| PA1HR |
Rating:  |
2017-12-14 | |
| Very difficult to manage subscription |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
| In 2013 I got a certificate after sending my license and ID to the USA. In 2016 my certificate expired. Why did my certificate expire? What's the use of this? I did not change my callsign or address or whatever. It's still me. How difficult can you make it to renew this certificate? Very very poor! |
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| WA4JUK |
Rating:  |
2017-11-05 | |
| Poor |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
Could not get logged on. After several tries I was told I did log on. I kept on trying. No go so I eventually told ARRL to forget the whole thing.
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|
| N5LXI |
Rating:      |
2017-11-03 | |
| Complex but good |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
| It was a indeed a little quirky to figure out. A couple of quick calls to Dan at the ARRL and it's working FB. It integrates easily with AC Logger. It's especially nice for DX and FT8 (where I'm logging QSO's like crazy). It's worth the effort to figure out and a wonderful service from the ARRL. It's more secure than your bank! I would rather make contacts than fill out paper work. |
|
| NO6E |
Rating:     |
2017-10-05 | |
| Great once set up |
Time Owned: 6 to 12 months. |
| WSJT-X automatically creates ADIF logs LOTW accepts - just upload them. Took me a while to figure out LOTW, but now it's fine. Everyone seems to have different issues. Mine was figuring out that the password to log onto the LOTW site is NOT the same as the password to upload a log! (Yeah, I hear all of you laughing that I was so dumb!). Anyway, the combination of FT8 and LOTW quickly got me WAS, which I had never earned in 50 years of hamming. Recommended. |
|
| WE4B |
Rating:      |
2017-10-05 | |
| Simple and effective |
Time Owned: 6 to 12 months. |
| I find LoTW simple to use and a great way to quickly confirm contacts. I wish I had adopted its use years ago. I upload my QSOs to LOTW then download them from LoTW into QRZ. If you follow the instructions, set-up is a breeze and using it is just as simple. |
|
| AE5GT |
Rating:      |
2017-10-05 | |
| $$$$$ |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
Pain to get started....you have to be confirmed as actually existing . Cost about $0 ...Postage saved in 9 years? 37000 X .30 => $11,100 .
...Getting confirmation for that DX station in hours
days or week or two . as opposed to months. instant DXCC credit on the QSL ,no card checking.
Unless your into getting paper QSLs...(some are)
Well worth the minor pain of confirmation.
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|
| VA3VF |
Rating:     |
2017-09-01 | |
| Very good overall. |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
The security measures are somewhat exaggerated. A hobby QSO confirmation system does not need more security than online banking, or income tax return filings.
It's affordable, as it does not cost anything until, and unless, you apply for one of the supported awards.
Those that think direct QSLing is more affordable, must have failed basic math, or are receiving lots of replies to their direct requests via the buro, for failing to pay both ways. Even one way expenses are higher than the 12 cents per credit that is charged, again, only if you apply for a supported award.
The only cost inconvenience, is applying for the WPX. The 600 credits for each Honor Roll WPX add up. For those, you are better off using eQSL, if you have the needed confirmations there, as they are free, and accepted by CQ magazine.
Yes, there is the buro, but I would like to complete the award requirements during my lifetime. |
|
| N1KDO |
Rating:      |
2017-08-31 | |
| for ARRL awards this cannot be beat |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
If you want to apply for any of the "elite" ARRL operating awards, DXCC, VUCC, WAS, 5BDXCC, DXCC Challenge, etc., Logbook of the World is likely going to be a lot cheaper and a lot faster than using paper QSLs.
If you don't care about those awards, then don't bother with LoTW, you can get some far less prestigious awards from other online QSL sites.
LoTW credits for awards are 12 cents each. A QSL card requested with international postage is probably $3.50 by the time you mail your card and green stamps. Sure, the bureau is a lot cheaper -- if you live long enough to get your QSL.
The initial setup of LoTW is a bit of a pain, no argument. The level of security to authenticate every QSO loaded into the system is very high, but I believe that ARRL wanted to maintain the integrity of their awards.
Despite the difficulty in setup (and it is not that hard!) some 98,000 users are registered with the system, and 858 MILLION QSOs have been uploaded, resulting in 151 MILLION CONFIRMATIONS. I have fully 64% of my QSOs confirmed in Logbook of the World.
I use DX Lab Suite DX Keeper to upload my QSOs, it is super easy. I hear that QRZ.com's logbook can upload to LoTW, too. It's just a matter of getting your first certificate set up.
In short, if you are a DX-er and you want to qualify for ARRL's various operating awards, Logbook of the World makes this far faster and cheaper than using paper QSL cards.
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Earlier 5-star review posted by N1KDO on 2014-12-30
58% QSL confirmation rate. (this is amazing!)
DXCC on 3 bands -- all LoTW.
What's not to like?
If you cannot make it work, the problem is not with LoTW.
72,683 other people have made it work, and have uploaded 639 MILLION QSO records resulting in over 100 MILLION QSL confirmations.
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Earlier 5-star review posted by N1KDO on 2014-07-29
If you read the instructions, and follow them to the letter, then everything works fine business. I use DXLab Suite to upload my logs, it is painless.
The instructions are not hard to find. They are literally the first result returned if you search google for "lotw instructions".
http://www.arrl.org/instructions
These are step by step, with pictures and arrows!
I have a 55% confirmation rate with LoTW, that is about twice as good, maybe three times, to the response to mailed QSL cards. I expect I have saved close to $1,000 in postage by using LoTW.
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Earlier 5-star review posted by N1KDO on 2012-02-04
Lately, many DXpeditions upload immediately, allowing near-instant gratification. This morning I looked at LoTW and found that I have confirmations for my QSOs with VP6T (Pitcairn) and TN2T (Republic of Congo). Both confirmed within days of the QSO.
I was able to complete DXCC using LoTW last year, with all electronic QSLs. I still love to collect paper QSL cards, they are a lot of fun to look at.
It is interesting to note that I uploaded the same log data to eqsl, where I only got 59 countries confirmed. It is also interesting to note that eqsl can use LoTW membership as a method to "guarantee authenticity"...
I think the LoTW web interface looks like the UI was designed by an engineer, not a UI designer. So does eHam. Big deal. My K3 is not as polished looking on the outside as a FTDX-5000. I would not trade it. It works well. The same is true for LoTW. It works well. It does not need to look as slick as Facebook or iGoogle or Bank of America's website.
I am aware that DXLab has good integration with LoTW, and that HRD v5 has "working" integration with LoTW. I expect that lots of other logging software does, too. So once you get your certificate set up, your logging software can take care of the QSO data upload, leaving you only the task of logging into the web interface to watch the QSLs coming in, which is pretty fun.
For those that complain that the security is too high, go ahead and use a different service. ARRL clearly wanted to protect the prestige of DXCC as an award that actually means something. I think that is a good thing. I think that CQ thinks so, too, else they would be using a different service.
It's not that hard to set up. Take your time, focus, follow the directions to the letter, and you'll be all set.
The one thing that I can think of what would improve LoTW is if more amateurs used it. |
|
| DL1MEV |
Rating:      |
2017-08-31 | |
| It works |
Time Owned: 3 to 6 months. |
| The security measures of sending a copy of radio-license and ID-document for foreign users may seem deterring first, but they help to keep the integrity of this qsl- system. Meanwhile it runs perfectly and it is a pleasure to watch the incoming confirmations. I regret that I had switched over to electronic logging and lotw earlier. |
|
| VK4WTN |
Rating:      |
2017-08-30 | |
| works for me |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
I cant understand all of the bad reviews about LOTW. Apart from the sign up procedure which is designed to stop fake calls being registered LOTW works great.I am not a computer savvy person but LOTW is so easy to use. I have managed to confirm countries which would have been hard to get paper QSLs from. I cant see how LOTW could be any easier and still provide a reasonable level of security.
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Earlier 5-star review posted by VK4WTN on 2015-10-03
After seeing many overcomplicated tutorials on how to use LOTW I was a bit apprehensive to use it.But I decided to go ahead and instal it and send for my key.It is so easy to use, I use DXkeeper for my logging program which makes LOTW so easy. It is great as paper cards can be so hard to get.I have already confirmed a new 6M country that I was unable to get a paper card from.
So dont worry about all the bad reviews it isnt hard to use |
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