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Reviews For: ARRL - Logbook of the World - LoTW

Category: Ham Logging Software

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Review Summary For : ARRL - Logbook of the World - LoTW
Reviews: 511MSRP: 00.00
Description:
LoTW ... is a repository of log records submitted by users from around the world. When both participants in a QSO submit matching QSO records to LoTW, the result is a QSL that can be used for ARRL award credit.
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.arrl.org/lotw/
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
153.75113.3
AF5CC Rating: 2023-03-30
No complaints Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have no complaints with LOTW. It was easy for me to get set up on it, and it makes QSLing fast and cheap. Wish more stations were using it. I still use paper logging for everything but contests so have to manually enter QSOs into the TQSL program, but that isn't too bad.

Sometime in the not so distant future I will be replacing the main computer, so will see how easy it is to transfer TQSL to a new computer.
N8PEP Rating: 2023-03-30
Out of the '90s (or earlier?) Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
The installation reminded me of software written in the '80 and '90s. The two-step verification process involving snail mail is anachronistic. There is no feedback when actions occur during the multi-step installation process, and when application updates are finished. Without feedback, it's not obvious if the software accomplished its task, or if it froze. I needlessly repeated installation steps because of the lack of feedback. Installing the software on multiple computers and at different locations is another hassle. Once LoTW is installed, how to proceed is not intuitive at all. The interface is too busy, help is lacking, fonts are poorly chosen, and there is a myriad of other usability issues. When I wrote software for Air Force customers, my career would have been short-lived if users needed a manual and flow chart to install and use my programs, and understand the processes. Also, LoTW's server goes down too often, in my opinion. Even if you attempt to upload your log data only once or twice a month, my experience is there is a 30% to 40% chance of not being able to complete the task. Perhaps ARRL needs to increase the cost of its awards so it can buy new server hardware and software. The ARRL-LoTW user group describes many of the software and hardware problems in detail, and the steps that are being taken to address them. Some of the ARRL-LoTW members suggest that not enough is being done to improve LoTW, or that corrective actions are taking too long. But if you have already installed LoTW, and you like all aspects of it, then you should give it a 5-star rating. This review is not intended to cause an argument. It is just my personal experience.
K7SHR Rating: 2023-03-30
Easy with Logging Programs Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I think that many of the negative comments regarding LOTW may be from people who are directly submitting their QSOs to LOTW. Indeed, the instructions are very well detailed, by design and necessity. A lot is demanded of LOTW for security, confirming your callsign certificate, matching QSLs with other stations, awards, etc. Initially, it looked difficult to me.

BUT then I realized that my logging program would seamlessly do all the work through the ARRL TQSL app. I didn't need to digest all the technical LOTW details.

I installed TQSL when I started using logging software. I just followed the TQSL instructions from the ARRL website. Since I operate from different locations, I entered those locations in TQSL.

Then, in my logging software (I've used several), I entered my TQSL username and password, and select the location I'm working from.

Before I shut down for the day, I use the logging program to upload to and download from LOTW. Click. Click. Done.
KO1C Rating: 2023-03-29
VERY Happy Here Time Owned: more than 12 months.
LoTW has become my primary QSL processor for the last several years. I quit using eQSL because at the time I wasn't convinced their security was all that great. I never used QRZ for contact logging.

Obviously this makes it easier to win awards, etc, providing you do your part had make LOTS of QSO's.

KH6DC Rating: 2023-03-29
It Works Time Owned: more than 12 months.
***UPDATE***
Since my last review, this is still an easy software to use however, sometimes it takes 12 or more hours for 1 QSO to show up in LOTW. Looks like their technical debt that was paid off years ago has returned due to the number of users and records.

Well, after 17 years I have hundreds of QSLs via the old fashioned way, QSL card sent through the mail. Last year I decided to try LOTW and yes, it was simple enough but required some work to set up. eQSL on the other hand was so simple even a caveman could do it. Since then, I've logged 105 QSOs (part time hammer) on LOTW and only 32 confirmed. I get it, for some it's difficult to use and/or setup or don't want to deal with the extra key/mouse strokes. Well I've also uploaded the adif file with the same QSOs to eQSL and I expected more confirmed contacts but only to find 34 confirmed qsos. Maybe LOTW is not that tedious and difficult after all.
KT4QD Rating: 2023-03-28
Time saver that works! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Piece of cake to set up, and if written instructions aren't clear enough, the ARRL team will happily help. Claiming awards or endorsements is also easy, especially compared to the paper QSL route. Once my computer-based logbook was set up with my LOTW info, I could update both LOTW and my logbook with simple mouse clicks.
K7DAA Rating: 2023-01-17
Regular user Time Owned: more than 12 months.
(1/16/23: I've revised my original review and upgraded my rating of LoTW. GridTracker--an FT-8 helper program--pushed out an emergency update a few days ago because it was causing callbacks to LoTW every 1/2 second! This certainly could have been causing something similar to a DDOS-like denial of service attack that was affecting its availability!)

I've used it nearly since it first became available. I appreciate the work that ARRL has put into it. I wish it was a bit more user friendly, and had a more modern way of first setting it up, but considering its usefulness to me, I can live with it.

Now what to do I do with all these cards and the plastic wall-hangers for them? ;-)
N5XJT Rating: 2022-12-26
Could Be Great Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Sign-up and initial use are way too difficult for me at least. This could be a great program but it is impossible to use intuitively. Just to confirm my earlier negative review, received a renewal for LOTW from ARRL just now. The URL to connect to was found not to exist. So....guess I will just have to do without. Thanks ARRL.
G8FXC Rating: 2022-11-25
I quite like it, but... Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
... I do agree that installation can be a pain and the UI of the main application is primitive. But you only have to install it once, and who actually uses the UI? I use Log4OM as my station log and it interfaces to LoTW for me. Since the ARRL discourage realtime submission to their system, Log4OM queues up my outgoing QSO records and I click the "Upload" button once a day - or once a week, if I've not been very active. Log4OM takes care of preparing the data file and submitting it for me. It also requests a confirmation data file back and updates my local log for me.

For me, the most difficult bit - speaking as a non-US ham - was getting registered. The verification process for those of us that don't appear on the FCC database can be a bit slow...
K4GTE Rating: 2022-11-17
Excellent When Set Up and Used Correctly Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Excellent software when set up and used correctly. As stated earlier, follow the set up instructions and it's error free after that. It's the only reliable, honest program for verifying QSL contacts, with the ability to import and export from/to a variety of logging programs.