Finding your info
Most of our products include some form of personalization ranging from just your callsign to over 20 for our My QTH mousepad. Most of you will absolutely know how to get every bit of information necessary, but just in case, for those who might be new to amateur radio, we have listed below, various means of obtaining the necessary information. Feel free to use your own!
Obviously, the list below is not for every product. If, however, your product is asking for a specific type of information, hopefully the content below will help.
On This Page
Core Fields
- Name
- Callsign
- Year Licensed
- License Class
- City
- County
- State / Province / Territory
- Country
- Elevation
- Latitude and Longitude, Decimal Degrees
- Latitude and Longitude, Degrees-Minutes-Seconds
- Time Zone
- ARRL / RAC Section and Division
- Maidenhead Grid
- ITU Zone
- CQ Zone
Optional Fields
- Email Address
- Telephone Number
- DMR ID
- Skywarn Spotter Number
- DXCC Entity
- Continent
- Max Power
- Club Affiliation(s)
- CW Club Number
- Primary Mode Badge
- ARES / RACES Appointment
- Previous Callsign
Name
Some choose to use their full name, others their first name, others yet, just a nickname. It's your name...
Callsign
Printed on your license. If you need to confirm the exact format, look yourself up at QRZ.com or, for US operators, the FCC's ULS License Search.
Year Licensed
This is the year you were first licensed, not your most recent renewal. US operators can find their original grant date in the FCC ULS by searching their callsign and opening License History, where the earliest entry shows the original grant. If you've held a callsign for decades and aren't sure, ULS history is the most reliable source.
License Class
Technician, General, or Amateur Extra (or your country's equivalent), shown on your license and in ULS.
City
Your station's city. Straightforward.
County (if applicable)
If you're not sure which county your address falls in, search "[your street address] county" in any search engine, or use a free lookup tool like UnitedStatesZipCodes.org.
State / Province / Territory
Straightforward.
Country
Straightforward.
Elevation (MSL, feet or meters)
This is your elevation above sea level at your station, not just any nearby high point.
iPhone
Open the built-in Compass app. Elevation, along with latitude and longitude, is shown at the bottom of the screen once Location Services is enabled for Compass (Settings, Privacy and Security, Location Services). Elevation comes from the barometric altimeter and is available on iPhone 6 and later.
Android
There's no built-in equivalent to the Compass app for elevation. Use Google Maps: search your address, tap the location, and elevation is often shown in the details panel, or use a dedicated app such as GPS Status and Toolbox. A web-based option that works on any device is FreeMapTools Elevation Finder, where you drop a pin on your location and read the elevation directly.
A Note on Accuracy
For both coordinate fields below, use your phone's live GPS reading rather than dropping a pin on a map. Tapping and holding a spot on Google Maps or Apple Maps places a marker based on where you tap relative to the map imagery, which can be off by a meaningful distance. A dedicated GPS app reads your position straight from your phone's GPS chip while you stand at your station, which is more precise.
Latitude and Longitude, Decimal Degrees
Format example: 39.1247° N, 77.2098° W
iPhone
The built-in Compass app reads live GPS but displays degrees-minutes-seconds, not decimal. Maidenhead Converter (App Store) reads the same live GPS and shows decimal degrees directly, alongside your grid square.
Android
Grid Square Locator (Google Play) reads live GPS and displays decimal coordinates directly, alongside your grid square. If you'd rather not install a separate app, Google Maps' current-location blue dot, not a manually placed pin, also uses live GPS. Tap the blue dot itself, not an arbitrary point on the map, to see decimal coordinates.
Latitude and Longitude, Degrees-Minutes-Seconds
Format example: 39° 7' 29" N, 77° 12' 35" W
iPhone
Open the built-in Compass app with Location Services enabled while standing at your station. Coordinates in degrees-minutes-seconds appear at the bottom of the screen automatically, read live from GPS, no conversion needed.
Android
Get your live decimal coordinates as described above, then convert using a free tool such as the FCC's DMS to Decimal converter or LatLong.net. Converting a live GPS reading keeps the result accurate, converting a coordinate pulled from a placed pin just carries that pin's imprecision forward.
Time Zone
Format as the standard abbreviation with both UTC offsets shown together, for example ET (UTC-5/-4) or PT (UTC-8/-7). Showing both offsets keeps the pad accurate whether or not your zone happens to be in daylight saving time when someone reads it. If you're unsure of your zone's abbreviation and offsets, check TimeAndDate.com and search your city.
ARRL / RAC
Section
US and Canadian operators can find their section using the ARRL Sections by Division list or the ARRL Section Boundaries page, which lists the exact counties in each section. If you already know your state, most sections map directly to it, though some states, like New York and Pennsylvania, split into two or more sections by county.
Division
Once you know your section, the division is the larger grouping it belongs to. See the ARRL Divisions Map, or check the Sections by Division list above, which is already organized by division.
Maidenhead Grid (8-character precision)
Six-character grid squares are common, but this pad uses eight characters for a more precise fix. Because that precision matters, use an app that reads live GPS rather than a manually placed map pin, the same apps recommended above for your coordinates.
iPhone
Maidenhead Converter (App Store) shows your current grid to eight characters directly from live GPS. Grid Square Life is another option with the same precision, plus offline support.
Android
Grid Square Locator (Google Play) reads live GPS and returns the eight-character locator directly.
Either platform can also get there manually: take your live decimal latitude and longitude and convert them using an online Maidenhead calculator, such as the one at levinecentral.com.
ITU Zone
For Maryland and most of the Mid-Atlantic, this is Zone 8. If you're elsewhere, use the ITU Zones for US States reference or the interactive CQ/ITU Zone Check tool, which looks up both zones from your grid square or address.
CQ Zone
For Maryland and most of the Mid-Atlantic, this is Zone 5. Elsewhere, use the same CQ/ITU Zone Check tool, or consult the CQ WAZ Zone Definitions for a full breakdown by region and prefix.
NOTE: Most elements below, are considered optional on specific products. For example, any of these can be included in your MY HAM QTH pad.
Email Address
Your choice of address. Keep in mind this prints permanently on a physical product, so consider using an address you don't mind being seen by anyone who visits your shack.
Telephone Number
Same consideration as email, and more so, since a phone number invites a call or text directly. Choose this only if you're comfortable with that level of exposure on a permanent printed item.
DMR ID
If you already operate DMR, you already have this. If not, register for free at RadioID.net. Your seven-digit ID is issued once and works across all major DMR networks.
Skywarn Spotter Number
Issued after completing NWS Skywarn spotter training. If you've taken the training but don't remember your number, check your training completion certificate or contact your local National Weather Service office. New spotters can find a class at weather.gov/skywarn.
DXCC Entity
For most US operators this matches Country, but it diverges for Alaska, Hawaii, and US territories like Puerto Rico or Guam, each of which counts as a separate DXCC entity. Check the official ARRL DXCC List if you're unsure which entity your location falls under.
Continent
Straightforward for most operators. If you're on a boundary or an island territory and unsure, the CQ WAZ Zone Definitions page groups entities by continent alongside CQ zone.
Max Power
This is your station's actual output, not your license class's legal limit. If you run an amp, use its rated output; if you run QRP, use your actual transmit power. Check your rig or amplifier's display or manual.
Club Affiliation(s)
The name of the club or clubs you belong to. Keep in mind this shares space with your other optional selections, so a short, recognizable club name or call works best.
CW Club Number
If you belong to a dedicated CW club, your membership number is permanent once issued. Common examples:
- FISTS (International Morse Preservation Society): join at fists.org. Format as FISTS #12345.
- SKCC (Straight Key Century Club): join at skccgroup.com. Format as SKCC #12345.
- NAQCC (North American QRP CW Club): join at naqcc.info. Format as NAQCC #1234.
Your number is in your welcome email or member profile on the club's site.
Primary Mode Badge
CW, SSB, or Digital, whichever you operate most. No lookup needed, just your own honest answer.
ARES / RACES Appointment
If you hold a formal appointment (EC, DEC, RO, and similar), it's listed with your local ARES group. If you're not sure of your exact title, contact your Section's Emergency Coordinator, found through the ARRL ARES page for your section.
Previous Callsign
If you upgraded from an earlier callsign, for example a Technician-class call before earning a vanity Extra call, this preserves that history. Your license history in FCC ULS or your own memory is the source here.
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