Logbook OF the World - PowerPoint Presentation

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Logbook OF the World

Why?

How?

Who Cares?

Bud Semon,

N7CWSlide2

WHY?Slide3

IN THE OLD DAYS…

The final courtesy of a QSO

is

a

QSL

- The ARRL Operating Manual for Radio AmateursSlide4

ALSO IN THE OLD DAYS…

Made in Junior High School Print

Shop, for free

Postcard rateSlide5

THESE DAYS…

$100 for 1000 cards

$1.20 of overseas

AirmailSlide6

THESE DAYS…

You must pay for return postage – typically $3Slide7

THESE DAYS…

DXCC (100 countries) could cost:

Your nice QSL cards: $10

Your postage: $120

Return Postage:

$300

Total: $520

Maybe you would rather put that toward a new radio?Slide8

Enter Logbook of the WorldSlide9

Logbook of the World (LoTW)

LoTW is a database that compares your log to the logs of all the other stations

that have entered their QSOs

The ultimate goal is to verify contacts for awards like DXCC, WAS, VUCC, etc

Given that awards are by definition competitive and hams are human, someone will try to cheatSlide10

Logbook of the World (LoTW)

The ARRL devoted lots of brainpower to make it very hard to cheat

By making it hard to cheat, you make it somewhat painful for everyone to

use

On the other hand, it is absolutely free until you want to apply for an award

ARRL membership is NOT a requirementSlide11

HOW?Slide12

Logbook of the World (LoTW)

First, your name and address must be correct in the FCC

database

You are flirting with a fine from the FCC if your information is out of date

Second, it’s a computer database. You need to know which end of the mouse to click. All the following steps must be done on the same computer.Slide13

Logbook of the World (LoTW)

Third, re-read the second requirement. It is possible to enter your QSOs manually, but you will spend so much time doing data entry, you won’t work anyone on the air

You

will eventually need a logging program

All logging programs generate the files necessary to export data to LoTW with almost no effortSlide14

Logbook of the World (LoTW)

LoTW opened for business in 2003, so the instructions have been refined and are now pretty clear

Whether you have a logging program or a paper log filled with QSOs, let’s get started

In the spirit of RTFM, go here :

http://www.arrl.org/quick-start

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Logbook of the World (LoTW)

Download and read the

Overview and Tutorial

Next, you need to download a program called Trusted QSL or TQSL. On the same web page, click on

Quick Start TQSL

Don’t be put off by the fancy language about encryption keys. Just follow the instructions – CAREFULLY!Slide16

Logbook of the World (LoTW)

I recommend not using a password – it will become a pain later

When you have submitted the data to LoTW, then get on the air and work some people. ARRL will send you a remnant of the dark ages – a postcard with a password on it.

This is why your FCC database information must be correct. They mail the postcard to your FCC addressSlide17

Logbook of the World (LoTW)

When you receive the postcard, go here:

https://lotw.arrl.org/lotw/password

Enter your callsign and the password from the postcard

These instructions are also at http://www.arrl.org/quick-start-tqsl under Authenticate your location

Now, get on the air and work some more people until you get an email from the ARRLSlide18

Logbook of the World (LoTW)

When you receive the email, it will have 2 very important pieces of information:

An attachment labeled YourCallsign.TQ6

A password for your LoTW account

First, save the TQ6 attachment and make sure you know where you saved it! If you have used the default file locations, you should be able to double-click on the TQ6 file and it will open TQSL.Slide19

Logbook of the World (LoTW)

Click through the process. At the end, you should see a screen sort-of like this:Slide20

Logbook of the World (LoTW)

If double-clicking doesn’t work, go here:

http://www.arrl.org/quick-start-tqsl

and click on

Accept your callsign certificate (TQ6 file)

and follow the instructions carefully!

You should end up with that little gold medallion next to your call Slide21

Logbook of the World (LoTW)

With TQSL open, select

Station Location

from the Menu (not the tab). Then select

Add Station Location

. Fill in the boxes.

Select your callsign from the dropdown menu It will fill in the country

In Prescott, your grid square is DM34, your ITU zone is 6 and your CQ zone is 3. You don’t have an IOTA ID – leave it blank. Click

Next

.

Select AZ from the dropdown menu

and select Yavapai from the dropdown menu (in that order). Select

Next

.

Consider your Station Location Name carefully. If you plan on operating from different locations, whether Grid Squares, counties, etc. you may want to include a location in the name, e.g. N7CW-DM34. If you will never operate from somewhere else, pick whatever you want. Select

Finish

.

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Logbook of the World (LoTW)

Now you can go

to:

https://p1k.arrl.org/lotwuser/default

and enter your callsign and the password from the

email (not the postcard)You are now inside LoTW. But it’s not interesting because you don’t have any QSLs.

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Logbook of the World (LoTW)

LoTW requires your QSO data to be entered in a specific format

Log files are called ADIF files and have .

adi

as the file extension, e.g. n7cw.adi

If you are a dinosaur and still logging on paper, TQSL provides a way to manually convert your logs into an ADIF file

Each QSO must be typed into the computer using TQSL

This is a major PITA

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Logbook of the World (LoTW)

ONE AT A TIME!Slide25

Logbook of the World (LoTW)

Assuming you can’t stand to type your log into LoTW one QSO at a time and you obtain a logging program…

Each logging program is different enough that I can’t cover them here…

But every program generates a ADIF file that you can sign (with TQSL) and send to LoTW

TQSL does an excellent job of checking your log for typos and goofy errors

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WHO CARES?Slide27

Logbook of the World (LoTW)

There are 80,000 hams adding QSOs to LoTW

There are 700,000,000 QSOs in LoTW which have generated 114,000,000 QSLs.

Do the math on the postage!

If you have worked anyone on any band other that 2 M FM, there are QSOs in LoTW waiting to be matched with yours

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Logbook of the World (LoTW)

Here is a QSL reportSlide29

Logbook of the World (LoTW)

Here is the QSO detail

The grid square, county, zones, etc. are actually tracked by some peopleSlide30

Logbook of the World (LoTW)

Here is part of my WAS award report

Clicking on the band (e.g. 160 M) will show a list of each state and the station worked in that stateSlide31

Logbook of the World (LoTW)

You can download the entire log and put it back in your logging program

This is not a recommended way to back up your log, but some people do it

You can download the QSOs that have been confirmed so your logging program can track your awards

Since you WILL make mistakes, LoTW will correct them for you, based on what the other station input for his county, grid square, state, etc.

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Logbook of the World (LoTW)

Of course, other people will make mistakes also and getting them to fix their errors is another PITA

So make sure your data is PERFECK!

If you submit paper QSLs for an award, that award can be linked to your LoTW awards and tracked within LoTW

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Logbook of the World (LoTW)

What is the biggest advantage of using LoTW?

You get to spend more time on the radio and less time doing paperwork!

A second minor advantage is the big bucks you will save on postage

QUESTIONS?