Almost as soon as the licence drops through the door, the newly-qualified amateur must decide whether or not to start collecting QSL cards. Their principal use is in support of claims for awards of operating achievement. But even if you don't chase awards, many operators still like to have a QSL card from an exotic place merely to decorate their shacks, to record a particularly memorable QSO, or just to impress their friends. Many amateurs decide not to collect cards, either on grounds of cost or simply because of a lack of interest. Once started, it's an easy matter to stop collecting, but less easy to start at some time in the future. There has been, and continues to be, much discussion about the need to exchange QSL cards in these days of e-mail and the Internet. These arguments continue to rage, but as long as the major operating awards, such as DXCC and IOTA, require you to submit cards with your applications, QSL cards in one form or another will be with us.
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