This ham satisfied his curiosity about the ARRL Incoming QSL bureau by volunteering to be a card sorter. He went on to create a database--on the Web--that allows hams to see what cards have arrived and the status of their bureau account.

W5UE at work on the Y-suffix cards.

When the Magnolia DX Association assumed management of the ARRL W5 Incoming QSL Bureau in May of 1998, we had one objective--to provide the best service possible to DXers in the fifth call district. The W5 Bureau assigns each letter sorter one letter of the alphabet. W5UE would be assigned to the U sorter, for instance. This person is responsible for mailing cards if there are SASEs on file. If not, the sorter will send a notice to the ham as a reminder to remit additional postage.

The volunteer letter-sorters in Texas, who had been providing this service for many years had been doing an outstanding job and we saw no reason to make changes in that area. Instead, we chose only to replace incumbents when they wished to give up their duties. I was one of the first to take a letter (the Ys) when the previous sorter stepped down. My first objective was to understand exactly what was expected and how I would go about doing it. My predecessor's meticulous records amazed me. This was my first indication of how much work a sorter does. Everything he turned over to me was up to date. I realized that this was pretty much the norm for all sorters and it got me thinking.

Before taking on this job, I often wondered exactly what went on at the incoming bureaus. It was pretty much a mystery to me. I could never understand why I wasn't getting dozens of rare DX cards every month. I was sure that they were probably sitting in a shoebox somewhere waiting to be sent. I wondered: How many cards did the bureau have for me at any time? How many envelopes did I have on file, and who exactly was handling my cards? I also realized that sending these questions to the bureau manager every month probably wouldn't win me any friends there.

Bureau manager Floyd Gerald, N5FG (left), shows A-suffix sorter Jess Ferguson, N4HPL, a box of cards from the Czech Republic (OK) DX Bureau.

After becoming involved with bureau operations it became apparent that most letter sorters had Internet access and e-mail addresses and most kept some kind of a database. I thought that someone should post letter-sorters' e-mail addresses on the Web so users could contact them directly. In addition, if the sorters were to post their databases to the Web every month, users could check the status of their account for themselves. This would cut down significantly on inquiries to the sorter and/or the bureau manager. I found that some bureaus (W2 and W4) did post the e-mail addresses of individual letter sorters. However, I could not find any that allowed a user to check his/her status online.

With the blessing of bureau manager Floyd Gerald, N5FG, I set off to create a Web page. I planned to ask the sorters to allow me to post their e-mail addresses. Their approval would be voluntary. I also asked if anyone had electronic databases showing the number of envelopes and cards on file for each of their users. I would post that information, too. Almost all sorters who had e-mail capability agreed to let me post their address on the Web. The idea of putting a database on the Web took a little getting use to however. Most said they thought it was a good idea but were afraid it would create more work for them. There were almost as many different types of databases as there were sorters--creating uncertainty on their, and my, part as to how exactly we would translate them to the Web.

The W5 Incoming Bureau headquarters bins for each letter suffix.

Within a month I had created databases for four of the letter-suffixes and posted them on the Web. Response from DXers was overwhelming. They loved the ability to view their status online at any time. Inquiries and complaints to the bureau manager also decreased noticeably. The idea was a success.

As new sorters replaced the old, we were able to add more letter databases. All letter sorters now have their e-mail addresses on the Web and we have 22 online databases. The W5 Bureau Web page is a huge success, averaging more than 80 hits per day and almost 60,000 since its inception three years ago. Any five-land DXer can know the status of his/her QSL account at any time. I have also worked with two or three other incoming bureaus to get their databases on-line.

I believe that the W5 Bureau may be the first in the world to enable the DXer to search his/her own records on the Web. Any bureau manager wishing to learn more about the setup and administration of Web databases can contact me at w5ue@mdxa.org or the W5 Bureau Web.

ARRL member Randy Becnel, W5UE, lives in Kiln, Mississippi and works as a network engineer at the John C. Stennis Space Center, Mississippi. He was first licensed in 1972 as WN5JBW/WB5JBW. Randy also holds call sign C6ARB. In addition to his QSL Bureau duties, Randy serves as QSL manager for his club's IOTA operations from Dauphin Island, Alabama (W4D). Randy enjoys DXing and is a regular contest CW operator at the Magnolia DX Association's club station--K5MDX. He is also an AMSAT Technical Mentor for the ARISS program. Randy can be reached at w5ue@ARRL.net.

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