[Elecraft] Contesting with logging software on a PC (not MAC)

[Gary Hinson]

> One 
> thing I would recommend is to run your log/db on a USB flash 
> based device, this way if your PC decides to  act up or even 
> worse the drive dies then your log will be safe. 

Errr, not if the flash drive dies, unless you meant to use the flash as a backup.  With no moving
parts, flash drives are probably more reliable than conventional hard drives but they are not
immortal and are only rated for so many read/write operations.  Also *all* your local drives of
whatever type may go up in flames if the PC or shack catches fire, or someone may steal the lot ....


> There are also a few other technologies other then the flash 
> drive approach, you can get a free 2GB account from 
> http://www.dropbox.com and point your log to your dropbox 
> folder and it will backup into the ether in real-time and you 
> can even have the same dropbox folder on a backup PC ready to 
> go. 

That's the better option - an offsite backup - if used as a backup, in other words again not the
only copy.  The online file systems are fine if you have a sufficiently fast and reliable Internet
connection, but again I would advise sending backups off-site and retaining one or more local copies
of your log as well, just in case the organization running the offsite system has a technical fault,
or deletes the files, or whatever (trust me: it happens).

You can also take occasional offline log backups onto CD-ROM, or yet another flash drive, that you
physically remove from the machine and place elsewhere in safe storage, far enough away from the
shack not to be caught in the same fire/burglary/whatever.

If that's all too much effort, at least consider uploading your log regularly to Logbook of the
World.  LoTW is a 'last resort' backup since it only stores the minimal amount of info on each QSO,
but at least it is possible to retrieve the basic QSO data if you have no other choice.  This has a
useful side effect of increasing usage of LoTW!

73
Gary  ZL2iFB

PS  This applies equally to Macs and PCs.  And PDAs.  Even paper logbooks are both valuable and
flammable!