[Collection of Amateur Ham Radio QSL Cards]
A large and diverse collection of amateur radio cards assembled by Royce A.
Price: $400.00
[Collection of Amateur Ham Radio QSL Cards]
Fish (call letters W3HEQ) of Rockville MD, broadcast engineer for CBS News and President of I.B.E.W Local 1200. As amateur radio developed, QSL card collecting became an important part of the ham radio culture, used to confirm contact between stations and operators. Cards from distant locations were exchanged and often used to decorate the walls of one's station. Production of QSL cards ranged from a DIY affair to professionally printed photographic cards, commonly showing the operator at his station (almost always a he, almost always the sort of pasty guy you would imagine). The cards show trends in graphic design, new printing technologies, even geopolitical developments. Particularly interesting in this collection are a large group of cards from Soviet block countries. Cards in this collection come from Czechoslovakia, Belarus, Poland, Yugoslavia and other Soviet republics, where amateur radio broadcasters were organized into clubs under the umbrella of the Voluntary Society for Assistance to the Army, Air Force and Navy, who produced and distributed the QSL cards. This large and diverse collection of ham radio cards, received from all over the world by a ham radio operator over approximately twenty years from the early seventies to early nineties gives a glimpse of the broader culture as well as its own micro-culture.
The Object
[Various]: [ca. 1960s-90s]. Approximately 575 QSL postcards, most measuring approx. 5.5" x 3.5" on various paper stocks. Housed in cardboard QSL-specific box measuring 12.75" x 6.75" x 5" approx. with alphabetical tabs for organizing. Cards dated from early 1970s to the early 1990s. Cards generally very good with expected edgewear.
The Fine Print
We work hard to meet our ethical responsibility to describe our material accurately. All items are guaranteed as described and may be returned for any reason within 30 days. Please notify us before mailing a return.
We guarantee the authenticity of our items. All materials are original (meaning not facsimiles or reproductions) unless otherwise noted. First editions (meaning first edition, first printing) are explicitly stated. TPM is a member of the Antiquarian Booksellers Association of America and upholds their Code of Ethics.
All photographs are of the actual item for sale. We're happy to provide additional images on request.
All domestic orders ship gratis. For orders under $250, free USPS media mail shipping is included; orders $250 and over ship USPS Priority. International orders over $500 also ship gratis. Expedited, overnight, as well as other carriers (UPS, Fed-Ex, etc.), may carry additional costs beyond quoted rates. All orders receive tracking information and a direct contact in case of any questions.
International buyers are responsible for any customs, taxes, and related import fees. Please note that we are unable to accomodate requests to misrepresent, misdeclare, or otherwise falsify customs documents when shipping internationally. We appreciate your understanding.
We accept all major credit cards, Paypal, Venmo, check, money order, and bank wire. We are happy to bill institutional buyers' needs. Sales tax will be added to applicable purchases. Items subject to prior sale.
If for any reason you are dissatisfied with your purchase, please contact us. We prioritize our long-term relationships far above any individual purchase, and we want you to love your item as much as we loved cataloguing it.
