QSLing Tips and Techniques

Determining The Correct QSL Method or Route

Before you can determine the method and route you should use to best ensure getting a QSL card back from the other station, you must determine the following:

  • Does the other operator QSL at all?
  • Does he use a QSL manager>
  • Does he accept cards sent via the bureau, direct, eQSL, or LotW?
  • For manager and direct QSL requests, what special instructions are provided?

So how do you determine the answers to these questions?

  1. The first and most accurate way is to ask the other operator during your QSO.
  2. Look up the other station's call on QRZ.com or HamCall. There is a field in each case for QSL manager or route.
  3. Your logging program may download this information and include it with each QSO logged.
  4. If none of these methods work, see if the station has a manager listed. There are several websites that contain a database of managers for callsigns, most of which are linked from Pathfinder Online.
  5. See if others have received QSLs from the station.

Tips for QSLing via Managers

The following web pages provide information for sending and receiving QSL cards from QSL managers:

Foreign Postage for QSLing Direct

When you request a QSL direct, you need to include sufficient postage or money, along with your SAE, to cover the cost of sending the QSL card back to you. Stamps from your country are not valid for use outside your country. You therefore have three choices:

  1. Get stamps for that country. Check postage rates to ensure that you include sufficient postage for the other station's country.
  2. Include an International Reply Coupon (IRC), available from your post office. Note that not every country's postal system accepts IRCs.
  3. Include money, nominally in the form of US dollars. These are commonly referred to as "green stamps". A number of countries forbid the mailing of US currency, and may arrest the recipient of the letter. Be sure to follow the other station`s instructions regarding QSLing direct.

Foreign postage rates, and IRC and green stamp requirements are provided in the following links:

Getting a QSL Card from a Station That Does Not QSL

There is no guarantee that you will ever get a card, but you could try the following: send your card and a card filled out with all QSO data to be returned to you. Include an SASE, or SAE and sufficient postage, IRCs, or green stamps to cover the cost of mailing the card back to you. Include a short or long note describing why the card is important to you, and requesting that he sign the card and return it to you. Be polite and don't demand; remember that the other operator is doing you a favour. Not everyone will return the card, but many will.