QSL the service of the Slovak Union of Radio Amateurs (SZR) is a system intended for the exchange of paper QSL tickets between radio amateurs through the central "QSL bureau". Although it is primarily a member service of the SZR, the Organizational Rules clearly stipulate that a certain form of its use can also be obtained by non-members.
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Who is entitled to the QSL service?
Full access to the service (incoming and outgoing QSLs without weight restrictions and without additional fees) is exclusively available to SZR members with a paid membership fee for the current year.
Non-members do not have this option - but the rules allow them to use it incoming QSL service under certain conditions.
Options for non-members
A non-member of SZR can become an authorized user only incoming QSL service after payment of the annual fee of €40.
This means:
- QSL tickets from abroad or from other stations in Slovakia will be delivered to him via the QSL service.
- However, he cannot use sending his own QSL tickets via SZR.
- The fee is paid in advance and the applicant must contact the SZR secretariat by e-mail at the address szr@szr.sk, to obtain payment information.
| Function / item | Member of SZR (fee paid) | Non-member (incoming service) |
|---|---|---|
| Access to incoming QSL service | Yes — without limitation | Yes — after payment of an annual fee of €40 |
| Access to outgoing QSL service (sending) | Yes — no weight limit and no additional fees | No — the outgoing service is not used by non-members |
| Weight restrictions and frequency of sending | No weight restrictions for full members; sending abroad according to the principles of economy. | Not applicable (non-departure user). Incoming shipments are delivered according to the rules of the QSL service. |
| Personal delivery / collection | Yes — every Tuesday 09:00–15:00, or by appointment | Yes — the same option when picking up incoming tickets |
| Fees | No additional fees for QSL (except SZR membership fee) | Annual fee for incoming service €40 (contact: szr@szr.sk) |
| Contact for registration | QSL service: qsl@szr.sk; secretariat: szr@szr.sk | Contact the SZR secretariat by email (szr@szr.sk) for instructions on payment and activation of the service |
| Notes / limitations | Full members can use all services, they are connected to the system IARU QSL bureau. | Non-members only have income; if you need to send QSLs abroad, consider membership or other methods (direct, IRC, QSL manager). |
QSL service address: QSL service SZR, P.O.Box 14, 900 31 Stupava. Personal visits every Tuesday 09:00–15:00 or by appointment.
Exceptions to the delivery of QSL tickets through the bureau
List of countries DXCC, which are member organizations of the IARU, but do not have a functional QSL service (QSL bureau, QSL buro):
3B8, 3DA, 7P, 9L, 9V, A2, A3, A6, A9, C2, C5, C6, CN, D4, H4, HH, HV, PZ, ST, SU, V3, V4, V7, VP2E, VP2M, VP6, VP9, XZ, Z2.
QSL service is also not available in the following DXCC countries:
3B7, 3B9, 3C, 3C0, 3X, 4W, 5A, 5R, 5T, 5U, 5V, 7O, 7Q, 8Q, 9N, 9U, 9X, A5, D2, E3, E5, ET, J5, J6, J8, KH1, KH3, KH4, KH5, KH7, KH8, KH9, KH0, KP1, KP5, P2, P5, S0, S7, S9, ST, T2, T3, T5, T8, TL, TN, TT, TY, V6, XU, XV, XW, YA, Z6, Z8, ZD7, ZD8, ZD9.
Do not send QSL tickets to these countries via SZR's QSL service.
Duties of QSL service personnel
QSL service personnel are responsible for ensuring that only authorized users use it. They keep a record of every shipment of QSL tickets received and sent, including the date and weight of the shipment.
Sorting QSL tickets
QSL tickets received from authorized users must be divided into two groups:
-
QSL for OM stations – they are first sorted by numerical prefix (OM1 to OM0) and then alphabetically by suffix (e.g. OM1AA, OM1ABC, OM2YY, OM3CAB).
-
QSL for other stations – are sorted alphabetically by country according to the DXCC list.
Practical tips for non-members
- If you receive a lot of QSL tickets, an annual fee of €40 may be more efficient than dealing with each shipment directly or through a manager.
- When sending QSL directly to countries without a functional QSL bureau, always include the return postage — IRC or USD (check the current rules, not all countries accept IRC).
- If you plan to send QSLs regularly, consider joining SZR — you'll get full access to the outgoing QSL service at no extra charge.
This mode is advantageous for radio amateurs who do not want or cannot be members of the SZR, but regularly receive QSL tickets and want to have them delivered in a convenient way.
How QSL tickets are delivered
The address of the QSL service is:
QSL service SZR, P.O.Box 14, 900 31 Stupava
Tickets can be delivered by mail or in person. Personal collection and delivery is possible every Tuesday from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., or by agreement with a QSL service employee.
Shipments are sent economically - to individuals as a rule only after reaching the minimum weight and no more than four times a year. However, towards the end of the year, everything that has arrived will be delivered, regardless of the quantity.
Less active users are encouraged to join groups with a common QSL manager.
Restrictions and important rules
The organizational rules draw attention to several exceptions:
- To some DXCC countries, QSL tickets are not sent through the service because there is no functional QSL bureau there.
- For stations with a QSL manager, his brand must be indicated on the ticket and correctly included in the shipment.
- The QSL service does not send tickets directly to individuals abroad - only to the official QSL services of IARU member organizations.
Why it pays to know the order
Although non-members are limited in their ability to use the QSL service, the incoming service for a fee of €40 per year is a practical solution. This avoids the loss or delay of tickets and eliminates the need to negotiate on individual delivery.
However, it is important to respect the rules for sorting and addressing QSL tickets, so that the processing in Stupava takes place quickly and without complications.
Source: https://hamradio.sk/qslsluzba_f/org_poriadok.htm