{"id":1959,"date":"2012-09-03T16:52:03","date_gmt":"2012-09-03T16:52:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dev.rsgbtestzone.biz\/wordpress\/?page_id=1959"},"modified":"2026-03-18T13:01:07","modified_gmt":"2026-03-18T13:01:07","slug":"sending-cards-to-the-bureau","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/rsgb.org\/main\/operating\/qsl-bureau\/sending-cards-to-the-bureau\/","title":{"rendered":"How to send cards to the Bureau"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-44817\" src=\"https:\/\/rsgb.org\/main\/files\/2026\/01\/QSL-if9zwa.jpg\" alt=\"IF9ZWA QSL card\" width=\"800\" height=\"519\" srcset=\"https:\/\/rsgb.org\/main\/files\/2026\/01\/QSL-if9zwa.jpg 604w, https:\/\/rsgb.org\/main\/files\/2026\/01\/QSL-if9zwa-300x195.jpg 300w, https:\/\/rsgb.org\/main\/files\/2026\/01\/QSL-if9zwa-150x97.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/p>\n<h3>Sending cards to the RSGB QSL Bureau<\/h3>\n<p>This section provides guidance for RSGB Members who would like to send QSL cards via the Bureau.<\/p>\n<p>Members who wish to use faster alternatives should see the page that explains the <a href=\"https:\/\/rsgb.org\/main\/operating\/qsl-bureau\/fast-track-and-direct-print-services-darc\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Fast Track and Direct Print Services<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Responsible QSLing<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>To reduce waste and unnecessary cost:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Avoid sending multiple cards where one is enough<\/li>\n<li>Check QSL preferences during the QSO or on <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.qrz.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">QRZ.com<\/a><\/strong> before sending<\/li>\n<li>Consider electronic confirmation where appropriate<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><strong>Eligibility to send cards<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Sending QSL cards via the RSGB QSL Bureau is a <strong>member-only benefit<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>You must ensure that any callsign you use for sending cards is correctly recorded in your RSGB Membership Services account.\u00a0 Please do this by logging on via the <a href=\"https:\/\/rsgb.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>RSGB website<\/strong><\/a> or contacting <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/rsgb.org\/main\/contact\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">RSGB HQ.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Please note:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Club and special-interest group call signs must not be listed as secondary personal call signs<\/li>\n<li>Special Event (GB) call signs should be listed as secondary call signs to the NOV holder<\/li>\n<li>Cards must not be sent \u201cvia\u201d another RSGB member \u2014 cards are delivered to the call sign used in the QSO<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><strong>Fair usage policy<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>The RSGB QSL Bureau is provided as a member benefit. To ensure the service remains sustainable and fair to all users:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Individual members may send up to 15kg of cards per year (approximately 5,000 standard cards)<\/li>\n<li>Affiliated Clubs may send up to 20kg of cards per year<\/li>\n<li>Senders should normally send no more than 1kg of cards per DXCC entity per month. Larger quantities should be sent directly to the destination bureau<\/li>\n<li>Heavy users (for example DXpeditions and some clubs) are strongly encouraged to route higher volumes of QSL cards via the Fast Track services<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>These limits will be kept under review as usage data becomes available from the DARC QSL Bureau.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>\u00a0Card specification<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>All cards are processed by the DARC QSL Bureau using semi-automatic sorting and mechanical bundling systems. To ensure efficient handling:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Preferred card size: 90 \u00d7 140 mm (3\u00bd \u00d7 5\u00bd inches)<\/li>\n<li>Maximum weight: 3 grams per card<\/li>\n<li>Cards should be two sided (not foldable and multiple sided)<\/li>\n<li>Cards must be made of stiff paper or thin card<\/li>\n<li>Each card must clearly show:\n<ul>\n<li>sender\u2019s call sign<\/li>\n<li>recipient\u2019s call sign<\/li>\n<li>date and time (UTC)<\/li>\n<li>frequency or band<\/li>\n<li>mode<\/li>\n<li>signal report (RST)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Cards that are oversized, too thick, or contain inappropriate content (including commercial advertising) may be rejected.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Bundling and packing<\/strong><\/h3>\n<div>\n<p><span data-olk-copy-source=\"MessageBody\">Cards should be sorted as follows<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<ul>\n<li>UK destinations &#8211; pre-sort G, M and 2 as per the Sub Managers list<\/li>\n<li>USA destinations &#8211; sort by number only, 0-9, regardless of prefix. Separate cards out for Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rica<\/li>\n<li>Rest of the World &#8211; in DXCC call sign prefix order<\/li>\n<li>Calls with numbers first &#8211; sort in digit order, i.e. 3A, 4X, 8P, 9H etc.<\/li>\n<li>Countries that have been assigned multiple prefixes should be grouped under one main prefix<\/li>\n<li>Cards from different call signs must not be mixed<\/li>\n<li>Individual bundles of QSL cards must be clearly labelled with the country or bureau name (eg \u201cFrance \u2013 REF\u201d, \u201cUSA \u2013 ARRL\u201d)<\/li>\n<li>Secure individual bundles with rubber bands or paper straps only<\/li>\n<li>Do not use adhesive tape, plastic wrapping, staples or metal clips<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<h3><strong>Short Wave Listeners (SWLs) and overseas members<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Listener (SWL) members may use the Bureau, provided reports contain sufficient detail to be of value<\/li>\n<li>Overseas RSGB Members in countries without an IARU-affiliated QSL bureau may send cards via the RSGB QSL Bureau<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><strong>Where to send your QSL cards:<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>RSGB QSL Bureau<br \/>\nPO Box 73<br \/>\n20 St. Loyes Street<br \/>\nBedford<br \/>\nMK40 1ZL<\/p>\n<p><strong>Courier deliveries cannot be made to a Royal Mail PO Box. If using a courier, please send cards to:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Radio Society of Great Britain<br \/>\nc\/o MBE Bedford<br \/>\nSt. Loyes House<br \/>\n20 St. Loyes Street<br \/>\nBedford<br \/>\nMK40 1ZL<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Sending cards to the RSGB QSL Bureau This section provides guidance for RSGB Members who would like to send QSL cards via the Bureau. Members who wish to use faster alternatives should see the page that explains the Fast Track and Direct Print Services. Responsible QSLing To reduce waste and unnecessary cost: Avoid sending multiple [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":659,"menu_order":4,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-1959","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/rsgb.org\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1959","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/rsgb.org\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/rsgb.org\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rsgb.org\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rsgb.org\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1959"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/rsgb.org\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1959\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":46497,"href":"https:\/\/rsgb.org\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1959\/revisions\/46497"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rsgb.org\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/659"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/rsgb.org\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1959"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}