Also know as “Ham Radio” (the HAM being an acronym for “Home Amateur Mechanic”) a global, non-commercial radio service and popular hobby for communication, technical experimentation, and public service, allowing licensed operators to talk locally or worldwide, even into space, without the internet, using various frequencies and modes.
I’ve been involved in Amateur Radio for decades, mostly for very short-range communications. Needing another mountain to climb, a few years ago I decided to get into HF (High Frequency) long range communications, known as DX.
The Gold Standard for HF Amateur Radio is communicating with every other country (with the exception of North Korea where Amateur Radio is banned). I thought it would be fun, and more challenging, to see if I could “work” (radio slang for establishing two-way communications) with 100 countries within one year.
I did it with three days to spare.
When I decided to move on to other things, I had 155 countries under my belt.
Amateur Radio is a very technical hobby. However, it also provides and opportunity to have limited interactions with people around the world. One of the ways we do this is with “QSL” cards, QSL meaning “I acknowledge receipt”.
After a “QSO” (a two-way contact) its customary to exchange QSL cards via postal mail. I’ve used two, both of my own design.
The governing body of radio communications for each county issues, in cooperation with the International Amateur Radio Union (IRAU), call signs to each licensed operator. Mine is KC9IKB. The call sign for those of us in the states and territories of the U.S. are issued by the Federal Communications Commission.
Below are some of the cards I’ve received in something weakly approaching alphabetical order.
“Country” for the purposes of Amateur Radio is what the IARU defines as a country, which won’t match what a political map will show. For example, Russia is two “countries” (European Russia and Asiatic Russia), while Saint Helena, although a territory of England, is a separate entity from the U.K. in the Amateur Radio world.
Countries with which I’ve had multiple contacts are represented by only one card.
Many operators have two-sided cards, one side being only a photo, and the other side having the communication details. I’ve chosen to present whatever side might look more interesting to the viewer.
Its customary when sending a QSL card to add a brief hand-written note to acknowledge that we recognize each other as a person and not simply as another QSO.
Each entity has the country name listed below it, along with a brief comment about the place if I thought it was something worth mentioning. On occasion I’ve also posted scans of the envelopes, usually because of interesting stamps/postmarks.
NOTE: This page requires A LOT of scrolling 🙂
(Technically part of Spain)
Technically part of Spain.
Ceuta is a so-called”Autonomous City” situated on the north tip of Africa. Its considered to be part of the European Union. being one of the territories not in Span proper that the Spanish have manages to hold onto. The other is Melilla.
Technically I think “The Kingdom of Eswatini”.
An archipelago off the coast of Brazil.
Apparently I misplaced the QSL card, but I still have the envelope.
This should probably be under “Cayman Islands”.
Technically part of Ecuador.
Technically a “British Overseas Territory”.
Technically a territory of the United States.
A British Crown Dependency, the UK handles defense and foreign affairs, similar to the Isle of Man and Gurnsey.
North Korea, where Amateur Radio is banned, is not considered part of the Amateur Radio community, thus only one entry for Korea (South Korea).
Last country on the planet to outlaw slavery (1981).
One of the southern-most province of the former Yugoslavia, it borders the most northern province of Greece, which is known as…wait for it…Macedonia.
Due to its large size Russia is, in the Amateur Radio world, treated as two “countries”, Asiatic Russia being west of the Ural mountains, and European Russia being east of the Urals.
The QSO took place from Sint Eustatius (denoted by “QTH”), although the operators mailing address is in Poland.
Officially the “Kingdom Of Saudi Arabia”
Napoleon’s last place of exile.
