[ADXA] Long overdue QSL Card and QSLing rehash... de K5YY

Fri Aug 16 17:45:16 EDT 2019

HI San and all, 

Congrats to George!

San, I wonder what computer OS you were using at the time?  Something to reconsider, Computers and their OS systems have changed for the better and it will never stop!  The computers and OS are nothing like your 2001 machine.  Machines and software from one computer to another can vary, but if I were a guessing man I would say Window bit you, not LOTW.  If there is a problem now, the ARRL has staff that will call you back to help.  They also have an email support as well.  

BTW I’ve been on LOTW since the beginning and no trouble with it.  I remembering asking Rick K5UR if it was worth my time to get on LOTW and I am sure glad I did.  I am sure many ARRL officials never dream LOTW would be as successful as it has!  Even the old DX guard in Fort Smith, I can’t think of anyone in FS not using it today?  Yes some have to be helped or Elmered from time to time, but they do use it.  Usually those have them all and don’t use it much.  Loose it or forget it goes on LOTW as well, hi.

Today’s LOTW is stable and to be fair, much has changed with LOTW over the years.  Really nothing in the LOTW system is the same!  When the ARRL started this whole LOTW thing they were still using very slow tape drives!  Then the big crash when it grew so much, uploads during contest season, LOTW was overloaded taking days to get caught up.  Certificates requests being reset over and over again because they were not being received in a timely matter.  The folks of maintaining LOTW didn’t know what was going on.  That case LOTW Que status was formed.  Have you ever wonder how far behind LOTW is, go here:  http://www.arrl.org/logbook-queue-status   I forget the year now, but that was a turning point for LOTW, IMHO.  While LOTW had issues over the years, it is nothing like it was in the beginning. 

When I first started on LOTW, I got around 20-30 percent of my QSO’s confirmed.  Now my log is over 50% and growing.   

Now you have TQSL that links to LOTW.  BTW, that is software you put on your computer.  You can ask it if there is an update and it is updated regularly!  My logging program interfaces with TQSL and also lets me know, without having to ask, if there is a new software update for LOTW’s TQSL.  You can convert ADIFs, have multiple QTH or locations and Certificates.  Alpha and Beta testing is pretty huge and done all over the world.  Once you use it there is no turning back.  

While I love to look at old cards, I hated paper logs!  In fact, paper work in general for QSLing.  When I was a working stiff during my holidays off, instead of being involved so much with family activities, I was in the shack doing paper work.  My old paper logs I had, I gave up trying to copy them into a modern computer system.  It was my fault, I couldn’t read my own handwriting.  Like is that a U or a V.  Then I would try to look up that call and they were long gone.  I can and do make comments on my logging program and some times it is a hoot to say we worked decades ago and what they were using.  

The only thing I wish I had done was keep all those floppy disks I had laying around from NA and CT contesting programs.  All were ADIF files!  I never thought I would need them again and pitch them for much needed ham shack room.  Then came along LOTW and I am sure there will be some uploads coming that I will miss out on.

At the ARRL Centennial in Harford, CT there was a nice donation made (I think by a Japanese ham?) to enter and upload past DX logs.  I see more and more of this to preserve history.  Think about all the logs from SKs that are up in the attic with no one preserving them.  I have ran into this, he is SK and had a very good expedition, the logs are stored away.  What a shame if they get pitched.  In fact that PY0TI I worked, I really wouldn’t consider myself a DXer yet.  I just worked him for a fluke checking an antenna or propagation.  I wonder how many hams do this or have?  Work some DX to see if they could and then don’t claim the prize.  Later they get involved in the DX community and start chasing DXCC awards and need that confirmation!  LOTW is the only way I know of unless you pass on the logs to someone else long before you need to and make them promise to dough out the cards after we are long gone.  How many of those guys left us too soon.  

I do see both sides, if you are at 340 and above, then there isn’t much of a reason to do LOTW unless you are going for a new band mode countries.  Something else to consider, during the ADXA’s all wanted XLS I did a little updating on my own stats.  So I looked up on LOTW my current stats and sent Pat my new totals to be updated.  I had about 72 new LOTW band mode countries for the ARRL’s Challenge.   I submitted a application to the ARRL that same day and the next it was done!  I expect the new band mode stickers to come in snail mail later in the week or next.  

These days I absolutely love LOTW and QRSS.  In fact, considering what I have spent over the years in getting cards, screw ups with incoming sorters,  both are super cheap, IMHO.  The very few I do mail out can cost $7 a card if you consider postage, return mailers, USDs gas, etc.  Then you wait and hold your breath wondering if they got the card in one piece with the USDs.

Anyway the point I am trying to make, I would say to any DXer or not, to get on LOTW.  It is worth it in the long run for everyone concerned, IMHO.

Have a great weekend all and 73 de jay/w5jay..

From: adxa-bounces at mailman.qth.net <adxa-bounces at mailman.qth.net> On Behalf Of HamOP
Sent: Friday, August 16, 2019 3:16 PM
To: WB5JJJ <wb5jjj at gmail.com>; ADXA at mailman.qth.net
Subject: [ADXA] Long overdue QSL Card and QSLing rehash... de K5YY

I still have all my paper logs from my first DXpedition to Swan Island in July 1970 up thru my next 6 DX trips thru mid 1983 when I had to stop and practice medicine to put my 3 kids thru college. Hi  We had no logging systems on computers or websites then, at least I did not know of any.

My second stint of DXpeditions began in 2001, and on solo trips I continued to use paper logs and computers were just coming into the picture and so were websites and logging systems and memory “sticks” thumb drives as time went on. On “team” trips that following my trip to V51 Namibia, some form of logs were copied by hard drives or logging programs like K1MM and use of the keyboard took over the pen and paper. So then I used the simple method that did not involve paper pages stored in folders.  A thumb drive then downloaded my files to my PC in a folder of specific DXped spots. 

On a couple of more “solo” trips like EA8 and V31 I did do paper logs again and it was sorta fun, being able to make comments on the side of the page about a guy being an “SOB” or a deliberate intruder, etc. Or a comment of “?? QSO”.. And with less QSOs it was easy for me to flip 3-4 pages for each day and timeframe to find a guy in the log. I had fun doing it again like in the old days.  I do not do LoTW, tho I did try in the mid 2000s and it blew my computer and locked it up going thru all the steps. Then later I saw a 50/50 % split on Product Reviews on LoTW and how half hated it and the yearly upgrades, passwords, etc and the other half love it, mainly because it saved them money over having to send SASEs or SAE/IRC or SAE/USD. 

So many guys want the paper card in hand and LoTW doesn’t help as much. But to a new DXer, the common first 200 countries are perhaps best done thru LoTW I guess, then having to go thru ClubLog OQRS to get a card quicker than wait a few months for rare DXpeditions to upload to LoTW, some rare exceptions…  Rare and semi-rare DXpeds make a lot of money on the pre and post trip donations and agree to usually post LoTW within 6 months post trip to be ethical, so to speak. So the DX game quandary involves getting a QSL paper card OR getting a QSO confirmation without a card as on LoTW… 

To each his own; a lot varies on how old some of us DXers are and the habits we developed years ago and finding a reason to change or not. At least the LoTW is there and so is OQRS. Unfortunately the BURO systems are about the go belly up all over the world. Each QSL costs at least a few cents and then there are Buro charges, etc. DXpeditions with many 1000s of QSOs do not look forward to sending out Bureau QSLs and some clearly state they will REFUSE Buro cards, too much work and costs money for cards and shipping to the ARRL incoming buro, etc. The DXped guys do NOT WANT your card, and they mention this all the time.  Isn’t this a crazy and great hobby?? Especially if you are a DXer type and enjoy the chase, making a QSO and being elated when you get a confirmation, especially after many decades!!!  LOL  >> Congrats to Jay and George on their persistence and comments. Fun reading and brings back memories!

San   That’s my comment and digression for today! 

Sent from Mail <https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=550986>  for Windows 10

From: WB5JJJ <mailto:wb5jjj at gmail.com> 
Sent: Friday, August 16, 2019 2:17 PM
To: ADXA at mailman.qth.net <mailto:ADXA at mailman.qth.net> 
Subject: [ADXA] Long overdue QSL Card

Back in my younger years (1989), I worked XF4L on 10m as a Technician.  When I started taking the QSL cards and such into more serious consideration, back around 2000, I was going through old logs and found that I did not have a confirmation from this DXP back in the day.  I set this thought aside for another day.  And pretty much forgot about it.  You all know how that goes.  

Researching my QSL info again in 2012 after I retired and had time to do so, I found that I needed to be in touch with OH2BN for that QSL information.  So I set off on a trek to get this card.  I snail mailed my QSL card and included a SAE and some $$$ in hopes of getting a card.  But not really expecting one.  

I included my email address and in a few weeks, I got an email from OH2BN saying he was going to go to the garage of a friend that had all their DXP logs from years past.  Since I had given him exact date/time/band/mode info on my card, he said in a latter email, that it made short work of finding the proper box/log/page/entry and THERE IT WAS.  He said that their (original) card would be in the mail the next day.  In a week or so, I received the card and he also uploaded my info to LoTW at the same time.  WooHoo.  I got the card and the LoTW.  I emailed him back a big thanks.  

Since that time, I've been more diligent in keeping up with and responding to QSL requests for those that don't use LoTW.  So far, I've not been "stung" by a $$$ or PayPal request for a "direct QSL" request.  

HRD automatically uploads to all the major on-line logbooks on each entry in my log, and I upload about every 15-20 entries or at least when I shut down each day, to LoTW.  I just can't comprehend those that say they upload "maybe" once a year to LoTW.   I just figure they are still using paper logs.  And that would be a big PITA for sure.  

The interesting thing about all of this as I am continually amazed when I suddenly get a LoTW confirmation from 10, 15 or 20+ years ago.  Those guys have finally stepped into the 21st Century of logging.  And I know for some, it was a traumatic experience.  But I thank them for all the efforts they made.  

George - WB5JJJ

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.qth.net/pipermail/adxa/attachments/20190816/65afcafd/attachment-0001.html>