Author - Tim Beaumont

It is with regret that i report that the Spanish URE Bureau Box failed to get through customs for the second time. Endorsed “Missing Customs Declaration”

We are currently working with URE to establish what needs to be done.

One of the two Bureau parcels that we posted to DARC German QSL Bureau back in February has been returned endorsed as “Non Reclaimed” 
We are currently working with DARC to have this shipped back to Germany soon. Sorry for the delay this has caused. 

As the 2023 – 2024 financial tax year comes to an end, it is time to take a look at how our mailing facility has worked over the last year. Overall 28,936 items of mail were posted at a cost of £26,359.90. We post QSL Direct cards, bureau parcels and magazines using the various products as shown in the table below. With 13,751 more items posted this year, with Solar Cycle 25 this last 12 months providing much increased propagation on HF.
DX’pedition QSL costs are very competitive as always and we welcome talking to DX teams about mailing your QSL cards in the future.

The past 12 months though have been financially very challenging, postage costs up 10%, pulp paper costs up 15% and Customs charges across the board on QSL bulk shipments in and out through customs have hit us very heavily. We have tried to keep our QSL charges down to the lowest we can.

Standard postal rates have increased significantly in most countries worldwide due to the dwindling number of letters posted globally as people use electronic technology which has largely replaced the postal system in recent years. This means that the postal costs are spread over much lower volumes both nationally and worldwide and THIS is the driver of increased postal costs. In our hobby we still use the mail system to ship our QSL cards and therefore we must expect that increase to hit us. As an example, Royal Mail letter volumes in the last 12 years have dropped from 14.3 bn down to 7.3 bn per year.

While most people use OQRS (Thank you) we still get a number of incoming direct letters. The problem being is that most of the incoming letters do not include the correct QSL costs, because most fail to read either my QSL policy or the DXpedition QSL policy. This increases our costs further and also costs us time as we have to email to let people know that they failed to QSL correctly. My advice is use OQRS ONLY!

More customs charges on Bureau shipments outgoing continue, many Bureaus refuse to accept the shipments and we will not guarantee any cards requested using the IARU Bureau system. Customs demand a recipient name on these shipments but the IARU refuse to provide this for GDPR reasons. Well, this will inevitably close the Bureau system as we know it going forward. Someone has to take responsibility for this if the Bureau cards are to be securely sent and received by the IARU Bureaus. It is now completely out of our hands. If you want a QSL card use the direct option on OQRS is the only advice i can give.
Enjoy your DX! We as a team promise to provide you with a QSL service that works for both the DX’er and the DXpedition Team.

I really need your co-operation on this. Please DO NOT email me about Busted / Missing Calls. On OQRS Log search there is a blue button  for NOT IN LOG inquiries. This sends a ticket to the QSL Managers work queue & because it is integrated into OQRS the ticket sends me straight to the section of log i need to search.. These will be dealt with as soon as possible. 

Emails will be deleted. Do not send files, screen shots logs or anything like that by email unless asked to do so. I cannot stress enough it is pointless sending me a busted call email as i will send you to OQRS.
I will answer emails about LoTW, so long as you have checked your LoTW account first!! Thank you!

Unfortunately we have been unable to get the latest Bureau parcel to Spain URE. Spanish customs have returned the parcel as “Missing Customs Declaration” despite the declaration being right next to the return label. Bureau system is in crisis!

We cannot guarantee the Bureau route. If you need a QSL – REQUEST DIRECT. This is happening all too often now and I reported the problems to IARU as long ago as 2017 that this was going to happen with the World Customs Organisation new regulations. Sadly there is nothing we can do. Is it time now to stop Bureau requests? Because i see no other way forward.

Not allowed to send as GIFT, Not allowed to send as DOCUMENTS. Must have value but how do you value something with no value and how do you provide an invoice if the recipient (The IARU Bureau) did not pay for a product? Complete FARCE.

We are currently discussing with URE. Re-posted to Spain 13/03/2024

I can’t even guess how many emails I get every day concerning LoTW upload problems. “Why haven’t you uploaded my LoTW?” “Been waiting still nothing” Nearly ALL of the problems are caused by those of you who think that just because their logging software uploads every QSO one at a time, that it actually does! Reality check here guys, it doesn’t always work.
I strongly recommend that you DO NOT upload one QSO at a time from your logging software but maybe upload once a week, and actually go into your LoTW account and look to see has it uploaded? Or has it failed?
If you find that you are in a position where your LoTW QSO’s  are missing, BEFORE you come shouting at me blaming me, go into your LoTW account and LOOK, search for the missing Qs. Check your side please before wasting my time. I am always here to help those who genuinely do not know what or where to look, they are the only emails I want to see okay? Thank you.

Preparations are ongoing and well underway for a March 4-16, 2024 DX-pedition to Grenada J38R. The group has expanded and as such we have secured a second house / QTH at the ocean in Sauteurs to accommodate more operators. We will be active with three high power stations and one for FT8-RTTY from 10-160m. For the lowbands we have RX antennas.

We will miss the expertise and company of our good friend Ghis ON5NT, who had to reschedule due to a newly emerged priority. Other experienced operators DX-peditioners stepped in and the group now comprises: ON4HIL, ON4MA, ON5RA, ON5TN, ON6CC and ON7RU

We can say with great pride that we have formed a team of operators who have experience in all aspects of managing a DX-pedition. Most of us have already successfully completed several DX-peditions. We will do our very best in trying to get everyone in the log, on as many bands and modes as possible. As Grenada is high on the “wishlist” as far as the lower bands are concerned, we will be QRV on 80m & 160m as well, but we will also give the newcomers the chance to work us as an “ATNO”. If a good internet connection allows, we will be able to offer “Club Log llive stream” so you can immediately check whether you are in the log or not. If this is not possible, we will upload the log at least on a daily basis. If you are not in the log, please try again!

Callsign has been assigned by NTRC.