ROYAL SIGNALS AMATEUR RADIO SOCIETY

• QSL BUREAU MONTHLY NEWSLETTER
• Number 59 -  February 2012 (Vol.2 No.7) 
• by MØOIC - QSL Bureau Manager

RSARS QSL BUREAU
6 GREENLAND CRESCENT
CHILWELL
BEESTON
NOTTINGHAM NG9 5LB

F5VIW (G4BIZ - 0152): It is hoped that we may find Alan around 7.170MHz (search boldly) from about 1400hrs GMT on Saturday 4th February 2012. After a couple of hours, flexible, he will QSY to our 40m or 80m published frequencies and get a few members in his PSK31 log. Alan, if you are reading this we wish you luck.

Additions to amateur radio licences,‘Q’and ‘O’, covering The Queen's Diamond Jubilee and the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics have been well covered elsewhere by RSGB and RSARS emails to members. Just a reminder that our Awards Manager will be granting F numbers for each event to a maximum of 15 members per event, 30 in total ‘Q’ and ‘O’. If interested please contact MØOIC who will add you to the list. The list will be closed on 1st March 2012 and forwarded to GØSWY for allocations to be made. The date 1st March 2012 is the date on which members can apply to Ofcom for their NoVs. As we will have made up our minds to contact Ofcom the same thought will apply to obtaining an F number so apply for both same day, if not already on the RSARS list.

Members operating the calls during the month of February 2012 are:

G3SIG ACTIVITY
(Full details on the G3SIG AWARD SECTION on this website)

G3SIG areas of operation are currently known to be:

February 2012 - G3SIG
March 2012 - G3SIG
April 2012 - GM3SIG
May 2012 - GW3SIG
June 2012 - G3SIG
July 2012 - G3SIG
August 2012 - vacant
September 2012 - GI3SIG
October 2012 - G3SIG
November 2012 - GD3SIG
December 2012 - GU3SIG
Only the month of August is vacant so many thanks to all G3SIG volunteer operators to date. There will be some news in the next Newsletter, on this website and for those members without internet facilities, in the next issue of “MERCURY” journal. This will cover small changes which hopefully may generate further G3SIG Award activity. We are well-covered with G3SIG volunteers so a volunteer outside of England for the month of August would be most welcome.

As always, the list of members using the Bureau are shown on our website, in both call sign and member number order, as at 1st February.

Since the 1st January 2012 QSL Bureau Users' List was published we have been joined by:
GØUZJ (4147)

It doesn't need me to say that we are still on a high as far as card activity is concerned. Whilst January 2012 receipts were down against those for January 2006 it was the highest January month for 6 years.

It has been mentioned in the press that Royal Mail are seeking authority to raise the cost of a second class stamp to 55p. The current cost of a 2nd class stamp is 36p which is a dramatic rise to say the least?

Just a reminder, and a suggestion. 2nd class stamps at present do not have an end date, It is only stamps with a monetary value that lose value in storage so keep to 2nd class. May I also suggest that any stamp requirements be considered and purchased prior to April 2012. You can send more than 5 × 2nd class stamps, but not less, or in multiples of 5, 10, 15, 20. In the case of receiving 20 × 2nd class stamps the Bureau will retain 4 thus providing 16 quality stamped envelopes for future use.

Having had a few sleepless nights worrying about the whereabouts of a large envelope en route from Perth, Australia to Chilwell, England it arrived via airmail after a trip of 17 days. Mal VK6LC, the sender, on seeing pictures of his package taken by me soon after receipt, thought maybe sorting staff had been playing football with it. It was paused at Auckland where it was stamped 'RECEIVED DAMAGED CONDITION, International Mail Centre Auckland' and secured in a plastic bag before continuing on its journey. With thanks to staff there, the precious cargo was able to travel to its destination. No, not the final destination for after listing and checking with Mal, cards were speedily enclosed in waiting envelopes with other cards ready to continue their journey. To those who have already sent cards to Mal for QSOs while he was operating recently in Australia, Cambodia or Vietnam, your cards from Mal will be with you soon.

Mal, has again, excelled himself in producing wonderful cards for members worked. I have already attached images of VK and XV (hand painted silk) cards covering Mal's adventures in previous Newsletters. This time we have on display the cards covering all contacts by members with XU7AEO in Kampong Som. All card fronts are shown plus one reverse example as sent to GU3SIG [well done Mike ]
The reason all are shown is the fact that each card is unique with no two paintings/scenes being the same. This one batch was ordered specifically for RSARS contacts worked from Cambodia hence the worry about them not arriving.
As an addition to the gallery of cards Mal has sent us a photograph of himself“being decorated not 2 or 3 times but the 5th time. 30 yrs a bit late.” and one at the rig, explained as “after a 5 hour dog-pile to EU on 75m. Phone using my 4SQ array at No.2 station, Crossman Antenna Farm, 90km south of here.” These have been added to the slideshow.
To see the cards CLICK HERE.

And Finally.......................

May all of your Bureau envelopes be heavy ones. (Just watch the thickness and have them correctly stamped when sending?) and don't forget anticipated Royal Mail stamp rises in April. Stamps that I already hold for you were 2nd class when they arrived and will still be 2nd class stamps when eventually used, so no further action is required by Bureau users.