DX stations, and Logbook of The World (LoTW)

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eHam.net Forum : DXing : DX stations, and Logbook of The World (LoTW)

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DX stations, and Logbook of The World (LoTW)	Reply
by K3GM on June 9, 2009	Mail this to a friend!
What do DX stations (non-US) think of Logbook of The World? Personally, my relationship with LoTW started out a little rocky, but I’ve come to really appreciate the service. There are still some glaring inconsistencies, such as offering the logging of VHF and UHF bands, but not being able to record the Maidenhead Grid. Still, LoTW has become a viable and popular alternative to paper QSL’s. I’m wondering how DX stations feel about the service being run under the auspices of the ARRL? Is that a problem? Does that fact keep more stations away who would otherwise use it? Now that LoTW is up and running, is it time for the League to spin it off as an independent entity and allow it to grow, free of League bureaucracies? Perhaps operate it under a consortium of nations?

RE: DX stations, and Logbook of The World (LoTW)	Reply
by WW5AA on June 9, 2009	Mail this to a friend!
LoTW must be doing very well with the DX. I have been getting conformations from as far back as 1971 with new DX LoTW users. Why would we want to change things with LoTH? Many of my DX friends are ARRL members. 73 de Lindy

RE: DX stations, and Logbook of The World (LoTW)	Reply
by K3GM on June 9, 2009	Mail this to a friend!
A clarification to my original post: LoTW QSO details will show the station's fixed Maidenhead grid, but logging mobile or rover contacts from different grids cannot be easily done, and VUCC awards are not yet available.

RE: DX stations, and Logbook of The World (LoTW)	Reply
by N4OGW on June 10, 2009	Mail this to a friend!
It's easy to set up different locations for mobile/portable operation in Lotw. You just set up a different location in tqsl and sign the log using that. Tor N4OGW

RE: DX stations, and Logbook of The World (LoTW)	Reply
by G0RIF on June 11, 2009	Mail this to a friend!
I think LOTW is a great service/facility. One bug I am aware of (which when I called, they were aware of) which I'd like to see fixed relates to users who upload the same set of QSO data more than once. Most of the time I see no problem but at least once I have had a QSL 'disappear', apparently due to this issue. I have the paper confirmation for the QSO with EX2M (Kyrgyzstan) so it's not such a big deal. I just wonder how many other QSL records get 'erased' when a user uploads duplicate QSO records. As I say, when I spoke to someone at ARRL they said they were aware of the issue but I got the impression it was something they were prepared to live with as it was an infrequent problem. It might have been addressed by now, who knows. All I know is my EX2M QSL on LOTW is no more and I know that at one time it was there - go figure! But to repeat, I still think it's a great service and well done, and thank you, the ARRL. Regards, Dean - G0RIF

RE: DX stations, and Logbook of The World (LoTW)	Reply
by WO0Z on June 11, 2009	Mail this to a friend!
The DX I know (not a lot, but several) all have the same basic complaints as US amateurs do. Mainly: It's a pain to set up. Once you get past that initial pain, most people are fine with it. But, there will be DX stations that aren't interested in ever doing that initial bit of pain. The security is very good, but it comes at the price of usability. That means some DX will skip it just as some stateside stations do. I think what the League should do is get off its high horse a bit and have certificates that never expire. That has made a lot of stations that start out with LOTW quit later on. The security gains from expiring certificates are minimal and, in my view at least, more than counter-balanced by the stations that we would keep in the system. If it did that, we could probably have even higher levels of participation.

RE: DX stations, and Logbook of The World (LoTW)	Reply
by KG6MZS on June 12, 2009	Mail this to a friend!
I was under the impression that DX participation was low given the gross numbers published on HB9BZS's site: http://www.hb9bza.net/lotw/lotw-stat.html But when I actually ran the per capita numbers as a nice poster in here suggested, the per capita rates of LoTW users to actual HF licensees are higher in other countries. Greece was the top of the list. I love LoTW. Think it is great and well worth the admitted hassle of signing up. 73 de Eric, KG6MZS

RE: DX stations, and Logbook of The World (LoTW)	Reply
by W7ETA on June 12, 2009	Mail this to a friend!
"Now that LoTW is up and running, is it time for the League to spin it off as an independent entity and allow it to grow, free of League bureaucracies?" Sounds like a good idea except that The League has requirements for their programs, like DXCC and WAS, that they choose to retain control of. If it winds up being external to The League then one relies upon the stability, longevity, and quality control of another organization. 73 Bob

RE: DX stations, and Logbook of The World (LoTW)	Reply
by WY4J on June 12, 2009	Mail this to a friend!
Hi Tom....I've had some luck receiving DX confirmations via LoTW specially foreign contest stations. But not as much as I thought I would. I guess the biggest enemy LoTW has is the ham community (worldwide) resistance to automated logging rather than the ARRL. Once I discovered it, has made my life such much easier and uploading my logs to LoTW a 30 second task. Just like you, my only beef with LoTW is not with the software but with the ARRL resistance to allow us to confirm our VHF and UHF contacts toward VUCC. They are so happy to publicize the fact that DXCC and WAS contacts can be confirmed electronically. But what about us old timers who completed those 30 years ago? At the current cost of mailing a QSL card, I can buy lots of stamps by foregoing my annual ARRL membership fee. Your ideas seems logical but will the ARRL support LoTW once is not 100% under their control? 73, Ed - WY4J

RE: DX stations, and Logbook of The World (LoTW)	Reply
by N3OX on June 12, 2009	Mail this to a friend!
"The security gains from expiring certificates are minimal and, in my view at least, more than counter-balanced by the stations that we would keep in the system. " I agree.

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