Shortwave Radio and QSL Cards

[mikethompson]

Recently an article forwarded to me by Jay (@mawnansmiff ) about the state of shortwave radio in the UK got me thinking about my own little collection of QSL cards that I have recieved from shortwave radio stations a few years ago.

Essentially a listener will mail (or email) a small report grading the signal strength, clarity, and frequency of a recieved program to the broadcaster. The broadcaster then sends a QSL card back to the listener, generally thanking them for their report.

I was big into shortwave immediately after the lock downs of 2020, and tried my hand at getting some QSLs in return. With the cold weather (which allows for easier radio communication over large distances apparently), I may just get the radio out again and see what I can pick up.

Jay, I know you said you had a few in your attic, and I won't ask you to go up there. But do any other members have any? I think you might have some I don't @scloyd.

 

[mikethompson]

 

[mikethompson]

 

[tenton]

Not shortwave QSL's, but I have a bunch of QSL's from the late 60's and early 70's that belonged to my dad who talked skip on CB.

 

[scloyd]

@mikethompson
I have five of the same as you. Here's a few more.

Canada


Okeechobee, Florida


Beijing, China


Chiquimala, Guatemala


I had to take my antenna down a couple of years ago when I had some chimney repairs. I need to put it back up...maybe before winter.

 

[woodsroad]

I never knew that broadcasters did QSL cards. I always thought that was just something that hams did.

 

[scloyd]

I never knew that broadcasters did QSL cards. I always thought that was just something that hams did.

I didn't either. Mike got me interested in shortwave. I enjoyed searching and listening on cold winter nights. It beat watching more TV.

 

[woodsroad]

As a kid, I built a shortwave receiver from a kit and put up a dipole from the heater vent on the roof to an old oak tree. I guess I should have included a lightning arrestor, because when it was hit, the lightning traveled down the vent pipe (apparently ungrounded) and jumped to the electrical wiring, killing several electronic things in the house. At about the same time, my interest in photography began to consume all my newspaper route money, so I never pursued getting a ham license. Nor did my parents let me replace the antenna!

 

[mso489]

I haven't twiddled with radios since I was assigned a new duty station and off the minesweeper in 1970, before half the membership was born, and I still remember what a QSL card is. I was a radioman second class, and that was enough for me. I had personal relationships with radio frequencies from Kodiak to Guam earned on the midnight to 8 a.m. shift in the radio shack by myself. Never got seasick. Tell me I don't have seagoing genes.

 

[huntertrw]

This thread got me to thinking about shortwave listening, my old Hammarlund HQ-100 receiver, and how much fun I used to have with it. Methinks I'll have to get it out of the closet, dust it off, and see what I can hear!

 

[username]

Always wanted to get into short wave listening just never did. What's a good beginner setup?

 

[huntertrw]

username:

My Hammarlund would be a good place to start. Here is a link to Reviews For Hammarlund HQ-100 on eHam.net. I hope that you are able to find one and begin listening to the world.

 

[scloyd]

Always wanted to get into short wave listening just never did. What's a good beginner setup?

I have a Eton Field Elite.

I like the portability of it. I can take it with while camping.

 

[Grangerous]

Has Shortwave returned to it’s former glory? I thought it dead accept for pirate radio. All of the BBC and regular programs vanished decades ago.

As for QSL cards, I operate HF and strictly CW. I’m a solid copy at 20 wpm Morse operator and have plenty of QSL cards. Guys that use Morse still keep that part of the hobby alive. The exchange of paper QSL cards by mail.

 

[jackets]

Has Shortwave returned to it’s former glory? I thought it dead accept for pirate radio. All of the BBC and regular programs vanished decades ago.

As for QSL cards, I operate HF and strictly CW. I’m a solid copy at 20 wpm Morse operator and have plenty of QSL cards. Guys that use Morse still keep that part of the hobby alive. The exchange of paper QSL cards by mail.

If I recall correctly the BBC started using shortwave at the beginning of the war in Ukraine again. Slightly unrelated but I remember listening to a bunch of recordings of Russian jamming on 20 and 40m at the beginning.

 

[Grangerous]

If I recall correctly the BBC started using shortwave at the beginning of the war in Ukraine again. Slightly unrelated but I remember listening to a bunch of recordings of Russian jamming on 20 and 40m at the beginning.

I’ll dust of my old Crane Rado and spin the dial.

 

[mikethompson]

and early 70's that belonged to my dad

Cool little collection there!

Always wanted to get into short wave listening just never did. What's a good beginner setup?

There are very good shortwave radios for not much coin. Mine is a Tecsun unit from AliExpress. All you need is a clear night and a good antenna setup.

Has Shortwave returned to it’s former glory? I thought it dead accept for pirate radio. All of the BBC and regular programs vanished decades ago.

I got BBC occasionally, but yes there are a multitude of pirate stations, which sometimes isn't a bad thing. I have bookmarked somewhere a list of frequencies and who is using what when. It's handy for sending out QSL requests.

 

[mawnansmiff]

That's a smashing set of cards there Mike, thanks for sharing them.

Alas my collection (understandably I suppose) which dates from when I was about 12 (1974/5) is mostly UK & European though I did have some interesting ones from Quito, Ecuador, Pyongyang, North Korea and such.

My North American ones were a bit thin on the ground though I have VOA, RCI and a few of those religious stations scattered about the US that used super powerful transmitters.

One of my favourites is one from Radio Prague which has 4 photographic slides attached to the bottom of the card by perforations. Thankfully I had no projector so the card remains intact.

I mounted most of mine using adhesive photograph 'corners' as of course they are mostly double sided. If I were doing it now I'd use one of those transparent photo albums.

Keep up the good work Mike!

Regards,

Jay.

 

[mikethompson]

I'm definitely going to try a winter antenna setup outside to see if I can grab any signals at night. I do miss scanning the dials in the intermissions between periods in the late night hockey games.

 

[jackets]

For those who would like to dip their toes without dropping money let me recommend web SDR.

Web SDR

You can filter by region, band, etc. There are several different interfaces, and based on what antenna or antennas the station is using they will receive different bands.