eqsl confirmations/ ARRL question

[KD8IWZ]

I'm sure there is a very simple answer to this, but for the life of me I can't figure it out by myself. Any ham can sit at his pc and easily make and print a homemade (and very professional) qsl, which the ARRL will accept.  Yet they will not accept an Eqsl confirmation. If I were to print a Eqsl card, cut it out with my papercutter, what is the difference between that 1 and a homemade pc generated qsl? Both would look identical. What am I missing here? Thanks much for pointing me to the simple answer. I'm not trying to 'beat the system' or break any rules, I'm just confused!

73 Dale

[N4NYY]

It's called the honor system. If you can live with yourself trying to fool them, then go ahead. I do it the legit way. I use LoTW and QSLs. If I do not earn it, then I do not want it.

[K3VAT]

I'm sure there is a very simple answer to this, but for the life of me I can't figure it out by myself. Any ham can sit at his pc and easily make and print a homemade (and very professional) qsl, which the ARRL will accept.  ... 73 Dale

Sorry Dale that just isn't so, and especially for DXCC.  Try submitting a card from the recent HK0NA, 706T, T30PY, ZK2C or dozens more that doesn't have their SPECIFIC label or doesn't have their SPECIFIC stamp and see what happens.  DXPeditions safeguard the integrity of their data by using very personalized cards that are not easy to duplicate (don't forget the custom stamp and label that each uses).  QSL checkers (field level and especially at the ARRL) even are familiar with hundreds of active DX station QSL cards, what they look like, how the signature is made, etc.  Try printing out a full color card with specific photos or logos like 5T5JL or DP1POL card and submit it and see what happens.  Card [Field] checkers like N4MM (and many others) have been checking cards for multiple decades and know all the tricks.  Why would anyone want to circumvent the system by taking such a chance?

You may get by on forging (which is what this is) a card from USA for a 160M QSO or Spain for a 40M CW QSO or from Japan for a 20M SSB contact - but it is easier to just work them!  

Much of my satisfaction comes from receiving that QSL card knowing that I indeed worked it and it is confirmed.  After all, who are you competing with if not yourself?

73, Rich, K3VAT

[KD8IWZ]

Rich, thanks for your reply, please don't think I'm trying to get away with anything, my only experience with the card checkers has been WAS. My satisfaction is just casual operating, making a FB qso with another ham, confirmed or not, I'm not chasing any awards. I had just been reading a few topics here by others asking about making their own qsl cards, and saw many folks suggested using various programs on their computer. I was just looking at the logic behind 'homemade' cards, you pointed out what I hadn't thought thru completely.

73  Dale

[K2CMH]

I just had to laugh at the responses, the last sentence of the original post says:

"I'm not trying to 'beat the system' or break any rules, I'm just confused!"

The very first response: "It's called the honor system. If you can live with yourself trying to fool them, then go ahead. I do it the legit way"

Then the second response: "You may get by on forging (which is what this is)...but it is easier to just work them!"

The OP made a point of saying that he was just inquiring and had no intention of trying to beat the system...yet, the assumptions seem to be that he is...

Does no one read the entire post anymore before hitting the Reply button?

Sorry, but I just had to comment, I'm sure I will get some flames for this..lol

[KJ6AMF]

If you are using the same printer and same card stock for all, the card checker is going to know. If you are going to try to beat the system by using a variety of printing sources, card stocks, graphic designs, etc. to make them all unique and realistic.... well you just plunked down a huge chunk of your time and money that probably would be better spent on actual equipment and operating time.

That is, the barrier to successfully cheating with paper qsl's is pretty high.

Cheating eQSL, however, isn't hard if you know anything about computer scripting. In fact, even without trying to cheat the system I get QSL's (that I don't confirm) from DX stations I've never worked.

[K3VAT]

I just had to laugh at the responses, ... the second response: "You may get by on forging (which is what this is)...but it is easier to just work them!"

The OP made a point of saying that he was just inquiring and had no intention of trying to beat the system...yet, the assumptions seem to be that he is...

Does no one read the entire post anymore before hitting the Reply button?  Sorry, but I just had to comment, I'm sure I will get some flames for this..lol

Guess you have heard of the plural pronoun 'you'.  See this link:
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/YOU?s=t definition 2. 

73, Rich, K3VAT

[N4CR]

I'm sure there is a very simple answer to this, but for the life of me I can't figure it out by myself. Any ham can sit at his pc and easily make and print a homemade (and very professional) qsl, which the ARRL will accept.  Yet they will not accept an Eqsl confirmation. If I were to print a Eqsl card, cut it out with my papercutter, what is the difference between that 1 and a homemade pc generated qsl? Both would look identical. What am I missing here? Thanks much for pointing me to the simple answer. I'm not trying to 'beat the system' or break any rules, I'm just confused!

73 Dale

Are you talking about printing your own card or printing one from a QSO?

[M6GOM]

Are you talking about printing your own card or printing one from a QSO?

With eQSL you can either print the QSL card of the other station yourself or pay eQSL to print it for you and post it to you.

The point being made that although this is a valid QSO, because you can print the card yourself then apparently the ARRL LoTW programme don't accept it. Quite a strange state of affairs considering that eQSL has been on the go 5 years longer than LoTW and is used by four times more people.