Author - Tim Beaumont

On Friday, April 10th the VP8PJ QSL card design was sent to Max (ON5UR QSL Print Service) for review and setup. After our final review is complete the cards will be printed and shipped to Tim M0URX for distribution. Thousands of QSO and mailing labels have already been processed and are ready for placement on QSL cards and direct mail envelops. Buro cards will be placed in the system in early 2021.

Of the 83,783 QSOs in the log, 30,548 have been claimed and processed for placement on QSL cards,  there are no busted call requests in the work queue – to date, all 731 have been investigated and answered by Tim M0URX. LoTW uploads for all donors and anyone that submitted an OQRS for a Direct Mail card have been processed. Requests that came in after the last upload (and this morning) will process in the next cycle. The upload process is run daily.

As stated on the website (sorkney.com) QSL page, the complete log will be uploaded to LoTW 6 months after the DX-pedition.

Let’s be realistic, the Covid-19 crisis has disrupted the world. Businesses are closed and every facet of our life has been upended. Please be patient, the cards will be mailed as soon as possible. OQRS and LoTW are processed daily. There is no need to send e-mails asking about the QSL cards. 73, GS K5GS

It is always interesting to see how much mail the UK QSL managers network post in a year, with the bottom of the solar cycle it is inevitable that the figures are lower this year. However as you see in the table below 17,658 items were posted. This includes the larger parcels sent to the IARU Bureaus over the last year.
The year ahead could be quite challenging as International freight availability is at a premium as Covid-19 grounds large fleets of aircraft that would normally carry International mail from one country to another. This will inevitably push prices higher in the coming year.
United Radio are doing everything we can to ensure our QSL cards get through.

– We are approaching 6,000 requests for QSL cards, Direct and Bureau.

– 731  Not in Log requests have been investigated and answered. For a DX-pedition with 83,500 QSOs and 20,500 unique call signs in the log this is a very small number, it indicates the DX-pedition team’s attention to logging accuracy.

– LoTW processing is up to date. All donor LoTW records were uploaded. Current OQRS LoTW uploads are processed daily.

– The VP8PJ QSL cards are being designed by the team. VP8PJ OQRS OPEN

Due to the Covid-19 situation I have been asked to report to work 7 days per week, for a 10 hour shift. I will continue to process QSL confirmations and research issues as time allows, please be patient.

For those who have not yet reported a Not in Log problem, please use the form on OQRS QSO entry page. Responding to individual e-mails is time consuming and non productive. Please do not send screenshots unless requested, and never send your log files, spreadsheets or screenshots of your log, they are of no use to researching a problem.
Tim M0URX

5Z4/G3AB Log uploaded to OQRS Last QSO in the log: 27 Mar 2020 23:33 UTC
Due to Covid-19 crisis it has not been able to get a compete log update at this stage. Please be patient.
Please do not use not in log form at this stage. Please wait for us to get the log update complete.
Until I have these files I cannot answer any questions or log inquiries.

I have had several inquiries about how Covid-19 affects the delivery of your QSL cards. It is a fluid situation and after taking advice from Royal Mail i can inform you that posting from the UK is continuing as normal.
Nearly all mail is sorted by machine so is not touched by human hands. Large mailings are bagged from here and sent directly to London Heathrow Distribution Centre and the bags put on onward flights to the destination country. Remember many flights are cancelled and this can also add to delays.

Royal Mail has a page on the website updated for “International Incident Bulletins” this link will take you to the page so that you can see what restrictions are in your country and where delays may apply.

Updated 24/03/2014 – As air flights around the world reduce very significantly to avoid the spread of Covid-19. This has a knock on effect on a restriction of air freight available to send post around the world. International Post WILL be more expensive and will also experience delays as most flights are not available to carry mail. 

Thee below images (courtesy of Flightradar24) show the decreased capacity from February 26th to March 25:

Thanks for the pileups!
We have all left Punta Arenas and are either home or another location of choice.
Several of us left Punta Arenas sooner than planned because of the Coronavirus situation and possible airline chaos. Fortunately, of those I’ve heard from, we had no problem buying a new ticket and getting to our final destination. 
On Sunday when Rob and  arrived at LAX the Immigration and Customs area was empty, so no delays.  All our flights were uneventful and on time.
After being away for 5 weeks we need to get our personal affairs in order and will work on DX-pedition related tasks as time is available. So please be patient, we have all have other life responsibilities.
If you have a Not in Log or suspected busted call,  Do not send e-mails, and please don’t send screenshots or log files unless requested.
Follow the Not in Log procedure:  https://sorkney.com/qsl/

Sending unsolicited e-mails slows the process, Tim works the Not in Log queue in the order received, unsolicited e-mails waste our time and will not be processed.

I’ll be posting some photographs on the website. We’re disappointed that the major conventions have been cancelled, and hope that the worst of Coronavisus comes to an end soon. We’re still planning Friedrichshafen in late June, maybe that one will happen.
Last I talked with Tim he’s making good progress with Not in Log issues, and is regularly uploading LoTW, although I did see he had a computer failure and acquired a new machine.
We appreciate the kind words from the Group and in personal e-mails from the community.
Many of you have “suggested” the next DX-pedition location, we’ve already had those discussions before and during VP8PJ.
73, GS K5GS

I do not understand? Why am i getting hundreds of NOT IN LOG emails every week when the Last QSO in Log date is clearly showing when a log last had a log update? Can’t you guys read? Or are you so impatient that you cannot wait for the op to update the log? Words fail me!

Please Please read the instructions…  Last QSO in the log: 11 Feb 2020 20:12 UTC