sst-qsl

Welcome! This is "sst-qsl", a project of Second System Technologies.

From the early 1900s to today, QSL cards have been created and collected by amateur "ham" radio operators as written confirmations of two-way radio contact between stations. It was a technical accomplishment and source of pride to reach across the distant airwaves and make a vast world just a little smaller. Through the miracle of the global postal system, QSL cards give tactile dimension to the ephemeral transmissions, deepening fleeting exchanges with a physical memento of the invisible introduction: "QSL: I confirm receipt of your transmission."

sst-qsl asks how this tradition might be adapted to the Internet age. With the World Wide Web at our fingertips the accomplishment is in making contact in meatspace, and it is our devices that hold the ultimate record of what really happened. sst-qsl puts the physical card first and imprints it with a scannable link to a dedicated space on a virtual, global message board. The physical card unlocks the ability to broadcast to the airwaves, turning the concept of the traditional QSL card on its head while building on the physical/ephemeral duality that has made these cards such objects of fascination and creativity for over a century.

Think that's kind of neat? Then send a nice message to the person who first introduced you to QSL cards, find someone printing sst-qsl cards and ask them for one by post, fax, carrier pigeon, or personal delivery, or click the button at the top of the page to log in with your email and start creating a collection of your own to share with the people you have met, will meet, or want to meet. This is an experiment, so I hope you have fun with it and find joy in the rough edges!