|
Reporting
and QSLs : Short
Wave Listeners
"QSL"
is the
radiotelegraph
code meaning "I
confirm"
or "I
acknowledge
receipt".
In short-wave
listening, a
"QSL"
is a card or
letter from a
radio station
confirming that
the recipient
indeed heard the
station
Most
international
broadcast
stations today
use regular
monitors to
assess how well
they are being
heard and no
longer rely upon
listener
letters.
However, most
broadcasters
still respond to
listener
reception
reports with QSL
cards or
letters. Many
SWLs have
amassed
impressive,
colorful
collections of
these souvenirs
of their
listening
experiences.
To
receive a QSL
from a station,
you need to send
a
"reception
report" to
the station giving
information
about what you
heard, the
reception
conditions, and
what you liked
(or didn’t
like) about
their
programming. A
good reception
report should
include the
following:
- the date and
time (in
UTC) you
heard the
station
- the
frequency on
which you heard
the station
- details
about what you
heard sufficient
to establish
that you indeed
heard the
station; these
are things like
names of
announcers and
programs, titles
of musical
selections,
station slogans,
etc. (be sure to
include the
times you hear
the various
items)
- an
evaluation of
the signal
quality,
including
strength, degree
of fading, and
any interference
you were
experiencing
(include the
names and
frequencies of
interfering
stations)
- the make and
model of radio
you are using,
along with any
external antenna
you use
- comments and
suggestions
about the
station’s
programming
To encourage
frequent
reception
reports, many
international
broadcasters
change designs
of their QSL
cards frequently
and offer
special series
of cards that
require you to
send reports at
regular
intervals. In
the late 1980s,
for example,
Radio Denmark
offered a set of
QSL cards that
formed a
painting when
all cards were
collected.
Other
stations send
out stickers,
decals, and
pennants made of
paper, plastic,
or cloth to
regular
reporters.
And a reception
report to a
station will
typically get
you on their
mailing list for
program
schedules for
years to come.
Don’t
be afraid to
candidly state
what you really
liked or
disliked about
their
programming,
and feel free to
make suggestions
about what you
would really
like to hear.
Some times major
changes have
been made as a
result of these
suggestions.
|
Not all
short-wave
broadcasters
actively seek
reception
reports,
especially
stations in
smaller nations
that are
privately owned
and operated (as
is often the
case in Latin
America). Here you
must get
creative in
order to get the
station to reply.
While English
can be used when
reporting to
major
international
broadcasters,
you should
always report in
a major language
used in that
nation when
reporting
reception of
smaller
short-wave
stations.
You should
also include
some souvenirs
of your area,
such as picture
postcards,
commemorative
stamps, etc. It
also helps to
prepay the
postage for a
reply. The
easiest way to
do this is with
mint stamps of
the country;
these can be
obtained from
stamp dealers or
from individuals
who sell these
to the SWLing
and ham
communities.
However, you
could always
send along two
or three
international
reply coupons (IRCs),
which are
available at
larger post
offices.
To find the
correct address
to send your
reception report
to, consult a
publication such
as Passport
to World Band
Radio or the
World Radio
TV Handbook.
These
publications
will also
include
information as
to what
languages you
can send reports
in, whether
return postage
should be sent,
and which
station
personnel should
receive your
letter. Always
send your
reports via air
mail;
the extra cost
over surface
mail is a small
price to pay for
the extra speed
and reliability
of air mail
service.
|
|
Some
non-broadcast
stations—especially
time signal
stations,
maritime
stations, and
hams—will also
reply to
listener
reports,
especially if
the listener
prepares a QSL
card and sends
it along with
their report.
A lot of
people enjoy
short-wave
listening
without
bothering to
send reception
reports and
collecting QSLs,
and indeed there
are several
listeners (and
stations) that
consider the
entire practice
to be a waste of
time and energy.
Today, QSLs
cards from
stations in
countries like
the USSR,
Czechoslovkia,
East Germany,
Sikkim and
other countries that
no longer exist.
These are pieces
of history I’m
glad I decided
to preserve!
|
|
|
Join the discussion and talk with other
Radio
Amateurs
online.
|
|
|
