[KCDXC] LOTW

[Mike ZooLoo]

==>ARRL RELEASES UPDATED "LOGBOOK OF THE WORLD" BETA
SOFTWARE

"Logbook of the World" (LoTW) beta testers for the
most part have reacted positively to the latest
version of ARRL's secure electronic
contact-confirmation system, but some users have run
into difficulties.
Responding to problems encountered by some early beta
testers, the League has released an updated beta
version of LoTW that should resolve these issues. Beta
testers are encouraged to download the new version of
the software, 1.02beta, from the LoTW page
<http://www.arrl.org/lotw/>.

"While most installations and subsequent e-mailing and
uploading of log data have gone flawlessly, as
expected there have been problems," said ARRL's Dave
Patton, NT1N, who's been a part of the LoTW project
from the start. He says the LoTW server software
failed to recognize many of the new digital mode
designations, such as MFSK-16 and JT6M. This caused 
fatal errors while digitally signing logs.

Patton says the beta update allows users to "map" any
mode designation to one of the four main Amateur Data
Interchange Format (ADIF) mode categories--CW, phone,
image, and digital--without changing the actual log
data. He said the beta upgrade also will correct other
log data problems that caused fatal errors in signing
a log, including allowing the signing process to
complete the "good" parts of a log without rashing.

Beta testing got under way May 15. So far, the 1300 or
so beta testers have uploaded upward of five million
contacts to the LoTW database.  Once it's ready later
this year, LoTW will provide a way for amateurs
worldwide to qualify for awards such as DXCC or WAS
without having to first collect and submit hard-copy
QSL cards.

One beta tester from Brazil lavished praised on the
LoTW project. "I applaud the creators of LoTW," he
wrote. "This will be, for sure, the salvation of DXing
and award collecting. Please keep up this essential
work!" For now, log data are limited to contacts made
no more than five years ago (on or after January 1,
1998) to get a representative 
sampling, Patton explained.

Patton promised "many more bells and whistles" over
the weeks ahead. One of those will meld LoTW with
DXCC. He noted that a major DXCC software revision,
now under way, will need to be completed first.

Logging software developers now can get documentation
and a Windows DLL library--as well as complete source
code for the TQSL software--at the SourceForge Web
site <http://sourceforge.net/projects/trustedqsl/>.

To join the beta testing program, visit the Logbook of
the World--Getting Started site
<http://www.arrl.org/lotw/getstart.html>. The beta
testing period wraps up in mid-July.

All QSO data submitted to LoTW will be deleted when
the beta test period ends, and users will have to
obtain new digital certificates to submit log data to
LoTW once it 'goes live.' As part of the security
process for the live system, passwords will be mailed
to US licensees at the address that appears in the FCC
database. Users should make sure the FCC has their
current mailing address.

Amateurs can modify their address online or via US
mail by using instructions available on the FCC Web
site
<http://wireless.fcc.gov/services/amateur/licensing/changingaddress.html>.
ARRL members may submit license modifications or
renewals through the ARRL VEC
<http://www.arrl.org/fcc/forms.html>.


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