The legacy of "Old Time" Ham Radio Operators can be found in the QSL Cards they left behind. This Website is dedicated to those Old Time Radio Operators.
I have a Collection of Old (US and Canadian) Ham Radio QSL Cards dating from the early 1920s.
A complete list of Old QSL Cards now totaling more than 45 THOUSAND can be accessed by clicking on the Master File Links below. Over 22 Hundred Online Scans of Old QSL Cards are also available by clicking on the required Scan Link.
Improvements and updates will continue to be made, as the Collection grows and I learn more about this WEB PAGE DESIGN "stuff", so check back often.
Old QSL Cards are an important part of Ham Radio History that need to be preserved. It is my goal to save as many of these Old QSL Cards as possible to keep them from ending up in the Land Fills of America.
Please help me with this important project. I appreciate all donations including Old QSL Cards (1920s - 1980s), and Old Radio Amateur Call Books especially from old Silent Key Estates. Send me that shoe box full of Old QSL Cards that you've been wanting to get rid of.
If you are looking for an old HAM friend (Elmer), relative, or just searching for a card from the former holder of your new "Vanity Call", check my database then email your request (by CALL SIGN). I will make scanned copies of any QSL Cards I have, and make them available to you. I have hundreds of Novice Old QSL Cards listed as well.
I can also Search old Radio Amateur Call Books from years 1933, 37, 39, 40, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 55, 57, 58, 60, 62, 65, 69, 71, 73, 74, 78, 84 and 91 for old call sign information. I will send you a scanned or digital photo of a call book listing and the callbook's cover page which is acceptable as proof to FCC and VEs in renewing an expired Ham Radio License or qualifying for credit for a new license.
HELP ME PRESERVE AN IMPORTANT HISTORICAL ARTIFACT OF HAM RADIO HISTORY.
" If you turn on an old dusty tube type receiver, listen very carefully using an old pair of headphones and tune the receiver ever so slowly, you can still hear their faint signals off in the distance ..... "
BOB GREEN W8JYZ
1362 Elmhust Drive
Howell, MI, 48843
Share your thoughts and suggestions via my Guest Book. I appreciate all the positive comments left in my Guest Book by you the Ham Community. Guestbook comments should be short 2 or 3 lines. If more room is necessary, send to me direct using e-mail. Please e-mail any problems with loading the page or bad links.
I have archived my guestbook to make more room for your comments. Click on the Archive 1 or Archive 2 Link to read more Guestbook entries and comments. The file is in PDF Format.
UPDATE! A new UPDATE of 299 Cards has been added June 16, 2014
I am back in Michigan now. My collection has been in storage for the winter. I am back up and running. This is a one man project and I will continue to work as fast as possible. I have more many more cards to add to the database and will continue updating the database as often as possible. As always your continued donations and support is always appreciated.
If you enjoyed your visit here and found yourself remembering your own recent past and want to assist me, your DONATION will help with funding for this project to save our "Ham Radio History".
Thank You!
Over 80 thousand visitors have viewed this website
Since October 2004
To view my Old QSL Cards On Line Scans click the links below:
Link - Before the Bombings and Invasions, before the Offensives and the Retreats, before the Death and Destruction known as WWII, before they were Allies or Axis, they were HAMS and SWLers
View these 1930s photos Link If you are familar with this group or these photos and can share some insight please email. I received these from K5FNG Dave McCombs in Spring, TX. The W8PJB old QSL Card is part of my "QSL Cards from the Past" collection.
In case you missed this, "Thank you" Stan Horzepa WA1LOU for your "Surfin" review of my website. This article appeared during the week of Jan 4, 2008 on the ARRL Website.
Click Here to read the REVIEW
Thank you Paul Huff N8XMS for your "Radio Roots" Story. If you missed it on the ARRL site Click here to read the Radio Roots Story.
eHam Link - If you like the "Old Time" Shack Pictures and want to leave a comment, click the link to this eHam Elmers Forum and tell us your thoughts. Some good comments and all are appreciated.
Read about
ABC News Anchor
Peter Jennings SWLer (sk).
View my YouTube 3 clip video from 1986.
Click here
New full 30 minute Peter Jennings 1986 video
Click here Read the pdf file above before playing this video
Watch this 1939 Promo Movie
"Radio Hams" A Pete Smith Specialty!!
Watch this 30 minute video produced by Hallicrafters in 1944 showing their War effort to produce Mobile Radio units that would help to coordinate radio communications in the field during WWII.
"The Voice of Victory"
After reading about the old "Spark" transmitters of the early 1900s
have you ever wondered what they really sounded like? Watch Bruce
Kelley(sk) demonstrate these old "Spark Gap" transmitters.
Click here and watch the 10 minute Video.
Last Contact before the Ham Radio Blackout during WWII W2NYY Read about this Dec. 7, 1941 Ham Radio contact and the tragedy that followed at Pearl Harbor.
Ham Radio Operations came to a halt after the bombing of Pearl Harbor and America's entry into WWII. Stateside, everybody worked to produce materials needed for the War effort and many contributed by buying WAR BONDS There are no QSL Cards to show during the War years but here are some WAR BONDS posters displayed during those years.
W8QCS Bruce Batchelor's
brush with History in the summer of 1937
Looks like he took a night off from his busy Presidential Campaign
having received the Nomination just a few weeks earlier, to relax
and "Chat with his Ham Radio friends".
Some "Old Time"
Radio Shacks
Response to "Old Time Radio Shacks" has been very good. If you have a favorite picture and would like it posted on this page, please email the picture to me in jpg format. I will make room here for all good pictures of "Old Time Shacks".
LINK Click here for MANY more HAM SHACK PICS.
