I recently re-established my station after a 20 year hiatus. When I was first licensed over 27 years ago, confirming contacts was exclusively a paper game. Even though I’ve been QRT for quite a while, I’ve haven’t been completely out of touch with Ham Radio. I knew about LoTW, eQSL, QRZ.com and the likes, but never had a need to create accounts, much less make use of electronic QSL’s. Now that I’m active again, I’ve become fully immersed in computer logging. I established accounts with LoTW, eQSL and QRZ.com. I also purchased QSL cards.
With the advent of computer logging and recent digital modes, QSO’s have become almost mechanical. You send out an automated CQ, someone sends an automated reply, both computers exchange signal reports, then they exchange 73’s and the computers log the contact. Later, we all upload our contacts to eQSL or LoTW. Easy Peasy. Don’t misunderstand, I really like making contacts on FT8 and other digital modes. However, the personal connection between the ops is missing. The quick and automated nature of FT8 (and FT4 and other contact only modes) is that you never actually have a conversation with the person on the other end. There’s no sense of humanity that stays with you when the contact is over.
So, I send QSL cards. I know, I know. QSL cards are no longer the preferred method of confirming contacts. However, QSL’s have a long standing tradition in Ham Radio. A QSL card is something that says “Hey, we had a QSO. Here’s a little bit of information about me. Thanks for the contact!”
My QSL policy is this: I will send you a QSL card without question when we complete a contact. In the U.S., I will fill out the card, affix a postcard stamp and give it to my mail carrier. If you are outside the U.S., I will use the ARRL’s outgoing QSL Bureau.
You are not obligated to send me a card! I won’t send $’s or “Green Stamps”, nor will I send a SASE. I send QSL cards because I want to, not because I want one in return. It is costly, I know, so there are some Amateur Operators who simply can’t afford to send cards. I completely understand. There will likely come a time when I can no longer afford to do so. That said, if you send me a SASE, I will take advantage of your generosity and return my card in your envelope.
If you and I make a contact, I do request that you confirm our QSO via one of the online services. LoTW and QRZ.com are free and there are many good logging programs which are free as well. It’s only courteous that every Ham make some attempt to confirm their contacts. There are many like me who are “chasing paper” and a high confirmation count makes applying for awards all that much easier.
Sending QSL cards has essentially become a quaint artifact of our service. However, I find it quite enjoyable to open my mailbox and find QSL cards. Hopefully you will as well.