Subj : QSLing
To   : All
From : Daryl Stout
Date : Sat May 28 2016 08:13 pm

Years ago, ham radio operators acknowledged contact with another station with a
QSL card. From simple to fancy, it was a postcard with the hams callsign, name,
location, and data for the other station "worked" (contacted), the day, time
(in UTC format), frequency, mode, and any other comments. Some cards were real
simple, while others had fancy pictures of things like DXpeditions.

While there is software where one can make their own QSL cards, several ham
radio vendors will do likewise. My personal QSL cards were done by QSL Works
out of South Dakota. You have to order a minimum of 1000, but they have a nice
selection of images you can use.

However, with the way the world is today, many hams have gone to electronic
QSL's or eQSLing. This includes things like eqsl.cc and Logbook Of The World
(LoTW) -- however, for LoTW, you must be a paid up member of the American Radio
Relay League. The ARRL does offer its members an incoming and outgoing QSL Card
Bureau, for sorting of your cards, as you work toward DXCC (the DX Century
Club).

With EQSL, there are various membership levels, and the higher member level,
the fancier you can make your QSL card. The nice thing about EQSL's is that you
can get the card to your contact instantly, and not worry about it getting lost
or stolen in the mail...never mind exhorbitant postage fees.

Daryl, WX1DER

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