Amateur radio operators have used QSL cards to confirm their contacts for decades. While the use of paper QSL cards has diminished in recent years, each month, about one hundred postcards (shown below) arrive in the mailboxes of hams all over the state of Oklahoma. Cards are sent by Oklahoma ARRL Section Manager Mark Kleine N5HZR to hams that recently obtained their first amateur radio license, upgraded their ticket, joined ARRL, or had their ARRL membership lapse during the month.
When Mark obtained his amateur radio license at the end of solar cycle 21, a few vendors sent welcome mailings to newly minted hams. After checking the mailbox every day for the 6+ weeks it took to receive the FCC license, Mark was thrilled to see that others had recognized his achievement. In addition, they offered their services for QSL cards, radio equipment, or area newsletters. It is hoped that these cards will trigger that same feeling when they are received.
Feel free to send any comments or questions that you have, or hear about, these cards to n5hzr@arrl.org. It would be nice to know that others have received the same joy he had when putting these together and dropping them in the mailbox!
He hopes that these cards will spark some conversations about ARRL Oklahoma, and he will keep sending these monthly to keep in touch with new licensees, upgrades, and ARRL membership changes.