Following on from the Bureau Returned post below, the following is copied from Tim’s (M0URX) website just to show how much the costs are for sending out the QSL cards for the 2023 to 2024 year.
As the 2023 – 2024 financial tax year comes to an end, it is time to take a look at how our mailing facility has worked over the last year. Overall 28,936 items of mail were posted at a cost of £26,359.90. We post QSL Direct cards, bureau parcels and magazines using the various products as shown in the table below. With 13,751 more items posted this year, with Solar Cycle 25 this last 12 months providing much increased propagation on HF.
DX’pedition QSL costs are very competitive as always and we welcome talking to DX teams about mailing your QSL cards in the future.
The past 12 months though have been financially very challenging, postage costs up 10%, pulp paper costs up 15% and Customs charges across the board on QSL bulk shipments in and out through customs have hit us very heavily. We have tried to keep our QSL charges down to the lowest we can.
Standard postal rates have increased significantly in most countries worldwide due to the dwindling number of letters posted globally as people use electronic technology which has largely replaced the postal system in recent years. This means that the postal costs are spread over much lower volumes both nationally and worldwide and THIS is the driver of increased postal costs. In our hobby we still use the mail system to ship our QSL cards and therefore we must expect that increase to hit us. As an example, Royal Mail letter volumes in the last 12 years have dropped from 14.3 bn down to 7.3 bn per year.
While most people use OQRS (Thank you) we still get a number of incoming direct letters. The problem being is that most of the incoming letters do not include the correct QSL costs, because most fail to read either my QSL policy or the DXpedition QSL policy. This increases our costs further and also costs us time as we have to email to let people know that they failed to QSL correctly. My advice is use OQRS ONLY!
More customs charges on Bureau shipments outgoing continue, many Bureaus refuse to accept the shipments and we will not guarantee any cards requested using the IARU Bureau system. Customs demand a recipient name on these shipments but the IARU refuse to provide this for GDPR reasons. Well, this will inevitably close the Bureau system as we know it going forward. Someone has to take responsibility for this if the Bureau cards are to be securely sent and received by the IARU Bureaus. It is now completely out of our hands. If you want a QSL card use the direct option on OQRS is the only advice i can give.
Enjoy your DX! We as a team promise to provide you with a QSL service that works for both the DX’er and the DXpedition Team.
While out in Ireland at the 
”I want to share some updated information about 3Y0K Bouvet
Seeing as it has been a number of years since I last had a QSL card designed, I thought it was about time I got a new one for myself. My friend Marcel, PD3MR, designed the front and I used some of my own photos on the back – sending them to Charles, M0OXO, for his QSL printer to design the rear. I am hoping to have them soon so look out for them in the mail if you request one.
Unfortunately we have been unable to get the latest Bureau parcel to Spain URE. Spanish customs have returned the parcel as “Missing Customs Declaration” despite the declaration being right next to the return label. Bureau system is in crisis!
Total amount of QSL cards dispatched: 19,584
on 30M to 6M, and it seems to be working well.
The amateur radio community is mourning a true gentlemen, DXer, and DXpedition Organiser today. Last night (10/02/2024) the news came out that Bob Alphin, K4UEE, had become a silent key. Many tributes have been paid to him on social media and DX sites. Myself I can only echo the sentiments made by others. I first met Bob at one of the HF Conventions at Wyboston Lakes, he had returned earlier in the year from 3Y0X, Peter 1st Island, in the Antarctic region and gave a presentation of this expedition. We then shared a couple of beers and chatted in the bar later that evening. As I say a true gent as he regaled stories with myself and Tim, M0URX, two people who he had only just met face to face.
IOTA (Islands On The Air) – 60th Anniversary