QSL Cards Sending and Receiving Paper Gems

1
QSL CardsSending and Receiving Paper Gems
2
What is a QSL Card?

• QSL is telegraphers shorthand for
• I acknowledge receipt of your message or
  transmission.
• A QSL card is a written confirmation or
  acknowledgement of a contact.

3
Why Would We Want A QSL Card?

• Courtesy sending a QSL card is the final
  handshake of a contact.

4
Why Would We Want A QSL Card?

• Awards QSL cards serve as proof of a two-way
  contact needed for certain awards.

5
Why Would We Want A QSL Card?

• Tradition Exchanging QSL cards has been a long
  tradition in ham radio and it is FUN to get cards
  from other hams who you have contacted.

6
Information On a QSL Card

• Callsigns
• Location
• Time Date

• Frequency
• Mode (2-way)
• Signal Report

Be sure to include all of this basic
information because QSL cards are often used to
verify contacts for awards.
7
Essential Information

• Your Callsign should be printed or written on the
  report side of the card.
• If you were portable or mobile you would want to
  indicate that on the card.

8
Essential Information

• Include your geographic location street
  address, grid square, city, state and county
• ITU and CQ zones should also be included.

9
Additional Information

• Other information may include
• Membership in a club
• Organizations that you are affiliated with
• e-mail address
• Awards earned
• Previous callsigns held

10

• Because QSL cards are sent to people from a
  variety of cultures, you may want to refrain from
  putting certain things on your QSL card.
• Religious or political statements
• Risqué pictures or drawings
• Off-color remarks or humor
• Anything that could generally be considered
  offensive

11
Basic QSL Design

• Standard QSL size is
• 3 ½ inches high x 5 ½ inches wide

12
Basic QSL Design

• Vertical format is also acceptable when kept
  to the standard dimensions
• 3 ½ inches x 5 ½ inches

13
Filling Out The QSL Card
14

• Callsign of the other station that you worked.
• Write clearly. Avoid common confusion numeral
  one and lower case l (el) or capital I (eye),
  zero and the letter O.

W1AW
15

• Time and date.
• Use UTC for both and be sure to properly convert
  from local time and date, if that is how you keep
  your log.
• Spell out the month to avoid confusion.

W1AW
10 May 2006
1430
16

• Frequency approximate frequency in kHz or
  MHz is required.

W1AW
10 May 2006
1430
21.395
17

• Band in meters is an
• acceptable practice

W1AW
10 May 2006
1430
15m
18

• Band in MHz is also
• commonly written.

W1AW
10 May 2006
1430
21
19

• Mode Use accepted abbreviations but be
  specific. AM, SSB, CW, RTTY, PSK are acceptable.
• FCC emission designators are not easily
  understood so it is best to avoid their use.

W1AW
10 May 2006
1430
21.395
SSB
20

• Signal Report - Use the standard RST system.
  Phone modes only us RS.

W1AW
10 May 2006
1430
21.395
SSB
59-
21

• Notice that the card indicates that this was a
  two-way contact. This is very important
  information.

W1AW
10 May 2006
1430
21.395
SSB
59-
22

• If you make a mistake when filling out a QSL
  card, throw it away and start over.
• Crossed out or written over information will
  disqualify any card being submitted towards an
  award.

W1AW
10 May 2006
1430
21.395
SSB
59-
23
PSE QSL TNX

• Indicates that you are answering a QSL
• Thanks for QSL

• Indicates that you are requesting a QSL
• Please QSL

24
How To Send Your Cards

• QSL Bureau
• QSL Manager
• Direct mail

25
QSL BureauVIA BURO

• Advantages
• Least expensive
• Good return rate
• Can send to foreign QSL managers (not stateside
  managers)

26
QSL BureauVIA BURO

• Disadvantages
• Not time sensitive
• Not all DX uses the bureau

27
QSL BureauVIA BURO

• The QSL Bureau is for DX cards only. (Includes
  KL7 KH6)
• The QSL Bureau cannot forward IRCs, or
  green-stamps (cash)

28
QSL Managers(Stateside)

• Some DX operators have stateside QSL managers
• Not very expensive
• You Pay postage both ways (SASE)
• Excellent return rates
• Fairly good turn around time

29
QSL Managers(Overseas)

• Excellent return rates
• Can get expensive
• Faster return that QSL Buro
• You pay postage both ways
• IRC
• Foreign postage
• Green Stamps

30
QSL Direct

• 99 return rates
• Most expensive way to QSL
• You pay postage both ways
• IRC
• Foreign postage
• Green Stamps
• Use foreign postage on SASE for best return rate.

31
DX-pedition

• A DX-pedition is where a group of operators
  travel to a rare and often remote DX location and
  operate for a period of time so that DXers can
  put a new one in the log.

32
DX-pedition

• A DX-pedition will usually publish their QSL
  information on the internet or other DX bulletins
• ARRL members can get the W1AW DX bulletin free by
  e-mail. Log onto the members only section
  www.arrl.org

33
DX-peditions

• It is a good practice to support these
  expeditions with a donation to help defray the
  expense of the operation.
• Your support of even a few dollars helps continue
  the challenge of DXing and encourages adventurous
  operators to activate rare DX entities.

34
Special Event Stations

• Special Event stations are operating to
  commemorate a significant day such as a
  celebration or an historical.
• Generally these operations will offer a
  certificate or special QSL card designed just for
  this event.

35
Special Event Stations

• The operator will usually provide QSL information
  or a reference to the information such as QST or
  the internet.
• Its a good idea to send a large 9 x 12 SASE so
  that your certificate does not get folded.

36
Tips and Tricks

• Do
• Do write legibly or use QSL labels
• Do use professionally printed cards
• Do send SASE or IRC

37
Tips and Tricks

• Dont
• Dont write callsigns on envelopes
• an invitation for theft by dishonest postal
  employees
• Dont send cash
• Same as above.
• In some countries it may be illegal for citizens
  to possess foreign currency.

38
Electronic QSL
39
Electronic QSL

• Advantages
• Fast upload
• Secure
• Apply for awards on line
• LoTW upload feature is built in on some logging
  programs.

40
Electronic QSL

• Disadvantages
• Only matches QSO with other LoTW users
• No QSL card to display

41
Receiving QSL CardsIncoming QSL Bureau

• Keep several 6x9 SASE on file with the
  incoming bureau for your call area.
• Your call in upper left of envelope.
• At least one unit of fist class postage for each
  envelope.
• Send extra postage if postal rates increase.

42
Displaying QSL Cards

• Albums
• Show by band, mode, award, etc.
• Easy to carry to meetings or conventions
• Wall Hangers
• Easy to hang and change cards
• minimal attachment to walls
• Display Boards
• Great for presentations or shows
• Use of photo corners prevent tape damage to cards
• Frame
• Display special cards or events

43

• Display Boards are great for presentations or
  shows

44
QSL Resources

• Outgoing QSL Bureau
• http//www.arrl.org/qsl/qslout.html
• Incoming QSL Bureau
• http//www.arrl.org/qsl/qslin.html
• Logbook Of The World
• http//www.arrl.org/lotw/

45
QSL Cards

• Working them is easyGetting the card is the
  real challenge.