Basically the QSL Bureau works like this:
You pack up all your QSL cards you have for contacts with other FISTS members and send them to us. We sort the cards and put them in the Self Addressed Stamped Envelopes (SASE's) which the members have sent to us. When we get 6 to 7 cards in an SASE with one ounce postage on it we mail them.
The mailing address for the Bureau is:
FISTS QSL Bureau
c/o Stan Reas - K4UK
1020 Long Island Drive
Moneta, VA 24121
So, to get the cards which are sent via the Bureau for you, you need SASE's on file with us. We suggest a minimum of three SASE's be sent. We require envelopes which are at least 4-1/8" high and much prefer the #10 Business Size envelope (4-1/8" x 9-1/2") which will work for nearly all QSL card sizes.
The smaller Personal Size envelope (3-5/8" x 6-1/2") will not handle the large QSL cards which some members send and will no longer be accepted. ( See reason below Sample )
Some of the members send 6" x 9" Kraft envelopes which can handle
all cards sizes I've
ever seen. If you can find the 5" x 7" Kraft envelopes they
are a really nice size for SASE’s
Your SASE should have at least one ounce postage (41 cents) in the upper right hand corner. Your address goes in the normal address portion of the envelope and put your call in LARGE letters in the upper left hand corner. We will put stamp the lower left hand corner of each of your SASE's:
ENVELOPE________OF_______
SASE LEFT__________________
This will indicate which envelope is being used and how many are left on hand.
We will include a "Last Envelope in Bureau" note when we have used your last envelope to send cards to you. Also, if the numbers in the bottom left hand corner indicates: for example: "Envelope # 3 of 3" - it will have been your last envelope. When you send in additional cards you can then send in additional SASE's.
Based on the weight of my QSL card per the scales in the Moneta,
Virginia Post Office per the rates which will
go into effect on May 12, 2008 we can send the following number
of cards per weight:
Weight
Postage Cards
1 ounce 42
cents
7
2 ounce 59
cents 15
3 ounce 76
cents 23
If we get a real bunch of cards for you, we may put them all in
the one envelope and add postage as required from our "stamp kitty".
If we do this, we appreciate your reimbursing the kitty with your next
batch of cards . If you put more than 41 cents postage on your SASE’s
we will wait until we get the number of cards equivalent to the postage
before mailing. If you prefer periodic mailing just let us know.
You can send QSL's for contacts with all foreign FISTS members to us and we will forward them to Chuck Spence, M0AVW in England or Nigel Hardy, ZL2TX in New Zealand or "Harry" Shibata - JL3AMK in Japan. These chaps handle the distribution of QSL cards for overseas DX. We distribute cards for Canadian FISTS and other DX FISTS in North and South America directly from the Bureau.
So, send us your QSL cards and some SASE's and you're set up to use the Bureau. However, it won't do any good to send cards for contacts with stations who are not FISTS members as they won't have SASE's on file with us. Also, it is a good idea to confirm with the FISTS member that you will QSL via the Bureau. In that way both will know that there are SASE's at the Bureau.
If you send in a "bunch" of cards it would be appreciated if you sort the U.S cards by call number. It speeds up the initial sort. But, you don’t have to further sort them alphabetically.
Eight members of the Franklin County Amateur Radio Club of Rocky Mount, VA assist me in the work of the QSL Bureau. They do the final sorting and mailing of envelopes.
All costs involved in operating the QSL Bureau come from the donations from our members. We mail the DX cards to Chuck in bulk and the cost has averaged 4.5 cents per card. Also we mail the DX cards to Nigel for VK and ZL members in bulk and the cost has averaged 8.5 cents per card. The cards mailed to Harry for JA and BV members average 9.0 cents per card.
So, if you send cards for DX members a donation would be appreciated! Your donation can be cash or checks. If checks, please make them out to "FISTS QSL Bureau" or to me, Stan Reas.
For Canadian and other non-U.S. members
Since all mail we send out from the Bureau must have U.S. postage stamps, you will have to put U.S. stamps on your SASE's. Since obtaining U.S. stamps may be hard, if not impossible, we suggest that you send SAE's (Self-Addressed-Envelopes) without stamps and some funds to cover the stamps we will obtain for you.
In order to minimize your costs, if you wish, we will accept mailing labels with your address on them in lieu of SAE's and will paste them on envelopes from our stock. Just include some funds with your labels to cover the stamps.
Such funds can be "Green Stamps" (U.S. Dollars) or IRC's. If checks, please make them out to me, Stan Reas, or to "FISTS QSL Bureau"
Based on the weight of my QSL card at the Moneta, Virginia Post Office the following rates would apply:
Postage to Postage to Postage
to
Weight
Cards Canada
Mexico
Others
1 ounce
7 69 cents
69 cents 90
cents
2 ounce
15 $1.00
$1.12
$1.80
3 ounce
23 $1.31
$1.55
$2.70
4 ounce
31 $1.62
$1.98
$3.60
So, send us your QSL cards and some SAE's and some funds and you're set up to use the Bureau.
Sample SASE for U.S. members is shown below:
The Reason for not accepting Personal Size (3-5/8" x 6-1/2") envelopes:
Quite a few members are making their own QSL cards now-a-days. Often these are larger than the standard 3-1/2" x 5-1/2" dimension. Also quite a few of the cards from DX members are larger than the standard.
The small personal size envelope which is 3-5/8" x 6-1/2" can not accommodate these larger cards. My staff consists of all volunteers and they have become frustrated with trying to patch up the small envelopes to mail the larger cards. They are reluctant to fold the large cards
They have resorted to:
Cutting the front off of the small envelopes and taping it to a # 10 envelope
Taping paper to the flap and taping down the increased flap
Peeling stamps from the small envelopes and using
Rubber Cement to paste them to a
# 10 envelope and then writing the address on
the # 10 by hand
These volunteers have done a great job helping me run the FISTS QSL Bureau and I want to alleviate their frustration. Therefore, I have decided that we will no longer accept envelopes with height dimension less than 4-1/8" which is that of the # 10 business size envelope. That means we will not accept any personal size (3-5/8" x 6-1/2") envelopes.
We much prefer the Business Size envelope which is 4-1/8" x 9-1/2" but will accept other envelopes which are at least 4-1/8" x 6" - such as the 6" x 9" and the 5" x 7" Kraft envelopes.
But please note that Charlie, K4BSF who handles the "8" calls for the Bureau prefers only the # 10 Business Size envelopes!
Now if there are any of you who live so far away from a store selling
# 10 Business Size envelopes, we will accept mailing labels with your address
on them and stamps and money in lieu of SASE's. We will put your
labels and your stamps onto # 10 envelopes which we will furnish from our
stock.