new ham question about QSL cards

[af6im]

I went from SWL to Extra last weekend. I know how to pass the tests but I know very little about how to actually operate. I may ask some dumb questions, but please forgive me and chalk it up to my inexperience.

Do hams still mail QSL cards or is it all done by Internet now. Do people even trade QSL cards if it is not a rare DX catch?

When I was a kid we had a few hams in the neighborhood and I loved looking at their walls plastered with QSL cards, some very creative and remembered vividly even four decades later. I'd like to get some QSL cards printed up, but not if they are totally outdated.

If QSL cards are a good idea, any suggestions for companies that offer good products at good prices?

Thanks.

73,
Mark
AF6IM

[Ed-VA3ES]

Just Google QSL card printers and you will be inundated!

I had "Vintage Style" cards printed up by two printers:
Wayne Carrol, W4MPY, "The QSL Man", and Dennis  Livesay, VE7DK, in BC.  Both did a good job, but I prefer Dennis' work.  I'll try and upload some jpgs for viewing.

[AF9J]

Some hams use eQSL.net, which is an internet, electronic based QSL service.  But, most hams (including moi), prefer the real deal - a paper QSL.  You can either buy them from a QSL printer, or do like me, use blank postcards, and either create your own template in MS Word, or buy, or use one of the freeware (this is what I use) QSL card templates that are vailable online, and pprint your own.

73,
Ellen - AF9J

[W1RKW]

Mark,
Congrats on your entry into hamdom and/or AMdom and welcome to AMFone.net. 
Bob

[Carl WA1KPD]

Wayne Carrol, W4MPY,

Wayne is a great guy to deal with.
73
CarL /KPD

[Sam KS2AM]

I went from SWL to Extra last weekend.

Do hams still mail QSL cards or is it all done by Internet now. Do people even trade QSL cards if it is not a rare DX catch?

Thanks.

73,
Mark
AF6IM

Welcome to amateur radio Mark.  

A note re DX QSL cards.  Some DX stations that send you QSL cards might not send them to you directly - it can get very expensive for them.  Instead they route their cards in bulk via their local "bureau" who in turn end up routing them to your local bureau.  There are volunteers there who sort the cards and forward them to you and while its not free, its fairly inexpensive.  The Sixth district qsl bureau (i.e. your bureau) is at http://www.qslbureau.org/ .

Lots of folks still enjoy exchanging QSL cards ... don't let a few cranky old men that you're bound to run into dissuade you from QSL'ing or any other facet of the hobby. 

Sam  / KS2AM

[wa2dtw]

For some reason, most AMers do not seem to like exchanging QSL cards.  I, for one, value my collection which dates back to 1959,
PSKers seem to prefer electonic QSL.  CWers seem to be split between the eQSLers and the paper QSLers.
Welcome to AM!

73
Steve WA2DTW

[K3ZS]

I don't usually send cards, but if I get one I send one back.    I still have my qsl cards from 1958 when my address and call sign were different.    I recently scanned my old card, and used Photoshop to correct these and applied a new color scheme.    I print them out four per page whenever I need a few.   I would just make a design that you
like and print them as needed.    I received a card from a fellow who scanned his ham radio call sign license plate and edited that.  I usually mail them in an envelope first class mail, because I never have stamps for the post card
rate.

[Ed-VA3ES]

Here are the "Vintage style" cards I had printed up, and  my standard  SSB-DX card I send out to DX contacts other than AM.

The back report form  has "GMT" and "MC"  shown.  Date is "19___".  All report forms,  both front report and back report show the same "GMT" and "MC".

The SSB-DX card is the only contemporaneous card.  No point confusing those recipients! 

[Ed-VA3ES]

More "vintage cards" and the SSB-DX card...