1. It will take at least 2 months from the time you mail this order for it to be processed, your check cashed, and for the supply credits to arrive with your sorter!
2. The bureau supplies envelopes, postage and addressing - PLEASE DO NOT SEND STAMPS, ENVELOPES OR MAILING LABELS - Thank You
3. Mail your completed order and your check made payable to: Zero QSL Bureau, to the address below:
WØ QSL Bureau
P.O. Box 907
Florissant, MO, 63032
NOTE: There will be a $10 service charge applied to returned checks!
1. Why does it take at least 2 months from the time I mail my order for my order to reach my sorter?
Everyone who works for the Bureau does it for no compensation with 100% volunteer time. Orders go to the Bureau Post Office box and are picked up several times a month. The Bureau Manager and assistants must record all the orders, deposit the checks, purchase envelopes and stamps, print mailing labels, allocate the supplies by individual client and deliver them to sorters for the 26 individual letters. Remember, we do not look at this as a “job” but a service we volunteer to do on your behalf. We also have regular jobs, personal lives and like to get on the air ourselves.
2. How many QSLs will an envelope hold?
The envelopes the Bureau purchases are 6 x 9 inches allowing most cards to be placed sideways in two stacks within the envelope. The envelope alone weighs 0.3 ounces and QSLs can vary significantly in weight.
An envelope with 1 ounce of postage ($0.55) will hold 5 - 7 cards
An envelope with 2 ounces of postage ($0.70) will hold 15 - 18 cards
An envelope with 3 ounces of postage ($0.85) will hold 22 - 26 cards
Note that US Postal regulations require that an envelope be no more than 1⁄4 inch thick.
3. How often should I expect to receive a mailing from my sorter?
If you have a regular flow of cards, that is, over 5 cards per quarter, you should receive a mailing 4 times a year: March, June, September and December. If your sorter does not receive at least 5 cards for you during the current quarter, he may elect to hold them until the next quarter to more efficiently use your supplies.
4. How long does it take for a card to reach me via the Bureau system?
Bureau cards are mailed from foreign bureaus on an irregular basis. Cards sent to you via the Bureau system may arrive at the WØ QSL Bureau in as little as 3 months and as long as several years after the QSO. These incoming cards arrive via bulk mail which itself is slower than first class. Cards from organized DXpeditions, high volume DX stations and countries with large amateur populations (DL, JA, etc.) tend to arrive in the shortest time. The bureau system is not fast, but it is the most cost-effective way to receive and send cards. Note that not all DX stations use the bureau system and not all countries have QSL bureaus. You should check the station’s qrz.com page for his preferred QSLing method(s).
5. How do I contact my sorter?
Your sorter’s callsign is on the bureau website. You can contact him/her via the e-mail address on qrz.com or contact the bureau manager directly at w0qslbureau@aol.com.
6. Bureau discretionary policies
Your sorter may reallocate your envelope or stamp credits as necessary to most efficiently forward your cards. For example, if you receive only a few cards per month, the sorter may convert your Priority Envelope postage on file to standard envelopes at the prevailing rate.
Supply credits in inactive accounts will be refunded only on request. These will otherwise be converted to general Bureau use.