What is QSL? This mysterious abbreviation means nothing to most people with the exception of those who are either radio amateurs or listen to shortwave radio stations as a hobby. "QSL" is one of a number of three-letter abbreviations, all beginning with the letter "Q" developed as a shorthand way of communicating in the early days of radio, when messages consisted of Morse code. "QSL?" meant a question, "Did you receive my message?" and its answer, "QSL" meant "I received your message."

This mysterious abbreviation means nothing to most people with the exception of those who are either radio amateurs or listen to shortwave radio stations as a hobby. "QSL" is one of a number of three-letter abbreviations, all beginning with the letter "Q" developed as a shorthand way of communicating in the early days of radio, when messages consisted of Morse code. "QSL?" meant a question, "Did you receive my message?" and its answer, "QSL" meant "I received your message."

When amateur radio and shortwave listening became popular hobbies before World War II and, again, in the 1950's and 1960's, thousands of radio stations around the world began confirming reception of their broadcasts by sending specially-designed QSL cards through the mail and these QSL cards became collectibles. That is when, as an adolescent, the author traveled the world and never left home.

Section One of this book reproduces in full color 107 vintage QSL cards from radio stations in 75 countries. Section Two features cards issued by 35 radio amateurs and people who actively listened to shortwave radio stations and exchanged their cards. Section Three depicts seasonal greeting cards sent to listeners by radio stations in nine countries.

A seventeen-page introduction initiates the reader into the world of shortwave radio listening and discusses all aspects of the hobby.

An appendix, "A Letter from Antarctica," recounts how the author, in Kentucky, was linked to a British meteorologist at a base in Antarctica via a radio station in Montevideo, Uruguay.

QSL: How I Traveled the World and Never Left Home is the first book to be published reproducing in color an entire collection of vintage QSL cards and will appeal to radio amateurs and shortwave listeners as well as historians, geographers, collectors of radio memorabilia and the intellectually curious.

QSL: How I Traveled the World and Never Left Home is available for purchase on seventeen Amazon platforms worldwide: the United States, The United Kingdom, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Singapore, Japan, Australia, Brazil and Mexico.

List price in the United States is $31..50. Dimensions: 163 pages, 81/2" x 81/2.