qsl's

All "Hams" over the years have sent and received, what we call "QSL" cards, to confirm contacts, or on-air conversations, with other stations throughout the world. These were exchanged, to confirm new countries that we had talked to, or just as a matter of courtesy or reference, in case we talked to the same station again. Many "Hams" have thousands of "QSL" cards, in boxes or on the walls of their "Shack" or radio room, so they can show other people, or think back on conversations from the past. I'm no different, and probably have several thousand, spread over 41 years as a "Ham", and they bring back lot's of memories. I have had quite a few of my own, to send, and wish I would have kept a sample of each. But we never think of that, and know that with each QSL we have from someone, one of ours is "hopefully" either on a wall, or in a box with lot's of other's.

I first got interested in "QSL'S", as a shortwave listener, and also CB, in the early 1960's. My Father, installed a cb radio in our home, and one in the car. One thing led to another, a shortwave receiver was traded for, and the interest in "Ham" radio grew, and continues to this day.

The first QSL shown is the QSL we had printed, to exchange with other cb operators, so they knew our callsign,which was "KNM 1211", names, and where we lived. Dad worked on the B&O Railroad, as an Engineer, so the train was a way of saying we were a railroad family. Being too young, to have a cb license of my own, I sent for, and received a "Part 15 Transmitter Identification", from "S9 Magazine", a cb magazine. I was issued "Central 7230", and could use it with low power walkie-talkies. So I had to get some QSL's printed, mainly to give other people at cb get-together's.This started a collection, of many cards, and lot's of good memories.

Next came "Shortwave listening". I was listening one day, to "Ham" radio operators, and heard "K4LIB". So I sent him one of my SWL cards, and got back a QSL from K4LIB. Little did I realize that it was "Arthur Godfrey", from radio and tv. On it is pictured his farm, in "Paeonian Springs, Virginia".

Dad had a friend, John Kopp, who was also an Engineer on the B&O. So one evening we went to his house, in Cincinnati, Ohio. When we arrived there, I learned he was a "Ham", and I had lot's of questions. John started answering them, and then made a contact with a "Ham" in Australia. I was hooked. John was "K8CJH".He loaned us some books, that gave us an idea on what we needed to know to become licensed, "Ham" radio operators. At that time, a "General" class operator could administer the tests for "Novice" and "Technician" classes, as long as he or she wasn't related to the person taking the test, and was 18 years of age or older. After a few months of study, learning the "Morse Code", and arranging to meet John, we were ready. We met at John's house, where he tested us on the "Morse Code", we filled out the applications, and John mailed in the request for the written test. After a few weeks, the tests arrived at John's house, we made another trip, took the "Novice" test, and then waited on the FCC, to grade the test.

After 6 or 7 weeks, Summer was approaching, and the school year was winding down. Each day I would check the mail, when I got home from school, and nothing from the FCC. So I would do my homework, listen to Shortwave or help my Mother, as mosts days my Father would be taking a short nap after work, just to relax. One day, May 8, 1967, when I got home, he was asleep. After a few hours, he woke up, and when he came out of the bedroom, he handed me an envelope. It was from the FCC, and contained my "Novice" license, WN8WQC. He wanted to be awake when I opened the envelope. He had also received his license that day, WN8WQB, but waited till I was home to use it. Dad talked me into getting onto 40 meters CW. After we made sure everything was okay, I heard WN8VPD calling CQ. I gave him a short call, we chatted for a while. Then we exchanged QSL's. The QSL I got from Bob, WN8VPD, in Detroit is shown here. Do you remember your first QSO, and do you have the QSL from the station you talked to?

Then in late 1967 or early 1968, Dad and I decided it was time to move up from Novice to Technician. We got in touch with John, K8CJH, again, and since Technician only required a written test, if you already had a valid Novice, it was a simple matter of filling out an application, and waiting on the FCC. When the tests arrived, it was a simple matter of going to John's house, taking the test, and then waiting for the results from the FCC. After 6 or 7 weeks we received our Technician licenses, WA8WQB and WA8WQC, but since our Novice licenses still had time remaining, we could operate as either a Novice or Technician, using the correct call and class wherever we operated.

I used the woodgrain QSL till 1969, when I had the following picture QSL made. The picture was taken on June 1, 1969, the day I graduated from High School.

In 1976, I upgraded to "General". In 1978, I worked the following station, KM1CC, on the 75th anniversary of Marconi successfully completing a 2 way radio telegraph transmission between the United States and Europe.

I kept WA8WQC until September of 1980, when I upgraded to Amateur Extra, then switched callsign to KI8B. I figured that I had spent a lot of time, and money on trips to the Detroit FCC field office, to take the test to get Extra, that I would have an Extra Class callsign. It took me 4 trips to pass the theory, but I enjoyed the experience. The QSL on the left depicts a worker holding a clear piece of glass. From 1983 until 1993 I was working for a glass company, doing commercial glazing on store fronts, glass pyramids, etc. I met Cheryl, and we got married in 1986. We moved to Miamisburg in 1989, so I changed QSL cards, again.

Then 1997 came along. Change callsign, QSL cards, license plate on truck, not to mention creating some confusion when talking to friends on the radio. In 1997, I had the chance to get a "vanity call", with my initials. Since then I have held "N8TW". Sometimes I wish I had kept "WA8WQC", but to be truthfull, it was too long on CW.

The following QSL was designed by Larry, W5LJM, and sent to me by e-mail.

QSL designed by Larry, W5LJM

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