QSL Card from X2A (Alfonso Ortiz, Torreon, Mexico) to W6DQZ (Hamid Durmisevich, Los Angeles, California), December 10, 1933

It was customary for ham radio operators (hams) to exchange these "QSL cards" with one another through the mail after their first conversation. Long-time hams amassed collections of thousands of cards, some from far-flung places. There is a story embedded in each example: the ham's call sign dominates the design, with additional details about location, reception reports, and weather conditions.