Ham Radio for Beginners Ep. 7 | QSL Cards Explained + LoTW, WRL & QRZ

You've made your first contacts...now what? In this episode of the Ham Radio for Beginners series, Josh AA4WX explains everything new operators need to know about confirming contacts and collecting QSL cards. We'll cover the history of paper QSL cards, modern online confirmation systems like Logbook of The World (LoTW), eQSL, and QRZ, plus how confirmed contacts can earn you awards such as Worked All States (WAS) and DX Century Club (DXCC). Whether you're working local repeaters, HF, digital modes, or POTA activations, understanding confirmations is an important next step in your amateur radio journey. In this episode: What is a QSL card? Why hams exchange confirmations Paper vs electronic QSLs Logbook of The World (LoTW) QRZ Logbook eQSL Common amateur radio awards Tips for keeping an accurate log 👍 Like, Subscribe, and join us every Thursday at 8 PM Eastern for HamShackTV LIVE! 🌍 Join World Radio League Track QSOs like a pro — 10% off Paid Memberships with HAMSHACKTV https://app.worldradioleague.com/?via=josh 🎙 SUPPORT THE CHANNEL & JOIN THE COMMUNITY! GET THE BEST IN MOBILE RADIO MOUNTS: https://www.lidoradio.com/?sca_ref=10673105.CO7opX2nTeqclAj 🛒 Shop My Amazon Link https://geni.us/HSTVAmazon ***Gigaparts*** Radios, Antennas, Coax, Power Supplies, 3D Printers, and More! Go to Gigaparts.com and Earn 2x Rewards point when using discound code HamShackTV at checkout. 📻 Get Your Ham Radio License the Easy Way Ham Radio Prep makes it simple — save 10% with code HamShackTV https://HamRadioPrep.com 🌍 Join World Radio League Track QSOs like a pro — 10% off Paid Memberships with HAMSHACKTV https://app.worldradioleague.com/?via=josh ABR Industries (COAX AND CONNECTORS) https://abrind.com/?sld=hamshacktv Use coupon code hamshacktv10 at checkout for 10% off 👉 Buy your SEEED T1000 here: https://www.seeedstudio.com/SenseCAP-Card-Tracker-T1000-E-for-Meshtastic-p-5913.html 🔌 Digirig Interface Your all-in-one digital rig solution — plug in and get on the air fast: https://digirig.net/p/8/ 🖥️ Intehill Monitors for POTA & More Crystal-clear portable displays perfect for field ops: https://tidd.ly/46n7BSh 🧢 Official HamShackTV Merch From shirts to mugs — support the shack in style: https://hamshacktv.printify.me/ 📡 BetterSafeRadio Gear Save 7% on solid gear for the prepared ham — use code AA4WX7 https://bettersaferadio.com/pro/aa4wx 🌐 Explore Meshtastic Get started with off-grid comms — click here: https://tinyurl.com/yfuanv2e 🚀 Join This Channel for Perks & Exclusive Content Get member-only videos, badges & more: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJbVjEmjCQcwcD-Lk91owhw/join 🛍️ Visit the All-New HamShackTV Amazon Store My curated picks in one place: https://www.amazon.com/shop/hamshacktv Let’s keep HamShackTV going strong — here’s how you can be a part of it: 💬 Chat with Us on Discord Join the conversation with fellow hams: https://discord.gg/BcqkVCZdZ9 📘 Follow on Facebook Daily posts, updates, and behind-the-scenes: https://facebook.com/HamShackTV 🌐 Visit the website for videos, merch & more: https://HAMSHACKTV.COM ⚠️ FTC Disclaimer: Some links are affiliate links. If you purchase through them, I may earn a small commission — at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting the shack! Songs that may be used in my videos: Newsmark - 615 Music The Process By LAKEY INSPIRED is licensed under a Creative Commons License.