How to log contest contacts

[KF5PGT]

I worked my first contest for a bit today! Not as a contester, but just to make a few contacts. I'm guessing you have to verify your contacts in a contest and I want to make sure my qso's count for them.

How do I do that? I'm seeing the stations I contacted have qsl managers.

[KE8G]

No, there's no need to swap QSL cards, unless you would like to get the contacts confirmed.

In a contest, stations submit their logs and that is all that is needed.  If you care to submit your log, you can, but it is not necessary. 

During contests, I will "give out points" and not submit my log.  There are only a couple of contests that I actually submit my log.

Hope that answers your question.
73 de Jim - KE8G

[KF5PGT]

It does! I might get a qsl card or two just to have them.

[KS2G]

Getting Started In Contesting:
http://wiki.contesting.com/index.php/Getting_started_in_contesting

[AD6KA]

I want to make sure my qso's count for them.

Then submit your log. Your logging program might be
able to export the log in Cabrillo Format, the default
contest logging format. However almost all logging programs are able to export a file in the Amateur Data Interchange Format (adif or adi). This page enables you to upload your adif format log file and convert it into the Cabrillo format required for submitting your log entry for the contest:
http://www.cqwpx.com/adif/
And there are other converson pages and programs.

With LogChecker you can edit, fill in the log, check Cabrillo Format and Header, convert files from the most popular logging software to Cabrillo and ADIF, print customizable files, calculate statistics, and export logs to RTF, PDF or HTML for publishing.
http://www.dxshell.com/logchecker.html

You can find where to submit your logs via email attachment
for a particular contest at most Contest Calendar sites like the
WA7BNM Contest Calendar. Don't wait too long after the contest.
Submission deadlines range from a week to a month after the contest,
http://www.hornucopia.com/contestcal/

All logs are always welcome. Even if you don't want to
enter the contest proper, your log is appreciated as a
"check log".

GL ES 73, Ken  AD6KA/5R8GQ

[N4NYY]

I worked my first contest for a bit today! Not as a contester, but just to make a few contacts. I'm guessing you have to verify your contacts in a contest and I want to make sure my qso's count for them.

How do I do that? I'm seeing the stations I contacted have qsl managers.

I also work contests but do not have a powerhouse to count anything of value. I look for new countries and submit the logs so the others get credit.

[KE4YOG]

Next year this contest I will hopefully be back in the QRP business. That is the plan right now.

[WV4L]

I worked my first contest for a bit today! Not as a contester, but just to make a few contacts. I'm guessing you have to verify your contacts in a contest and I want to make sure my qso's count for them.

How do I do that? I'm seeing the stations I contacted have qsl managers.

I also work contests but do not have a powerhouse to count anything of value. I look for new countries and submit the logs so the others get credit.

Yeah I also want to make my contacts count as well. I converted my HRD log contacts to cabrillo and then sent them as an attachement to the addy provided by ARRL only to have it bounced back with errors.  I had the same issue with the 10M contest. Loved working the contest. Hate the frustration of having my log rejected by the robot. The converter program in another post here is only for three specific contests and not the one for this weekend.

[PD2R]

The why not try contest logging software?

Some of those programs are for free like N1MM
Some of them will cost you a couple of bucks like the software from N3FJP

These programs are much better suited for contest logging and will produce a Cabrillo file that will be excepted by the robot much easier.

[K0IZ]

I don't think it is necessary to submit a log for the contacts to count for the other guy.  It is nice to do, provides a "check" log.

Also for someone who only makes a few contacts, submitting a log eliminates the possibility of those contacts being classified as "unique".  A "unique" is a call that is only in one submitted log.  In theory it might be an incorrect call.  As far as I know, a "unique" is not penalized (it might be a real call and real single contact).  But submitting your log eliminates the ambiguity.

Also by submitting your log, you enhance the reported contest activity, and might even win some minor category!

[KD8IZZ]

Since I became a ham 4 years ago I have kept my log in an excel spreadsheet. I record the time, exact frequency and call. This probably slows me down in contests but it helps when you run a frequency like I do during the Ohio QP (always over 300 contacts). Later I use QRZ to fill in the city, county, state, country and grid.

The spreadsheet allows me to keep track of counties and bands/countries etc. It's become a huge spreadsheet with almost 20,000 QSOs.

If you didn't already think I'm insane, I also use the QRZ address to plot the callsign in Google Earth for all my contacts. Color coded for the band, of course.

[KF7CG]

With my newer rig and N1MM Logger for Contests and Logger 32 for general. Both of these can communicate with my rig and with the time standard so I get exact frequency and time without having to enter them. This is great for a little more speed in the contests. I dump the N1MM Logger contacts back into Logger32 to get a complete log. This also gives me tools for flagging contacts for QSL work electronic and paper.

The speadsheet is nice and was probably in place prior to the general availability of the logging programs.

KF7CG