Friday, August 17, 2007

'QSL Cards' for my fellow amateur radio operators


For a century, it has been a lovely custom among amateur radio operators to exchange 'QSL cards' to confirm radio contacts between stations. When I returned home from Antarctica I found hundreds of these marvelous cards stashed in a box in a corner of the kitchen, mailed by many of the operators I spoke to while at Patriot Hills and in Punta Arenas. The cards arrived from all seven continents and from most of the US states.
In the spring, I sat down with some of my favorite photographs, developed a card of my own using Adobe Photoshop, and had them printed by my friend Oleg in Russia. This weekend, up here on Martha's Vineyard, the boxes arrived. I promptly sat down with a pen, a box of the cards and the large box of incoming cards and filled in hundreds of them on the dining room table, remembering long, friendly conversations on a cold but beautiful Antarctic nights.
Thanks to all of you who called me on the radio or sent me emails while I was down there.
Adam

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