So buy in from all the local bureaus would be required.

Sound like a great idea to me, I would not expect anyone to refuse free envelopes.

Mark, KB7HDX

On Fri, Jul 26, 2019 at 9:16 AM rjairam@gmail.com <rjairam@gmail.com> wrote:

Hi Mark, allow me to relate my own experience:

"First, do you have a thought on what sponsoring the QSL Bureau would look like? Members send cards, and receive back via the local groups. How would a sponsor enjoy any return on investment with no ability to advertise to the users? Would we ask to have a IEASU, YCOM, KENCO, ALINWOOD "QSL Card" included in the inbound bundles to members? "

For many years, CQ magazine sponsored QSL bureau envelopes for the NJDXA W2 incoming bureau. They would supply the envelopes to us free of charge. The envelope had a note on the back, saying return this envelope to CQ for a free sample issue. Eventually when CQ started seeing its current financial trouble it stopped giving us the envelopes but it was a good program for a very long time.

Also if you work major DXpeditions they will insert a thin paper advert for various vendors including commercial vendors and DX foundations. When Gennady, UX5UO was early on in the business he sent me the small leaflets with a QSL order. I put them in all of my card envelopes (for my personal QSL cards) and he gave me a small discount. This includes operations from 9Y and mobile operations from lighthouses and such.

In our bureau operation in W2 we do not take SASEs from subscribers. Instead, subscribers buy credits. We use our own envelopes and optimize them so that postage is optimal. When USPS began ramping up automation based rates for regular first class mail and imposed the 1/4" limit, we adapted and structured our mailings that way. So we could fit 10 cards in a 2Oz. mailing and in that we could still put a small leaflet. 

So those are two ways - the envelopes themselves OR a small thin leaflet.

73

Ria, N2RJ

On Fri, 26 Jul 2019 at 11:56, Mark J Tharp <kb7hdx@gmail.com> wrote:

Fred, I'm curious on two items here.

First, do you have a thought on what sponsoring the QSL Bureau would look like? Members send cards, and receive back via the local groups. How would a sponsor enjoy any return on investment with no ability to advertise to the users? Would we ask to have a IEASU, YCOM, KENCO, ALINWOOD "QSL Card" included in the inbound bundles to members?

Second, are you asking if LOTW "should" be sponsored, or "no longer" sponsored as the web page already has more advertising than some would like to see.

This is a good idea, and thanks for taking the lead on it Fred.

Mark, KB7HDX

On Fri, Jul 26, 2019 at 8:13 AM <hopengarten@post.harvard.edu> wrote:

At the most recent meeting of the ARRL Board of Directors, I put forth a motion suggesting that the Division Director and two members of the Legislative Advisory Committee should attempt to meet with a few principals from each of the 15 or so major vendors to the Amateur Radio Community.

 

As I understood it, there was overwhelming agreement that we have things to learn from our vendor community, but that a minute in our published minutes would have negative implications. I withdrew the motion.

 

The next major regional convention occurs soon, September 6-8, and happens to be here in New England (“Boxboro,” https://hamxposition.org). I expect that K1TWF will be able to tell me which major vendors will have management present. It may be only one or two. But nonetheless, it will be a good opportunity for a trial run at a qualitative survey.

 

The plan:

 

·         A Thursday (during the day), or evening meeting – requested in advance – and off-site.

·         Not a lot of questions, and those that are asked may best be open-ended.

·         A summary provided to the Legislative Advisory Committee to help the next round of qualitative interviews.

·         A report back to the Board by July 2020.

 

A guideline to such interviews (and it is clear that chats on the show floor are nowhere near as good) is attached. It is only Version 1. Improvements welcome!

 

 

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