W1AW

Started by John Galt, March 14, 2014, 09:32:47 AM

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RichardSinFWTX

Sure, I can do that!  Maybe I can put together a walk-thru guide, step-by-step, by the numbers how to log contacts and upload them to LOTW.  Would anyone else find that helpful?

John Galt

Quote from: KF5RHI on March 19, 2014, 08:35:14 AM
Sure, I can do that!  Maybe I can put together a walk-thru guide, step-by-step, by the numbers how to log contacts and upload them to LOTW.  Would anyone else find that helpful?

I would.  I think I have it figured out but sure would like to see if I'm doing it right or if there's a better way.


RichardSinFWTX

#32
There's a really simple way to know for sure if your upload worked or not.  Wait for an hour or so after you've uploaded come contacts then log into your LOTW account on their website https://p1k.arrl.org/lotwuser/default.  Unless you logged an absolutely HUGE number of contacts if should only be a few minutes before they will show up in your log.  You will see your QSO count in the upper right corner of the screen once you've logged in.

A couple of notes here that may be preaching to the choir... (1) Just because YOU logged the contact doesn't mean the other person has (or will).  I've got 24 logged contacts (just got on HF at the first of the year); but only 8 confirmed (or QSL records).  If you're chasing WAS (Worked All States) or WAC (Worked All Continents) then the QSLs are the ones you need to be concerned with.  (2) Since I'm normally only on the radio on the weekends I do my upload on Monday morning when I get to work!  If you log a really large number of contacts (several hundred) I'd suggest breaking them down into smaller batches.  Just a personal choice, nothing says you have to do it.  When I'm sitting at the radio, I write my contacts down on paper first.  Callsign worked, freq, time (local and convert to UTC later) then what was exchanged...in that order.  (3) Use spotter nets!  I like Hamspots.net.  You can filter it by band, by mode and whether they are on LOTW or not.  (4) Lastly, keep your log in multiple places.  I keep mine on LOTW and on QRZ.com.  You don't have to enter the information twice.  Use whichever method you like best then export the file from one into the other.  I like the way QRZ.com's log looks!  Sue me!  I like the pretty little flag icons you get on your entries!

Anyway, I'll try to start working on the walk-thru for LOTW today.  I'll put a link to it here once I've got something ready.


EDIT:  I was just looking on QRZ.com on how to import/export your log files and it appears that you have to be a paying subscriber to be able to do that.  Thank ya, no!


Pirate96

An easy way to use LOTW is to use another logging program an then upload an export to LOTW. Currently I am using http://www.cqrlog.com/ and type in my paper log contacts to that program. Then it is a quick upload to LOTW.

It is a bit of a pain to get the certificate installed for LOTW, but I will give them credit for trying to put some security behind it.

RichardSinFWTX

Yup...it all boils down to which one did you learn.  I learned how to use LOTW so I don't have any problem with it.  Security is a good thing.  Can it be taken to extremes?  Of course.  But I'm OK with it now that it's working for me.  I cursed LOTW at first too though.   :o

cockpitbob

Quote from: KF5RHI on March 19, 2014, 09:54:10 AM...Security is a good thing.  Can it be taken to extremes?  Of course.
I think they lost a lot of users with their security measures.  I mean, my life savings is scattered around several institutions, none of which have the kind of complex security measures LoTW has.  And when you get down to it, QSLing is just a game.

I use LoTW as a courtesy to other hams, but much prefer eQSL.

RichardSinFWTX

I looked at eQSL.  It's OK. I'm just not all that hot on it.

Different strokes for different folks though.  Bob likes eQSL.  I like LOTW.  It's like people talking about cars, guns, radios or anything else that they have a passion for.

gil

QuoteOn a side note, Gil, if I want to make a post that I'm going to be getting on in case anyone wants to make a contact, where should I post that?  General Discussion, Nets, TX ...?

Hi, probably Nets, but wherever, it's no big deal.

LOTW works. That's not the problem. You should not need to read a guide to use it... It's the user interface that is the problem. Obviously written by a programmer  ::) Design and programming are different jobs, to be done by people with different abilities. I can make a site exchange data with a database for instance, but I couldn't make it look pretty to save my life.. They should have had someone else do the user interface, not the programmer! And probably not a Ham!

Gil.

RichardSinFWTX

I'll agree that the interface does lack a certain prettiness... 8)

John Galt

Answered a CQ last night from TX6G last night.  Interesting...

RichardSinFWTX

Quote from: John Galt on March 21, 2014, 10:32:03 AM
Answered a CQ last night from TX6G last night.  Interesting...

Wow!  That's way out in the south Pacific!

Nice work!!  Log it??  :)

John Galt

Not yet but will tonite.  I had no idea what the call sign was till I looked it up.  That island looks pretty but there can't be a whole lot to do.

RichardSinFWTX

You say that like it's a bad thing!  :)  My wife can find something for me to do there I'm sure!!  :)


John Galt

As long as they've got beer and fishing tackle I could probably entertain myself.  My honey-do lists are self generated and therefore considerably shorter than most.   8)

madball13

#44
W1AW/4 is on 18.141 right now