2010 PO Box Update – Please Read through this page carefully.

Tango Mike group is making some changes in the way that the PO Box service operates that will benefit many more members and hopefully encourage people to give the PO Box service a try for their DX activities. We suggest that you read through the following notes to understand how the changes can benefit you as a new or existing member.

Lifetime memberships are now available to the TM PO Box Service!

For a reasonable one-off fee you can now join the PO Box Service and this is all you need to pay. No annual fee, no redirection credits (subject to a fair use policy).  For existing members past and present, an automatic upgrade to lifetime membership too Read on to find out more.

The group PO Box details as are follows:

PO BOX 170, BRIDLINGTON, YO16 7WR, UNITED KINGDOM

How does the group PO Box Work and what’s a redirection service?

Setting up a PO Box is not cheap. There is an annual cost payable to the post office and then the cost of someone emptying the mail once per week, sorting the cards and then posting them on to you at your chosen address. We have worked out a cost that is sustainable to the group and helps work to everyones’ advantage.

How much does it cost?

There is a one off joining fee of £7. This covers the cost of running the PO Box and redirecting the mail to a UK address of your choice.  This fee lasts for the lifetime of the PO Box service and you won’t be asked to pay anything further unless you receive a large amount of QSL cards per year, in which case the fair use policy comes into force and you’ll be asked to make a small contribution towards the cost of forwarding your mail.

How does it work?

TM member gives out the TM PO Box address over the air when DX’ing instead of their own address (using  your personal address is NEVER recommended for security reasons) so they can exchange QSL cards with distance station. When the QSL card arrives at the PO Box (usually checked once per week) it is then checked to ensure that the recipient is a member of the PO Box service. Next the cards are repackaged into a new envelope and sent onto the address we have on file for you. Remember that it is important that we have the correct address on file for you so the cards reach you successfully. We use the address you supply when you complete the online  shopping cart unless told otherwise. It is also helpful for us to have a working contact email address so please ensure you fill these details in when completing the form.

Cards are usually sent out weekly after checking the PO Box. Of course if you get two cards in a week then they can go inside the same redirected envelope this can save the group some money. All redirections will be sent using UK second class mail. This normally takes 2-3 days to arrive at your address. We cannot be held responsible for any cards that do not reach your address due to Royal Mail but we try our best to ensure that all cards arrive well packaged and in good order. We also make a note when we send a package out to you although at this current time it is not possible to send an email notification each time an item arrives for you. This is something we are working on for the future.

Fair Use Policy – What is it?

Now that the Tango Mike PO Box is a lifetime membership service we won’t ask you for any more money, no annual fees or redirection credits. However if you receive a lot of QSL cards this will cost the group more money to redirect. The average TM member received 6 cards per year based on previous usage statistics but we realise the some people are more active DX’ers than others. We consider fair use to be 15 cards or less per year. If you exceed 15 cards per year we will contact you to ask for a further payment of £5 to help cover the postage costs. If you receive such a notification you will need to visit the TM store/online shop and purchase £5 redirection credits. Most people will never receive such a notice but we reserve the right to discontinue your PO Box service should you ignore the notification and continue to exceed the usage figures quoted above. We believe that this policy creates a fair and sustainable service for all Tango Mike members.

How can I pay my subs?

We’ve decided to use Paypal as our payment processor. This is because most people have a Paypal account readily available. Even if you don’t have a Paypal account you can still pay the charges using a credit or debit card through our simple payment link (click here).

I can’t use Paypal/I don’t like Paypal

No problem, we can accept a postal order or Cash via registered mail. We are sorry that we can no longer accept any form of cheques as these take too long to clear and cause problems in accounting for the money in the group. In the event of cash payment we accept no responsibility for loss of payment in the postal service. If you would like to know more about alternative payments please use the contact form on this site or message  Simon 26TM001 over on the Transmission1 forums.

What if you make a profit from running the PO Box if many members join? Surely the price will come down?

No, the price will stay the same as any additional profit made from the PO Box Service will be put back into the group and will go towards offering prizes in competitions, development of QSL cards, running costs of the server or anything else deemed to be worthy of the surplus money. That doesn’t include beer money for the site owners etc! At the present time there is no surplus but we are hoping to offer prizes for DX competitions etc. The other point is that Paypal make a small charge for receiving your payments therefore we absorb this cost inside the fees.

If I cancel my TM membership will I be able to claim a refund on the PO Box Fees.

No refunds or partial refunds will be issued should you decide to leave the TM group because this is a lifetime service. This is also due to the fact that most of the costs involved in running a PO Box are paid annually in advance so the money has already been allocated to the running of the service.

How do these changes affect existing members with an annual subscription, past or present?

If you are, or were an existing subscriber to the Tango Mike PO Box we have some good news for you too. You won’t be asked for any further payments. You account has been automatically converted to a lifetime membership so you are free to keep on using the PO Box service forever! This is our way of saying thank you for being one of the founder members. Even if your subscription has lapsed and you didn’t renew your annual fees you are welcome to start using the service again. It might be a good idea to check that we still have the right address details for you if you haven’t used the service for a while and don’t forget to update your email address should this have changed.

I still have questions!

No problem, please ask them by using the contact form on this site or PM a moderator or Admin over the Transmission1 Forums.

Thank you for your time.