Category - Blog

Happy Christmas 2024

18 December 2024

Happy Christmas from United Radio QSL Bureau. Best wishes for DX in 2025.
My office will remain open throughout the next couple of weeks for log updates, QSL requests and Missing call reports.

Returned Letters

18 December 2024
Everything in the World changes in time, and sometimes changes do not improve quality of service levels and in many cases service levels get worse. Just 10 years ago when billions of letters a year were sent around the globe, I could be sure that  99% of the mail i sent out would arrive in very quick time, but in recent years the volumes of letters have decreased to a rate that most mailing companies in many countries have cut back on delivering to the door to a few days a week, no longer is a 6 day a week delivery the norm!
Not only have deliveries been cut back but also airline freight has been reduced because mailing companies are frightened of the consequences of not doing the right thing for the climate.
So where does that leave our QSL mailings? A couple of areas are of particular concern.  ITALY I am experiencing mail being returned as “unknown address” or “Incomplete Address” “Non reclaimed” In nearly every case the address to the Italian recipient was correct and only the Italian Post Office workers would be able to tell us why this is happening.
USA – A similar pattern can be observed by the USPS, NIXIE the USPS sorting machine seems to be very bad at routing internal USA mail, as the letters are rejected endorsed “Attempted – Not known Unable to Forward” Yet the addresses are 100% correct. So, sorting machines once made the job of sorting quicker but in reality, are becoming unreliable for routing our mail. 
These days nearly all mail is machine sorted and probably only ever is touched be humans when the postman delivers the letters. Do you remember years ago when it was actually quite common that mail got stolen? These days that just doesn’t happen, mail integrity & security is taken very seriously and often monitored by cameras at the mail centres.
The World Customs Organization new rules on shipping parcels now means that parcels can be as much time in customs as on the journey itself which causes is further uncertain delays to delivery times and extends those shipments further. 
One thing I would say is if a letter does not arrive with you, please do not assume i have not sent it, a simple polite inquiry is all that is needed, I do not expect one liners like: “where’s my QSL? I aint gotten it”, emails like that are sure to find my delete button quite rapidly!
As you may have seen in your own country steep price rises are commonplace now, mainly due to the fact that mailing volumes dropped, and it costs more per letter now for mailing companies to deliver to the door. Here, mail volumes outgoing vary due to the sunspot cycle of course, at the peak we are shipping out QSL letters by the hundreds. We have sought the very best mailing solutions contracts to keep our costs down and to provide you with a world-class service. 
It is our priority to get these QSL letters to you as fast as possible, we love QSL’ing, we want you to enjoy receiving the QSL cards from DX stations in the remotest places on Earth and promise to continue to serve your QSL needs into the future. 

Use OQRS

17 December 2024

Around 75% of letters received here either do not have any dollars enclosed, or the wrong amount, or contain IRC’s, stamps, coins or letters from Jesus telling me that God will look after me.
Sadly the most common is fraud,  where the stamp on the SAE is a used non-franked stamp that has been glued on to the envelope as seen here on the image. What people seem to fail to grasp, is that I DO NOT use stamps as we have an International mailing contract.
The bar code on the right of the stamp once used cannot be used again.

Please read the QSL Policy of the station that you are sending the QSL to. Enclose the correct US$ or € for the QSL exchange. Please do not send other less known currencies as the Bureau de Change has a minimum exchange value and I am not able to accept your QSL request.
Do not send me stamps, coins, IRC’s letters from Jesus or anything else other than the correct QSL Policy value.

Alternatively use Bespoke OQRS.

Mail to Canada Suspended

9 December 2024

Latest update: 5 December 2024
End date: To be advised
Incident: Industrial Action

Canada Post has been on strike since the morning of Friday, 15th November. The duration of the industrial action is unknown at this stage. Items already in the network will experience significant delays.   

All services to Canada are suspended from 19.00 Wednesday, 27th November until further notice.  

Canada Post has informed us items sent prior to the service suspension will be held by them until the end of strike action and will be delivered (first in, first out approach) once operations resume.   

We are in regular communication with Canada Post and will share updates as we receive them. 

Bureau OQRS Only!

24 November 2024

I just want to remind you that if you need a Bureau QSL Via M0URX…  There is only one route! OQRS

RSGB do not allow “QSL Via” Your QSL will not arrive but will be charged to me for payment. Your QSL request for Bureau can only be requested on O Q R S.

BUREAU QSL INFO Request your QSL. Please don’t send it.
Use OQRS only. (Online QSL Request System)
NO OTHER ROUTE AVAILABLE

5Z4VJ LoTW Info.

20 November 2024

Andy 5Z4VJ will upload his October / November log to LoTW when he is able to do so. He is currently overseas, and will also be moving home in Kenya. These may appear on OQRS as uploaded but they are not. Stand by!

Please wait, and DO NOT email as there is nothing more to say. WAIT! Thank you.

KH8T, VP6WR, FO/G0VDE, 7Q5MLV Posted!

14 November 2024

All direct QSL requests for KH8T, VP6WR, FO/G0VDE, 7Q5MLV and all other direct QSLs requested have now been posted Friday 15th November 2024. 

GDXF and MDXC packages also mailed to the respective addresses.

QSL cards can be requested on Bespoke OQRS.

I am aware  that recent 5Z4VJ logs have not been uploaded to LoTW. Please stand by as Andy will upload as soon as he is able to do so.

M0URX QSL Blog

25 October 2024

This website blog is where to find any information you need about M0URX QSL Management Bureau. If you want to know when major QSL direct or bureau mailings are scheduled then I will blog on this page.

If you need to know anything else and not sure where to find it, there is a search tool just to the top right of the Blog page. Type in your key words and you should find links to the page you want.

Bespoke OQRS handles all the missing QSO and busted call inquiries, so no need for emails just fill in the form on the Log Search on the “Log Check Request” button. This is interactive with my logs to take me right to the point in the log i need to look. On the “Request QSL (OQRS)” button you will also find QSL status of your QSL requests. 

Please remember that DXpedition QSL cards are not produced until after the DXpedition. The teams need to get home, photographs need to be collated and discussion made as to how the QSL will be produced. This then goes to Max ON5UR our designer and only once the team have checked the proofs does the design go to the printroom. Double QSL cards and folding usually takes 9 working days and then another week in shipping and customs delays before i can even think about getting the mailings completed. The whole process for DXpedition QSL cards can take 6 to 8 weeks, so please do not email me asking where your QSL is! This blog will have all the mailing dates and if after a month after that you still have no card drop me an email. 

7Q5MLV QSL Preview

24 October 2024

Marc, 7Q5MLV has recently set up his station in Mzuzu, Malawi. QSL card is designed and now in the print room. LoTW will be uploaded on each log update direct from OQRS. QSLs will be posted in November. OQRS open.

M0URX Bureau Route

23 October 2024

A very important rule to remember about QSL’ing is “CHECK the QSL Policy or instructions” for the call sign that you are sending.

If you need to request a “QSL Via M0URX” THE ONLY bureau route is on OQRS.  I am NOT permitted to receive cards via RSGB Bureau and my instructions have been clear on QRZ.com and on my Webpage for many, many years but despite this, thousands still send cards to the RSGB. These will not ever be received here.
The worst problem area is German, Italian and Japan QSL’ers for some reason you think you do not have to check? WHY?

For SWL Bureau route  – Email only!

BUREAU QSL INFO  Request your QSL. Please don’t send it.
Use OQRS only. (Online QSL Request System)
NO OTHER ROUTE AVAILABLE