QST AMATEUR RADIO
1984 MAGAZINE SET
includes all twelve issues
(larger size than earlier years)

QST is a magazine for amateur radio enthusiasts, published by the American Radio Relay League (ARRL). 

It is a membership journal that is included with membership in the ARRL. The publisher claims that circulation of QST in the United States is higher than all other amateur radio-related publications in the United States combined. Although an exact number for circulation is not published by the American Radio Relay League, the organization claimed 154,627 members at the end of 2008, almost all of whom receive the magazine monthly, in addition to issues delivered to libraries and newsstands.

The name of the magazine is derived from the radio Q signal that means "calling all stations". The magazine was first published in December, 1915, and has been continuously published since May, 1919. Supplemental content to the magazine is available on the ARRL web site, including a complete archive in PDF format, available to ARRL members starting in 2008.

The magazine was first published in December 1915, with its first three issues financed by American Radio Relay League founder Hiram Percy Maxim and secretary Clarence D. Tuska, with an expectation that increased membership would finance its continued existence. In October 1916, the editors announced the formation of The QST Publishing Company, mostly to insulate Maxim and Tuska from possible litigation risks.

Publication of QST was temporarily suspended after the September 1917 issue. In April 1917, the United States government, following its entrance into World War I, banned all amateur radio activities, and a large percentage of the magazine's subscribers had entered military service. The ban on amateur radio was lifted after the conclusion of the war. QST returned in May 1919 with no cover – billed as “ARRL Special Bulletin” – and only 8 pages long. At a meeting in New York on March 29, a group that included Maxim, Tuska, and nine others decided to finance its return in this form and make a plea for membership and subscription renewals. The June 1919 issue, still without a cover, announced that the war time ban on receiving had been lifted. Finally, in July 1919, QST resumed its previous format, although amateurs would not be permitted back on the air until that fall, when a supplement to the October issue proclaimed “BAN OFF”. By September 1920, QST was back up to 100 pages, a size not seen since April 1917.

Publication continued throughout World War II, despite amateur radio's hiatus by order of the U.S. government. During both wars, amateurs were in high demand as military radio operators, and QST's staff pitched in for the war effort.


MY MAGAZINE GRADING SYSTEM

I try to be fair and honest in my grading, and make every attempt to mention loose or cut pages, stains, tears, binding damage, etc. Sometimes I find that a magazine falls between two grades, in which case I will list it with a two-grade scale.

NEAR MINT - MINT: I rarely use these grades, except when a magazine is in truly exceptional condition.

VERY FINE: very nice with virtually no major defects.

FINE+:an even nicer copy, with minimal obvious defects.

FINE:a nice copy, flat with minor creases; may have some spine stress, but no prominent defects.

FINE-:better than VG+ but just a bit short of what I would consider Fine.

VERY GOOD+: most of the magazines I list fall into this grade; a typical read magazine with obvious defects as noted.

VERY GOOD: fairly well-read with an accumulation of tears and defects as noted; may be heavily creased or spine-rolled.

GOOD:a complete but heavily-read magazine; may be missing pieces of covers, loose covers, rolled spine or other noted damage.

FAIR:a rough magazine, with many defects including tears. missing pieces, water damage, spine wear, etc.

POOR: no missing pages unless noted, but otherwise a pretty trashed magazine; almost any and every damage may be present.