Using AI to generate modern QSL Cards

By: M0AWS

15 May 2024 at 21:41

With the recent explosion of artificial intelligence (AI) art generators that are making the news of late for all the wrong reasons, I decided to see if I could put it to good use and design some futuristic QSL cards.

Having recently been contacted by the Special Callsigns QSL Manager and being advised that there were 18 QSL cards waiting for me, I decided it was time to create some QSL cards of my own for future use.

Having never used any form of online AI and not having any artistic abilities I was amazed how easy it was to create images using nothing more than a paragraph or so of text to describe what it was I wanted to create.

Since all the QSL cards I received were for contacts on the QO-100 satellite, I set out to create a visually futuristic QSL card that was based around a radio HAM operator and satellite communications.

M0AWS - 1st attempt to create a futuristic QSL card using AI Art — M0AWS – 1st attempt at creating a futuristic QSL card image using AI Art

To my surprise the results of my first image generation were surprisingly good. The AI generated an image that resembled the simple text that I entered, although I never requested a one legged HAM operator!

Pleased with my very first attempt I gradually improved the description of what I was looking for, adding more and more detail to the text and including things that I wanted to see in the image. Over a fairly short period of time this approach started to generate some very interesting images.

M0AWS - AI Art QSL Image attempt 2 — M0AWS – AI Art QSL Image attempt 2

M0AWS - AI Art QSL Image attempt 3 — M0AWS – AI Art QSL Image attempt 2

With each iteration I gradually got closer to what I was trying to achieve but, never quite got exactly what I wanted so, I decided to rewrite the descriptive text adding even more information than before. The text was now a full blown paragraph with quite specific things described including the angle at which the scene was being viewed from.

The other option I wanted to try out was the theme functionality that the AI offered. This allows you to set a theme for the image from things like steampunk, cartoon, manga, real world and many more. The results were quite impressive and added yet another angle to the image generation.

M0AWS - AI Art QSL Theme 1 — M0AWS – AI Art QSL Theme 1

M0AWS - AI Art QSL Theme 3 — M0AWS – AI Art QSL Theme 1

I disappeared down the theme AI Art generation rabbit hole for quite some time and generated some very interesting and fun results. The best by far though was the Thunderbirds themed image, this did put a smile on my face!

M0AWS - AI Art QSL Thunderbirds Themed — M0AWS – AI Art QSL Thunderbirds Themed

At the other end of the spectrum I tried the Salvador Dalli theme, it produced an image that was very like the work of the famous artist but, wasn’t quite what I was looking for.

M0AWS - AI Art QSL Salvador Dalli Themed — M0AWS – AI Art QSL Salvador Dalli Themed

After much fun I eventually settled on the image I was after, a futuristic scene of a radio HAM with a satellite ground station over looking a mountain range and city below.

M0AWS Satellite QSL Card generated using online AI

I’m really pleased with the results from my ventures into AI generated art. The next challenge is to create a QSL card for HF bands Contacts.

More soon …

Scanning the Airwaves
My QSL card
25 October 2020 at 16:10

My QSL card

Scanning the Airwaves

By: noreply@blogger.com (Patrick Mannion)

25 October 2020 at 16:10

This is my QSL card.

If you're curious how I made it, I used a Photoshop template made by AB3DC, Dinesh Cyanam. He has open sourced it and uploaded it to GitHub. I followed his directions, made a few changes of my own and used GotPrint to print my cards, as the printing guides for GotPrint are included in the template.

Note, despite what it says in the GitHub readme as not conforming to USPS standards to be sent as a postcard, I have had no issues sending it as a postcard so far.

Scanning the Airwaves
Getting on HF
13 September 2020 at 17:57

Getting on HF

Scanning the Airwaves

By: noreply@blogger.com (Patrick Mannion)

13 September 2020 at 17:57

There's one thing I forgot to mention during my 2020 update. And it's important one at that.

I was finally able to get on HF!

Yes, during May 2020, me and my father went into the attic and hooked up the QuirkyQRP Slinktenna I have. It was quite the challenge as not all of the attic over the room where my station is has floorboards to step on, just studs. It also necessitated drilling a hole in the wall because despite our best efforts, the electrical fish tape kept falling behind the the metal junction box that was already in place in the wall.

The hole in the wall that was drilled to properly snake the cable through the junction box below.

The Slinktenna hung up behind an old TV antenna.

Nevertheless, we persevered and I was able to start using HF via FT8. So far, SSB hasn't been successful but I believe that's due to the high noise floor I have. But still, I've had luck so far with FT8 and have made at least 20 QSOs so far with some QSL cards to boot.

My station setup

Getting ready to send one of my QSL cards.

Some of the QSL cards I've received so far.

Unfortunately, the FT-900 died during a session of FT8 and I haven't been able to get it to turn back on. So I am in the hunt for a new radio because the FT-900 has long been discontinued. Right now, I'm deciding between a Yaesu FT-991A or an Icom IC-7300.

Normal view