Because I tend to encounter the same questions and problems, I've put a brief list of my trading policies up on my website. For the most part the policies are my "default rules" and are open to negotiation, and I've tried to make that plain. The only exceptions are that I won't trade for commercial videos and I can't trade for costs (sorry).

To summarize the most important points- please let me know your preferences regarding tape speed, commercials, and tape brand. Also, I use new, high-quality name-brand tapes (generally, Maxell Standard for T-180 tapes and Sony Premium for T-160 and T-120 tapes, although I'm happy to accomodate reasonable requests for specific brands). I expect my trading partners to use new, good-quality name-brand (doesn't matter which brand, though) tapes in return. If this is a problem, please let me know upfront. I'm sorry to be so emphatic about the new-tape issue, but used tapes are a lot more likely to have quality problems. And speaking of tape quality...I check all tapes before I send them, and I expect my trading partners to do the same. If there's a quality problem, I'm generally flexible about working things out, but it's much easier to avoid the issue in the first place.

• Special note regarding quality: I've had a lot of problems with tapes arriving with tracking problems (and I have four different VCRs of different brands- so it's not just a VCR compatibility issue). I've noticed a lot of other traders have the same complaint. These problems are especially irritating because they are almost always avoidable- make sure that you understand your equipment and that you carefully check your tapes. If the problem is with your original, disclose that in advance.

• Trading Only:

My tapes are for trading only, not for sale. Also, I won't trade for commercial videos. See below for suggestions of where else to look if you don't have anything to trade with me. You can also e-mail me and ask, although you may want to check out the Trading Etiquette suggestions below before doing so.
• Looking for something?

If I don't have what you're looking for, or you don't have something to trade (or don't have something I'm interested in), I suggest trying the figure skating tape trading page or one of the figure skating tape trading groups on Yahoo!. Also, as noted above, feel free to e-mail me. I'm generally happy to help if I know someone who has what you're looking for, and there are people who will trade for the cost of a blank tape and shipping. Additionally, there are a few figure skating videos available for sale. Amazon.com is one good place to start, and there are other, skating-centered sites that can direct you to commercial videos as well, in particular the Golden Skate website.
• Commercials:

I don't mind commercials in the broadcasts I receive in trade. My general policy is not to edit commercials from my tapes unless I'm asked, although some of my tapes are pre-edited. I am generally happy to edit any that need editing upon request, provided that the person asking is willing to do the same for me. Please just let me know your preference when you e-mail me. If I'm very busy and/or really not interested in watching the broadcast I'd need to edit, I may not be willing to edit commercials unless you're offering something I really want- but if that's the case, I'll let you know once you've expressed your preference. It's usually not a problem, though, especially for small trades.
• Compilations and other extensive editing projects:

I have some compilation tapes listed already. I may be willing to make a tape of a particular skater or particular skaters, but it really depends on how much I want what you have to trade, whether I'm asking (or have asked in a previous trade) that you do the same for me, how much spare time I have, how much I like the skater(s) in question, etc. I'm generally more willing to undertake a project like that for someone with whom I already have a trading relationship. Still, feel free to e-mail me and ask, although don't be surprised if I say no. And of course, if I know someone who has what you're looking for, I can point you in that person's direction.
Depending on the same factors mentioned above, I may also be willing to add a few individual programs to a tape as part of a trade for entire broadcasts.
• Video Cassettes:
• All my tapes are NTSC format. I can have tapes converted from PAL, but that costs money and so I'm only willing to trade for PAL tapes if it's something I really really want. I can't convert tapes into PAL. Try the figure skating tape trading page or the Yahoo! Groups for some links to PAL traders.
• I generally record at the highest speed that doesn't cause a quality problem. Some of my tapes, especially the older ones, need to be recorded in SP to avoid a noticeable quality degradation. Others are fine in SLP (aka EP). I am willing to record at either SP or SLP if requested- just let me know your preference. (I can record in LP, but I find my VCR doesn't produce the best results at that speed, so I recommend either SLP or SP).
• I use new, brand-name high-quality tapes, and I expect the same from people who trade with me. If you have a particular brand preference, I'm generally willing to accomodate that and would just ask that you use the same brand for me. If the brand you want isn't reasonably available to me, I'll let you know and we can work something out.
• Keeping in Touch:

I try to be conscientious about keeping in touch with people I'm trading with, and I'm always happy to respond to a request for an update. I really appreciate it if the person I'm trading with also keeps in touch and is honest about expected completion and mailing dates, unexpected delays (I don't need to know reasons, of course, since that's not my business :) I just like to know if something will be later than expected so I don't have to watch the mail for it) and so forth.
• Time Frame:

If you have a particular date by which you need/want the tape, please let me know. I'll do my best to accomodate that, or let you know upfront that I can't do so. I can't recall a time when I needed something by a particular date. I try to complete trades promptly (or to issue a warning upfront if it might take me more than a week or so), but I'm happy to hang onto tapes until the person with whom I'm trading is ready to mail mine. As noted above, however, it's easier if that person keeps in touch.
• Postage Class:

I generally mail things first-class (which means that a package with two tapes or more usually goes priority mail). If you'd prefer to use media mail, that's fine. Just please tell me and I'll send yours the same way. If you need something faster than first class/priority mail, let me know that as well, although I may not be willing to go to the expense of Express Mail or FedEx, etc. unless I've traded with you before.
• Tape quality
• Quality evaluation:
• My video collection comes from a variety of sources, and some of the items are better quality than others. I've tried to mark the items which have noticeable quality flaws, but I haven't watched some of the items in a long time...and whether I think a quality problem worth noting may depend on factors such as whether the broadcast I watched before it was much better or much worse, and so forth. Please ask if you have particular concerns about quality- I won't be offended!
• My concerns over the quality of items I receive in trade do vary depending on how much I want the item, whether I already have a copy and am looking to upgrade, and so forth. Please don't be offended if I inquire about the quality of your tapes- it doesn't mean I think you are trying to get away with trading unwatchable videos; it simply means that there is a wide range between "acceptable" and "excellent" and I need to know where your tapes fall.
• Quality problems:
• I try to be honest when assessing my videos, but it's a very subjective process, and standards differ. I also monitor my tapes while they record and check each tape before mailing. However, if there is a quality problem (whether because of shipping damage, a problem I didn't catch when checking on it, or because I was mistaken as to whether my video met your quality standards), please let me know and I'll replace the tape or reimburse your costs for video and postage, whichever you prefer. I may ask that you return my original to me, particularly if I know that part of the tape checked out fine before I mailed it, so that I can figure out what might be causing the problem.
• If there's a problem with your tapes, I will let you know. Depending on the cause of the problem, I may ask that you replace the tape with another copy of the same thing or something else. If I do, I am happy to return your original to you when I receive the new tape, or beforehand if you need it to figure out what is wrong.
• Special note regarding quality: I've had a lot of problems with tapes arriving with tracking problems (and I have four different VCRs of different brands- so it's not just a VCR compatibility issue). I've noticed a lot of other traders have the same complaint. These problems are especially irritating because they are almost always avoidable- make sure that you understand your equipment and that you carefully check your tapes. If the problem is with your original, disclose that in advance.

• The figure skating tape trading page has some excellent suggestions for new traders on how to set up and follow through on trades. Also, in light of some of the e-mails I've been getting lately, I unfortunately find that I need to say expressly that I'm a lot more likely to be helpful if I receive a polite e-mail with reasonable grammar and spelling and proper capitalization, and you're likely to find that's usually true. (E-mails with all lower-case, all-caps, and/or poor punctuation are much harder to read, and the use of all capital letters is considered shouting). Please remember that tape traders do this as a hobby, as a way to "meet" other skating fans via e-mail and to see new or unseen-for-a-long time skating performances. You will get much better results if you're polite and clear about your request. That's especially true if you approach someone to do you the favor of trading for the cost of a blank tape and shipping- that person is not being reimbursed for his/her time.
• To summarize some of the other key tape trading suggestions: keep in touch during a trade, be honest about tape quality (as much as possible- it's admittedly a subjective determination) and trade timing and check your tapes before mailing them.
• As to how to check a tape- always watch a few minutes of each broadcast to make sure the original is playing smoothly, and check on it periodically. Once the recording is made, rewind back through, stopping two or three times each hour and watching a few minutes of the tape to make sure the sound and picture are steady and the tracking is in order. Make sure you take a good look at each separate event you've taped. It's also often helpful to put the tape in a different VCR and make sure it still plays all right- some VCRs, especially older ones, produce recordings which don't play well on another machine. Pay special attention to tracking issues- tracking problems are the most common cause of quality complaints, in my experience.
• If you are editing a broadcast, try to edit smoothly. There is generally a fade-to-black pause before and after commercials which will help you keep from cutting off the beginnings and endings of the segments of the actual event. Also, if you are taping with trades in mind, it is not a good idea to edit while watching a broadcast air- make a copy in SP and edit the commercials out from that if you want a commercial-free recording. Otherwise you are almost guaranteed to have choppy editing.