W5 Incoming QSL Bureau
Recently the bureau manager, Jerry, K5YAA, experienced some health problems that have hampered his motor skills.
Pete Mann, KF5RD, has agreed to take on the responsibilities of W5 Incoming Bureau Manager.
The bureau search functions are going to be, for the time being, inactive. The search function will still be available,
it just will not have any current info, beyond May, the last database update done by Jerry.
If you would like the most current information on what you have at the bureau, for the time being, the best thing to do
would be to contact your sorter directly via email and ask them.
Postage Rates went to 44 cents for an envelope on May 11, 2009. We will continue placing the Forever stamp on envelopes being put together here. We suggest the use of that stamp if you send envelopes to the bureau. Costs for sending more than 4 ounces of cards in a 6x9 envelope will be calculated at a Large Envelope rate. A new stamp pictorial along with a rate information sheet from the Postal Service can be viewed by clicking on Stamp Rates (New & Old) on the left side of this page. Interestingly, the rate for an additional ounce in a "Standard Letter" is remaining at 17 cents and we expect continued close "scrutiny" of weights, envelope sizes etc. will continue. Data tables contain the latest updates from sorters as noted below. The latest mailing from Claremore, Oklahoma to our sorters occurred May 25, 2010. The next one has been scheduled for Late Summer 2010 or even later.
July 10 -May updates have been posted for the A, B, C, D, F, K, M, N, O, R, S, T, U, V, W, X, Y, and Z suffixes.
April 30 -March updates have been posted for the A, C, D, F, K, N, O, R, S, T, U, V, W, Y and Z suffixes.
March 11 -January updates have been posted for the A, C, D, F, I, K, L, M, N, O, P, R, S, T, U, V, W, Y and Z suffixes.
December 28 -November updates have been posted for the A, B, C, D, F, I, K, N, O, R, S, T, U, V, W, X, Y and Z suffixes.
Items Received.. Use the Bureau Activity Search to check on items (envelopes, envelope purchases, funds, labels and stamps) you sent to P.O. Box 2591 in Claremore. Information is current as of July 10, 2010
PO BOX 690480
Tulsa, OK 74169-0480
Manager: Pete Mann, KF5RD
Your Sorter: Sorter Page
Webmaster: Gene Lewis, W5LE
Bureau Departments
Dos & Don'ts
Sorter Page
Card Volume Graph
Stamp rates (new & old)
Complaint Dept
Misc Links
IRC/GS Chart from W9OL
The QSL Manager's Society
DX Summit
Realtime Prop/DX Monitor
Solar data from WM7D
World-Wide Callbooks
Pathfinder QSL Mgr search
Realtime MUF map
Callbooks and DX Information
Daily DX - Information and Reporting
Pre-sorters
Sorters
Managers
Background
The ARRL W5 Incoming QSL bureau is operated by the Oklahoma DX Association. The bureau consist of volunteers who provide this valuable service to their fellow hams. Cards arrive at our P.O. Box from various sources, such as other DX bureaus around the world and the ARRL Incoming Bureau. Upon arrival, the cards are presorted by a group of volunteers. This presorting consists of grouping the cards alphabetically by the first letter of the call suffix, for example, W5ABC, WB5AFG, N5AA would all go in the same "A" stack. The presorters then return the sorted cards to the bureau manager. Each letter of the alphabet has another sorter assigned to handle the actual mailing of QSLs and notices when a ham has cards on file but no envelopes or credits. Every two months, the cards accumulated for each letter of the alphabet are mailed to the sorters. Each letter sorter is then responsible for matching up the cards with envelopes and mailing when enough cards are accumulated to cover the amount of postage provided. They also notify any ham who has cards on file but no envelopes. Please check the Procedures and Dos & Don'ts links for details on proper procedures for using the W5 QSL Bureau.
