The QSL debate

[Don Lodge <101521.2167@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

This is a message from Don Lodge <101521.2167@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
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Dear friends,
I have been interested to hear the views about collecting QSL's and the hobby in
general.  Is it worthwhile - of course it isn't, but it's great fun.
My own view is that a QSL card proves nothing.  For example there are so many
bulletins and magazines (Hard-core DXing included) that contain good detailed
reports, that anyone could send of a bugus report using somebody else's details.
Finn Krone once summarised the value of a QSL as "a pleasant souvenir of a
station you have heard".  And that says it all for me.  The cheat cheats only
himself, and wastes his own time.
As some of you will know I produce a monthly discussion column in Danish
Shortwave Club International's Short Wave Magazine.  We are currently having a
discussion on this subject at present.
Do any of the recent contributors the Hard Core Dx have any objections if I
quote some of your views - there are some nice comments.  I will give full
credits of course.
May I take it, that unless I receive any objections, I may use the
contributions?
Thanking you in advance
73's
Don Phillips  P.S.  By way of repayment for using stuff from this forum, I
include below the "joke" that completed my recent As I Please column:

*   *   *   *   *   *  

Three radio amateurs went far away to Jungleland to have a DX camp.  It
consisted of a tropical bands DXer, a Medium Wave DXer, and a scanner operator.
All went well except for the scanner user who never got past trying to punch in
1000 memory settings.  

They awoke one morning to find there was a civil war in the country. They were
promptly arrested, taken to the jail, and told they were foreign spies and would
be immediately guillotined using a relic of the colonial days.   They all lined
up waiting for their end.  

The Chief of Police said, "Who is to be the first to die then?"  The tropical
band DXer stepped forward and said.  "I will be.  I stand for the highest and
most noble form of DXing.  I am not afraid to die."  

The Chief of Police then said "Now we will see who are the real men.  Do you
want to die like a man and lie down and face the blade, or will you die face
downward like a filthy coward?"
The Tropical band DXer said he would face the blade and proceeded to lie down.  

The Chief of police pulled the rope, the blade shuddered, but got stuck.  The
Chief of police was confused, and said "This is most unusual, but under local
law you can only be executed once.  The guillotine failed to work.  You are
therefore free to go.  Who will be next?"  

The Medium Wave DXer then stepped forward and said:  "We Medium wave DXers
believe we are just as good as tropical band listeners.  I will, go next, and I
will face the blade."

Again the Chief of police pulled the string.  The blade moved a few centimetres.
The Chief of police scratched his head again and told the Medium wave DXer he
too was free.  
Shortly, it was the scanner operator's turn.  He took his anorak off in case it
got blood on it.  He lay down and faced the blade also.  Just as the Chief of
police was about to pull the string a third time, the scanner operator shouted
out "Wait, I think I can see what is wrong with the blade!"

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