DX Mailbag

[Sinifar]

Well the mail boat finally got in. AS you know I needed a new typewriter, and everyone is wondering why in the world do you need a TYPEWRITER in this day of computers, word processors, E-mail, Instagram, Texting --- well the secret is this -- if you are into radio, specifically short wave radio, and you are known as a DXer, then you write reception reports to the stations you hear. So what happens next?

Well this isn't AM / FM where you just sit and listen to whatever they put out, in SW you can write to the station and get some programming changes. It doesn't happen fast but it does. besides there is another side to all of this. I don't know if I posted out my collection of loot from the golden age of SW during the cold war, but here is the start of the new collection of swag.



This is the reception report QSL from the Voice of Vietnam. I got this about two weeks ago and more are coming in every day. I have at least 8 out that I should get something back ... and yesterday i got another one in ... --->



This is from Anatolia, and what is that? The Voice of Turkey! The QSL is always on top of the thing, below that is the square 3-D hologram of the Sultan's palace, the thing with the roses is one of two calendar cards I got and the book mark with the tassel is now in my copy of WRTH.

There is more to life than locks -- and this is just one of my hobbies - Radio - will post out more as time goes on if you are interested, and all that.

KC9KGP
Sinifar

PS - IF you don't send it via AIR MAIL, you do not get the goodies. They won't send anything to an E-mail, text or other electronic reporting media. ONLY if you actually put the thing on paper, put it in an AIRMAIL envelope and put $1.15 on it - will you get anything back...

SSSSS

[cledry]

OK, I used to be a DXer, but what does this have to do with a typewriter?

[billdeserthills]

OK I wasn't gonna tell you this, but you really can buy a brand new manual typewriter
Thing is you'll have a stroke when you find out much they cost

And what Cledry said, how is your post related to typewriters??

[Sinifar]

The post relates to typewriters BECAUSE -- in order to write a reception report on paper, and send it to the station via air mail, you need a typewriter to write the thing in the first place. MY handwriting looks like a doctors. even on a good day you would need to know me to know what I put down. It is a form of Gregg Shorthand -- anyway -- as I said in another post, you can send in reports via electronic methods, but stations only send back stuff like this IF and ONLY IF you wrote to them on paper and mailed it in. That is why it relates to typing.

My old Olivetti Lettra 35 died a horrible death when the thing shot the carriage off the rails. Something deep inside let go at the worst moment and nobody wants to repair it. IN fact ACE Typewriter repair said it would be cheaper to just buy a new one rather then try to fix this old machine. SO I DID.

Now I have several I bought cheap like I posted earlier, so i have a choice of not only type style but ribbon color to shoot one off with. Last note went out on the Safari II unit. Others have gone out on the Ghia, Classic, and Script units. just a change.

A note - when you send out these things, try to get it to stand out int he mail bag at the foreign country in anyway you can -- that way it gets read someplace early and not later. IF at all.

Been at this since the late 70's like 79 thru the Golden Age of SW radio right thru the Cold War. SO ask me about getting responses and other goodies from the Soviets - Red Chinese, Czechoslovakia - or Hungry. For an avid DXer, one tries to get more than just the QSL card. The other stuff is the goodie part. A QSL for anywhere can be had if I fire up the Icom and work CQDX.

Sinifar

PS> I know what a new 'good" typewriter costs, which is why I bought them off E-Bay, never paid over $50.00 for one. i can clean and oil it here - not to mention stuff in a new ribbon ...

SSSSS

[Squelchtone]

The post relates to typewriters BECAUSE -- in order to write a reception report on paper, and send it to the station via air mail, you need a typewriter to write the thing in the first place. MY handwriting looks like a doctors. even on a good day you would need to know me to know what I put down. It is a form of Gregg Shorthand -- anyway -- as I said in another post, you can send in reports via electronic methods, but stations only send back stuff like this IF and ONLY IF you wrote to them on paper and mailed it in. That is why it relates to typing.

wait a minute, couldn't you just buy an inkjet or laser printer for your computer and type the report on the computer and then print it out, instead of manually clickity clackin it on a typewriter?

Squelchtone

[Silverado]

Perhaps it's a collective appreciation and keeping the spirit of the process alive?
I think it's kind of neat.

Much like primitive survival techniques there are technological advancements that do a lot of stuff for you; but the thrill of starting a fire with a handmade bowdrill, for example, is not quite the same as the feeling of starting a fire with a lighter.

[Sinifar]

wait a minute, couldn't you just buy an inkjet or laser printer for your computer and type the report on the computer and then print it out, instead of manually clickity clackin it on a typewriter?

Squelchtone

I'd love to if the stupid thing would print on an Aerogram. Which is the problem. An Aerogram is a piece of paper, about 12.5 long x 6.75 wide, you write on it both sides, well sort of, then it folds up into it's own envelope. Really neat! Address, put a stamp on it (Global Forever -- The moon currently) $1.15 and toss it in the mail.

Sinifar

[cledry]

wait a minute, couldn't you just buy an inkjet or laser printer for your computer and type the report on the computer and then print it out, instead of manually clickity clackin it on a typewriter?

Squelchtone

I'd love to if the stupid thing would print on an Aerogram. Which is the problem. An Aerogram is a piece of paper, about 12.5 long x 6.75 wide, you write on it both sides, well sort of, then it folds up into it's own envelope. Really neat! Address, put a stamp on it (Global Forever -- The moon currently) $1.15 and toss it in the mail.

Sinifar

You need a dot matrix printer then. LOL

[GWiens2001]

You need a dot matrix printer then. LOL

Thanks, now I have the too-clear sound of a room full of dot-matrix printers running through my head.



Gordon

[jeffmoss26]

We still have one hooked up to our PC that runs Locksoft MK2

[smokingman]

Nice haul Sinifar,I DX myself and used to have a QSL card collection until it was "accidentally" burned by my ex wife.
I still listen to those late night catches though,SW or AM.