The Edit: five projects including Standards Manual’s fascinating exploration into amateur radio

Each and every day, we're lucky to discover dozens of interesting and inspiring projects from around the world. From global identities and campaigns to side projects and independently published books, The Edit is home to five of them; every two weeks. The 10th title by independent publishing imprint Standards Manual has arrived, exploring the fascinating world of amateur (‘ham’) radio, with a visual history of the system’s unique calling card system. QSL? (Do You Confirm Receipt of My Transmission?): A Visual Language of Two-Way Radio Communication, documents designer Roger Bova’s collection of over 150 ‘QSL cards,’ which are postcard-esque written confirmations of prior communication between two ham radio or citizens band stations. Not unlike today’s internet avatars and social media handles, operators often projected their personalities onto their QSL cards. Therefore, building a collection became a source of curiosity and pride. Across 276 pages, the hardback publication invites us to step into the wacky world of ham radio, and the unique visual culture that came with it. During the summer of 2022, Chicago-based designer Cheryl Kao embarked on a near-2000-mile road trip with the help of Rancher, a bright yellow camper van. Her zine, ‘Up in the Mountains’ documents this journey from California’s Bay Area to the Cascades in Washington and back, with stops in Oregon, Mt. Rainier and Seattle along the way. Taking inspiration from the landscapes and jagged peaks of the Cascades, Kao plays with the form and layout of her photographs, contrasting organic torn edges with crisp outlines. Her type choices, Arial Narrow, Apple Garamond, and Neue Haas Grotesk Text, bring an authentic and almost nostalgic voice to the zine. This, paired with an earthy, natural colour palette results in a wonderfully personal and thoughtful documentation of the outdoors adventure.