What is a QSL card?
A QSL card is a written confirmation of a two-way radio contact between two amateur radio operators. “QSL” comes from the international Q-code, where it means “I confirm receipt” — so a QSL card is literally a card that says “I confirm we made contact.” Traditionally it is a postcard carrying the details of the contact: both callsigns, the date and time in UTC, the frequency or band, the mode, and a signal report.
A short history
Hams have exchanged QSL cards since the early 1920s, when confirming that a low-power transmission really crossed an ocean was newsworthy. The habit stuck. For a century, a wall of QSL cards from distant stations has been the signature decoration of a ham shack, and the saying “the final courtesy of a QSO is a QSL” is still quoted today.
What goes on a QSL card
A usable QSL card needs enough information to identify the contact unambiguously:
- Your callsign, prominently displayed
- The other station’s callsign (“To Radio…”)
- Date and time of the contact, in UTC
- Frequency or band (e.g. 14.074 MHz or 20 m)
- Mode (SSB, CW, FT8, and so on)
- Signal report (RST)
- Your location — grid square, city/state, or country
Most cards add a photo, artwork, station details, or a personal note. See our guide to QSL card size and design for layout conventions.
Why hams still send paper cards
Electronic confirmation systems — ARRL’s Logbook of The World (LoTW), eQSL, and QRZ’s logbook — handle award credit efficiently, and for programs like DXCC an electronic match is all you need. But a database row isn’t something you can pin to the wall. Operators still send paper cards for memorable contacts, DXpeditions, special event stations, and as a courtesy to newcomers celebrating their first QSOs. Many rare stations receive so many requests that a thoughtful physical card remains the polite way to ask for one back.
How cards get exchanged
There are three routes: mailing a card directly to the other operator’s address, sending it through the QSL bureau system (cheap but very slow), or using an online service that prints and mails the card for you. Our guide on how to send a QSL card walks through the trade-offs of each.