Episode 20: Decoding QSL, From Paper Cards to Digital Confirmation

Published: August 6, 2026
YouTube: https://youtu.be/HhhoVukJI3s
Buzzsprout: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2438895/episodes/19606536

Summary

QSL is one of the most used terms on the air and one of the least understood. In Episode 20, James (K8JKU), Jim (N8JRD) and Rory (W8KNX) break down what QSL actually means, why keeping a log and confirming a contact are two different things, and how to work through paper cards, QRZ Logbook, Logbook of the World and Club Log without getting buried. Along the way, Rory pre-orders the Icom ID-5200A, Icom teases the X-026 ahead of HAM Fair 2026, Radioddity posts new photos of the Xiegu G7250, and James makes the case for the MacBook Neo as a portable ham radio laptop.

In This Episode

• Rory pre-orders the Icom ID-5200A and defends the $999.95 price

• Icom teases the X-026 ahead of HAM Fair 2026, and Kenwood's TM-D750A firms up for September

• New photos of the Xiegu G7250 raise questions about remote operating at a mid-range price

• James makes the case for the MacBook Neo as a portable ham radio laptop

• Jim finds a new-in-box Alinco DJ-C5 card-size HT for $85 on QRZ

• What QSL actually means, and why keeping a log is not the same as QSLing

• Rory's 42-year QSL card story from a rare Michigan county

• Paper cards, QRZ Logbook, Logbook of the World and Club Log, plus the hosts' own workflows

Chapters

0:00:00  Welcome to Episode 20
0:01:11  Listener shoutouts
0:01:59  Rory pre-orders the Icom ID-5200A
0:03:24  Is $999.95 too much for a dual-band mobile?
0:05:36  The Icom X-026 teaser and HAM Fair 2026
0:07:26  Kenwood TM-D750A: still waiting on FCC approval
0:09:25  Around the Shack: the MacBook Neo
0:14:23  Jim's $85 Alinco DJ-C5 find
0:16:57  Kenwood TM-D750A: September, and day-one APRS
0:19:07  Xiegu G7250: new photos, two antenna ports and Ethernet
0:22:29  Real competition in the remote rig market?
0:24:26  Discord, the website redesign and the merch store
0:26:20  What does QSL actually mean?
0:28:04  Is it wrong not to QSL?
0:30:48  Logging vs QSLing
0:34:33  The two-way street
0:35:47  42 years for one county
0:36:58  Paper QSL cards
0:40:44  eQSL and what actually counts for awards
0:42:06  Starting with the QRZ Logbook
0:44:52  Logbook of the World, the gold standard
0:50:19  Club Log and paid QSL services
0:51:58  James's workflow, and what ADIF is
0:56:39  Rory's workflow
0:58:12  Other loggers worth knowing
1:00:06  Ohio and Hawaii QSO Parties, August 22
1:01:18  Wrap up and 73

Mentioned in This Episode

• Ben, KB4LS

• Ethan, KO4FX

• Icom ID-5200A: https://www.hamradio.com/detail.cfm?pid=71-005028

• Icom ID-5200A at GigaParts: https://www.gigaparts.com/icom-id-5200-50w-144-430mhz-dual-band-transceiver.html

• Icom ID-5200A at DX Engineering: https://www.dxengineering.com/parts/rsv-id-5200

• Everyday Ham at Hamvention 2026, hands-on with the ID-5200: https://youtu.be/LIM0hjXez1Q

• Icom ID-5100 and ID-51

• Icom X-026 teaser reel: https://www.facebook.com/reel/1079845914395633

• Icom America on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IcomAmericaInc

• Icom Japan on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Icom.Incorporated

• HAM Fair 2026 (JARL), August 29 to 30, Ariake GYM-EX: https://www.jarl.org/English/4_Library/A-4-6_ham-fair/Ham-Fair_2026,Tokyo.html

• Ray Novak, N9JA, Icom America

• Ham Radio Crash Course: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChAu6Cof9KlfFxSbL9ytosQ

• Kenwood TM-D750A: https://www.dxengineering.com/parts/rsv-tm-d750a

• Phil Parton, N4DRO, JVC Kenwood

• MacBook Neo: https://www.apple.com/macbook-neo/

• Lewis, N8LEK

• WSJT-X and GridTracker

• Alinco DJ-C5

• Xiegu G7250: https://www.radioddity.com/products/xiegu-g7250

• Everyday Ham on the Xiegu G7250: https://youtu.be/r08dZat4bOU

• Radioddity (affiliate link, code EVERYDAYHAM for $15 off): https://www.radioddity.com/?ref=EVERYDAYHAM

• Syber Radio: https://www.youtube.com/@SyberRadio

• Everyday Ham Discord: https://discord.gg/4qvEUNPugy

• Everyday Ham merch: https://www.everydayham.com/merch

• Terry, W8TMB, and Rob, N1RWJ

• Mike, K2NKP

• Oscoda County, Michigan

• QSL Concept, QSL card printing: https://www.qslconcept.com

• W8EDH, South Lyon Area Amateur Radio Club

• QRZ Logbook: https://www.qrz.com/

• ARRL Logbook of the World: https://lotw.arrl.org/

• Logbook of the World getting started guides: https://www.arrl.org/logbook-of-the-world

• Club Log: https://clublog.org/

• World Radio League: https://worldradioleague.com/

• Ham2K Portable Logger (PoLo): https://polo.ham2k.com/

• Everyday Ham interview with Sebastián Delmont, KI2D: https://youtu.be/JivWdc2BbIs

• Parks on the Air (POTA): https://pota.app

• SkookumLogger by Bill Myers, K1GQ

• Wavelog: https://www.wavelog.org/

• Nexus by KD9TAW: https://hamradiotools.io

• North American QSO Party

• Ohio QSO Party, Saturday August 22, 2026: https://www.ohqp.org/

• Hawaii QSO Party, August 22 to 23, 2026: https://www.hawaiiqsoparty.org/

• Maumee Bay State Park, Lucas County, Ohio