W5 Incoming QSL Bureau
Postage Rates went to 42 cents for an envelope on May 12, 2008. We will be placing the Forever stamp on envelopes being put together here until we run out of the ones on hand. 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 actually being reduced to 17 cents from 24 cents BUT we expect even closer "scrutiny" of weights, envelope sizes etc. will be forthcoming. Data tables contain the latest updates from sorters as noted below. The latest mailing from Claremore, Oklahoma to our sorters occurred May 12, 2008. The next one has been scheduled for July 14, 2008.
June 20 -May updates have been posted for the A, B, C, D, F, K, L, M, N, O, R, W, Y and Z suffixes.
May 8 -March updates have been posted for the A, B, C, D, F, H, K, N, O, P, R, S, T, W, X, Y and Z suffixes.
March 14 -January updates have been posted for the A, B, C, D, F, I, K, M, N, O, R, S, T, U, V, W, Y and Z suffixes.
December 23 -November updates have been posted for the A, B, C, D, E, F, K, L, N, O, P, 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 1, 2008
W5 QSL Bureau
P.O. Box 2591
Claremore, OK 74018-2591
Manager: Jerry Chouinard, K5YAA
Your Sorter: Sorter Page
Webmaster: k5yaa@okdxa.org
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.
