AI4FR                                                                                                   AI4FR                                                                                                 AI4FR

The ARRL bureau is a monster of a resource that is available to all league members for sending QSL cards to DX countries. This service is not to be used for sending QSL cards to the 48 contiguous states. One thing to keep in mind is that there are many folks at the ARRL and elsewhere that volunteer their time to make this service available. All of us whom use this service owe each of them a huge debt of gratitude.

Back at the end of 2005 I decided to start keeping a record of both the cards I sent out and the ones that came in.

Below are my results....  

SENT

11 03 2005  = 300

01 10 2006  = 275

02 27 2006  = 375

04 03 2006  = 240

05 15 2006  = 150

06 19 2006  = 150

07 24 2006  = 125

09 18 2006  = 150

10 23 2006  = 170

01 17 2007  = 142

03 10 2007  = 150

06 12 2007  = 174

09 24 2007  = 150

11 30 2007  = 260

04 15 2008  = 375

08 20 2008  = 140

10 24 2008 =  180

12 08 2008 =  92

TOTAL  =  3598

AVERAGE = 95

RECEIVED

07 25 2006 = 13

08 07 2006 = 138

08 25 2006 = 32

09 05 2006 = 24

10 02 2006 = 32

11 04 2006 = 40

12 15 2006 = 22

01 16 2007 = 101

02 07 2007 = 41

03 15 2007 = 63

06 08 2007 = 51

07 27 2007 = 107

02 08 2008 = 142

02 09 2008 = 102

03 25 2008 = 30

11 10 2008  = 173

TOTAL  =  1111

AVERAGE = 38

These numbers show that on average, I have sent out about 95 cards each month for the last 38 months to the bureau. I have received about 38 cards a month for the last 29 months ending on Nov. 10, 2008. If I was to use the same amount of months(38) as that of the sent cards, then my average of received cards would drop to about 29 cards a month.