I bought a box from ux5uoqsl.com
I expect it’s a lifetimes supply as I only send them on special occasions. I’ve sent less than 10 to SOTA contacts.
Nice to have some to hand though.
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Here’s my SOTA card. Photo is from Libre Mountain (W6/CT-095) on one of my favorite activations - a perfectly still morning after a fresh snowfall:
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Stunning!
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Here’s mine (the forum always seems to crop images i insert, but you get the idea)
I got mine from ux5uoqsl
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I am trying to send them for the very first QSO with a station in paper.
But I need the right mood to do so. In general I find more interesting things to do in my spare time.
On my todo list is to build a 2,5D CNC pen plotter that takes an ADIF file and writes the details onto the paper card. But has also not been built until now 
But I enjoy making them for special circumstances like my visit to JA:
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Excellent thanks for the link. There are some lovely designs there.
Martin
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El,
Looks like St. Elmo could use a little fire!
Ken
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Adobe’s InDesign is a terrific page layout tool. Most people know what a great job Photoshop does with pixels – in fact we’ve made photoshop a verb – however not many know how equally great Adobe Illustrator is with wrangling vectors and InDesign is at putting it all together.
You are also right Martin about the good, the bad and the ugly. If there were just three things I could impart to would-be QSL card designers, this would be it:
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Hi Martin, I know how you feel. I have qsl cards produced by Gennady UX5UO. I support Ron’s VK3AFW recommendation also. I am very happy with them.
Geoff vk3sq
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Hi Martin,
Here’s a link to QSL cards I have received with a SOTA theme in the design:
http://tomread.co.uk/sota_qsls.htm
And given you mention receiving cards as a teenage SWL, here’s a link to my full collection of broadcast, amateur and utility QSL verifications:
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Cheers Tom!
That will give me something to ponder over.
73
Martin
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I’ve sent a fair few over the years now and love receiving them. Typically I’ll sit down once a month or so and hand write them, but am thinking about automating the process. I do send a handful direct. I always check qrz.com and only send if the potential recipient explicitly says they want one.
If you want to dip your toe in the water stressfreeprint.co.uk will do small batches for not too much money.
Mark
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Thanks Mark. I have used this company. Postcards - Mixam . Looking at the prices they are well worth looking at. I have used them for books and exhibition flyers(postcards) in the past. Quality is excellent.
Cheers
Martin
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Hello Martin,
I think the type of card you use depends on how many you intend to send out.
They all count for awards, no matter how plain or beautiful. Before I go further, I’d say yes, get some cards made, you’ll get some requests and you may work somebody that you’ll want a card from.
Also, you’ll want to have the pertinent QSO information and your location information
on the cards. I’ve received quite a few that were missing some important part of the
information that made them useless for an award.
I have received THOUSANDS of cards over the years and I’ll say some of them are
really nice like the samples in the above messages. Some are very plain, some are
hand-made, etc. Sadly, after being looked at and admired and shared with friends
they eventually all end up in a file and not seen unless they get pulled for an award…
The use of QSLs has slowed down a lot since LOTW/EQSL/Etc. came along. My
incoming bureau cards are now just small envelopes with a few ounces of cards compared to boxes of cards (yes, cardboard boxes of cards!) a few years ago.
But I still answer every one that comes in unless it’s a duplicate that’s already been answered.
73 and good luck with QSLing !
John, K6YK
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I started as a shortwave radio listener when I was 14, sending reception reports to the radio stations and receiving QSL cards in return. I was proud of each one.
At 16 (1977) I made my license and quite quickly had qsl cards printed. It took a lot of my pocket money and savings, but it was a must.
In the 80’s and 90’s I was on 2m with Aurora, MS, EME… and the cards were trophies and proof of performance. I sorted them and collected them in boxes… but never really looked at them again.
Then I had a break of 20 years… I moved 2 times and the cards ended up in the waste paper.
When I started again 4 years ago (thanks to SOTA) with the amateur radio, this was also topic for me… Should I have QSL - cards printed? So far I have decided against it.
I am honest: The vast majority of cards I receive end up in the waste paper. Only a few hang on my refrigerator… and are exchanged from time to time.
The memory of beautiful, tedious, rare QSOs (not only DX) and also activities on summits I preserve in the memory.
73 Armin
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Martin you may also think about EQSL as you can design your own and they’re sent electronically, I get loads off the Sota activators and they’re really nice.
Best 73
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Yes Alan, but eQSL is a worthless scheme if you want the QSLs to claim an award, for many awards such as DXCC, IOTA etc eQSL is invalid.
I just replied and returned today a batch of bureau QSL cards received in the summer to RSGB Bureau, Halifax. It’s a low priority task these days at G4OBK. I have used Logbook of the World since its conception as I submit cards to ARRL for claiming against of the DXCC band Awards and the DXCC Challenge. I use OQRS when I can for new band countries, it’s expensive. Usually costing €4-€5 or $4-$5 dollar per card using PayPal. But the return QSL rate is very good, around 90% as the $ bills (green stamps) can’t get stolen by impecunious people on the way to their destination. I regularly pay and get no paper card, but I get an LoTW confirmation, which suits me. In May I sent a £4 OQRS PayPal payment to ZP/OK2WX for an 80m CW QSO. No card or LoTW forthcoming this month, so I emailed him last week and he told me my card was sent to the QSL bureau last week. I don’t like that method as I had given up putting pre-paid envelopes in with the bureau manager. However, because I need that card I have had to send my bureau manager 6 pre-paid 2nd class large letter envelopes, reluctantly. I had decided a year ago to give up the bureau, but I have been forced to restart.
I worked TY0RU DXpedition this week on 80m and 10m FT8, so they will be getting a claim for a QSL via OQRS. Not bothered about the 10m QSO as I have it confirmed on CW and SSB, but on 80m band it is an ATNO.
73 Phil
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Thanks Phil I learn something new every day.
Best 73