Tour the ARRL QSL Bureau: forwarding your QSL cards around the world!

Meet ARRL staff member Rose-Anne Lawrence, KB1DMW and enjoy this video tour of the ARRL QSL Bureau, located at ARRL's headquarters in Newington, Connecticut. Exchanging paper QSL cards to confirm a two-way radio contact is a tradition that dates back to the beginning of amateur radio. Today, many amateurs prefer to confirm their contacts (or QSOs) electronically with Logbook of The World (LoTW), however there are those who like to swap paper cards. Exchanging QSL cards directly with your QSO partner can be very expensive. If you calculate the cost of postage to send an envelope overseas, plus any money enclosed to cover the return postage, a single QSL card request can cost up to five dollars or more. Confirming QSOs electronically through LoTW is a rapid and cost-effective way to earn QSO credit for awards, but for the paper card collector, the ARRL QSL Bureau offers an alternative to the postal mail method. To use this service, you only need to provide proof of ARRL membership and pay the fee according to the current fee schedule. Cards sent via the Bureau are sorted by the Outgoing QSL Service staff, who handle hundreds of thousands of member cards each year. Cards are shipped from ARRL on a near-quarterly basis. The Service ships QSL cards to QSL Bureaus throughout the world, which are typically maintained by the national amateur radio society of each country. Please be advised that the ARRL QSL Service cannot be used to exchange QSL cards within the 48 contiguous states [US to US]. Sending QSL cards via the Bureau takes a little longer than mailing them directly, but keep in mind that what you might lose in speed is more than made up in the convenience and savings of not having to address and mail each QSL card separately.
The QSL Bureau is another reason to be a member of ARRL! Join today at www.arrl.org/join.
For more information:
www.arrl.org/qsl
www.arrl.org/join
www.arrl.org/lotw
www.arrl.org
Produced by ARRL, the national association for Amateur Radio. Copyright 2021.
#ARRL #HamRadio #QSL

[@stevene1194]

Thank you so much! Love QSL cards and hope this facet of the hobby persists!

[@erikEsthundred]

Keep up the great work de W9 QSL Bureau.

[@jimdarrough1732]

What a nice presentation! Thank you!

[@ARRLHQ]

Thank you for watching!

[@JuhaSuomela]

I see there is OH-box almost full off QSL cards. Finland is working :) TU, 73!

[@ve3enx95]

I like your idea of using an envelope in the bin with the flap hanging down to provide a label. I'm going to adopt that trick for some bins I have in my office (not QSL related :-) !

[@Jmart2111]

Thank you for what you do , nice Video 😊

[@K5ATA]

Very cool. Thanks for sharing!

[@ARRLHQ]

Thanks!

[@K1ZEK]

Thank you for the nice visit. Lionel. k1zek 73

[@ARRLHQ]

Thank you for watching, Lionel! 73

[@juanhernandez2858]

greetings from México.

[@Nathriel]

What a perfect explanation! Can't wait to share it with my aspiring ham friends!

[@ARRLHQ]

Please do! Thank you for watching!

[@BobtheTraveler-WD8NVN]

GREAT VIDEO !!!

[@ARRLHQ]

Thanks, Robert! 73

[@cyndigoodgame6447]

Love the video! 😀

[@ARRLHQ]

Thank you for watching! 73

[@ths3900]

Great video and you can see what takes place. I will organize my cards better now.

[@RedStoneWhite]

I just purchased a bag of qsl cards from a flea market and they're pretty interesting. On quite a few there is a stamped name and address from a Harris A. Cox from Yukon Territory.

[@PapasDino]

Nice! Our club recently had a presentation on QSLing and this visit to the bureau will show folks how it works at HQ. 73 - Dino KLØS

[@ARRLHQ]

Glad to hear it! 73!

[@paulhastings3109]

Need the address for incoming. Size or envelope and postage. Getting back into ham radio. Like 20 years.
Always something about holding the QSL in you hand
Thanks for all you do
KQ4CD Paul

[@ARRLHQ]

You can find more information here: www.arrl.org/incoming-qsl-service. Thanks for watching!

[@juanhernandez2858]

saludos desde México

[@yudale9391]

Great job! 73 de BA4TB

[@ARRLHQ]

Thanks! 73

[@YLRaisa]

Great QSL bureau! I wonder if this is the largest QSL bureau in the world? ;-)

[@juanhernandez2858]

greetings from México

[@juanhernandez2858]

saludos desde México.

[@forgetyourlife]

I have 50 cards from 50 states. How do I get WAS without mailing them to the ARRL for confirmation? Shipping them is far to risky after the multi years saga of getting them.

[@petermann7559]

LOOK FOR A LOCAL ARRL CARD CHECKER.

[@forgetyourlife]

@@petermann7559 yep, a lot harder these days.

[@juanhernandez2858]

73.

[@spankyharland9845]

yes, but when you write to the ARRL asking for information, they usually toss your correspondents in the circular bin and really could not give a rats butt about what you are asking for- how is that for a company who deals with communication...I guess ARRL is particular on who they respond too.

[@juanhernandez2858]

Qsl.