QSL Cards: Unusual Materials

On previous occasions here in Wavescan, we have presented information about unusual materials that have been used in the preparation of various styles of QSL cards.  In recent time, we have discovered additional unusual materials that have been used for QSL cards.

            Back in the year 1964, a husband and wife team living in Akron Ohio used locally produced leather for making their QSL “cards”.  Embossed into the sheet leather was a cowboy scene, with a handwritten text.  Donald Derr operated amateur station WA8JXK and his wife Faye operated station WA8JXR.    

            The radio broadcasting station Radio Atlantico on Island Gran Canaria in the Canary Islands issued two very similar QSL cards, one in English and the other in Spanish, back during the 1960s.  These two cards show a red ocean with the many Canary islands raised in an embossed style.  The QSL text is printed on the white side of the cards.

            A 1946 QSL card issued by amateur station TI4JG in Heredia, Costa Rica is also, embossed, with the callsign in large raised letters, as well as station information and the border relief pattern.  This information side of the QSL card shows black text printed on a gold leaf colored.background.

QSLs of the Week
Back on March 3, 1984, Ralf Urbanczyk of Eisleben in East Germany heard the programming from the exotic Polish Pathfinder station in Warsaw Poland with 10 kW on 6195 kHz.  The slightly oversized QSL card gives the added text in English, and the picture side shows a map of the world in green, centered on Poland, with their double-winged bird symbol in color.

Right QSL on Wrong QSL Card - 25:18

            Back on April 23, 1962, Bengt Sunden in Fargelanda in Sweden tuned in to the programming from the CBC mediumwave station CBA which at the time was co-sited with shortwave Radio Canada International at Sackville in New Brunswick, Canada.  He received a regular CBC QSL card with full QSL details identifying 50 kW CBA Sackville on 1070 kHz. 

            As with all CBC QSL cards of that era, the picture side of the QSL card depicts the provincial seals and provincial housing in stylistic representation on a blue background.  However, this QSL card itself is identified as CBC Halifax, not CBC Sackville, and the card was clearly postmarked from Halifax, with a very clear postal imprint, identifying Halifax.  Thus this QSL verified CBA Sackville on a CBC Halifax card.  The right QSL on the wrong card.  

(AWR Wavescan)