[LogPlus] ARRL Letter

[Allen Sklar]

Hello All...
Via the ARRL Letter

===========================================================

==>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 crashing.

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>.