I’m getting kinda tired of my current QSL card. It’s an aerial photo of Michigan Stadium. They call it “The Big House” because it’s the largest American football stadium in U.S.
While scouting out items for my “Amateur Radio in the News” items, I ran across a human-interest story about ham radio operators in Los Gatos, CA in 1920. It included a photo of the QSL card for one of them, 6CDW:
I kind of like this card, and am thinking about having some printed up for me in this style. What do you think? Should I go retro?
I’m in favor of the retro style Dan. To me, a lot of modern cards seem more like glorified postcards, whereas the older ones feel more like the verification of a QSO – if that makes any sense. I have been through several redesigns of my card in the last few years – all of them variations on older styles. My latest card is on my QRZ page, if you want to look. I used to have the callsign in larger red letters superimposed on the other lettering but found that when I wrote on the card, the pen ink didn’t stick too well to the red ink on the card. I print mine on an as-needed basis at the local Fedex Kinkos, so perhaps they use different types of inks than a printer would use for a big run. YMMV on this point, but a big YES to the overall idea of a retro design. I much prefer them to the newer glossy, slick and cookie-cutter style cards.
Just superimpose your mug on the card over an aerial view of Ann Arbor.
Why would someone want to see a picture of my coffee cup?
I swapped some e-mail with KB3IFH (who printed my “Big House” cards) yesterday, and he said that he’d love to do my retro card. Now, I just have to come up with the design. I need to find a font as close as possible to the one used on the 6CDW card.
I think the retro card will be beautiful, Dan! That’s a really great idea.