country and cards therefore cannot be forwarded.
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