LOTW (ARRL Logbook of the World)

I have about 40 QSO's on the LOTW. Only 2 have been confirmed by the amateurs I contacted.

What's your experience?

David, N1ZHE

[n1np]

I have only received one confirmation through LOTW, and that was from a contest station (that is one more than I have received through eQSL).

I think it may take a year or more for enough people to jump in and use the system for it to gain enough momentum before it can become a "standard".

Ben, N1NP

[wd5kca]

Here is my experience:
I have uploaded about 800 qsos to LOTW. #This has resulted in about 30 qsls. (18 DXCC entities)

With the same qsos uploaded to eQSL I have about 300 qsls and 31 DXCC entites.

As for the cards, 60 for 21 DXCC entities.

At least in my case the popularity of LOTW is still behind eQSL and the venerable card.

[KC7UP]

I have 23K plus qso's into LOTW, 611 matching qso's. I also use EQSL I don't know how many I have submitted to eqsl but my return rate there higher.

[WA7CC]

468 QSOs posted and 28 confirmed. #I see a few more QSLs every week.

The really good news is that the DX stations I've contacted seem to be using LOTW, and some of my contest contacts also are using it.

Now, you can tell by my 468 QSOs that I'm not a big DXer or contester, but I'm having fun!

[wg7x]

Hi Fellows,

14k QSO's and 336 QSL's.

It will take a while before the system gets into gear, especially with all the DX stations having to go through a little more difficult confirmation process.

I must say that the contest community has been the first and quickest to embrace the new system. Even if I submit a small contest log, most of the QSO's are confirmed within days. I look forward to the days when most everyone is particpating in the LOTW.

Paper QSL's will not go away, and the LOTW will only make it easier/faster/cheaper to get ARRL awards. I too enjoy getting and sending paper QSL's. I think that the new system is going to be fun too!

I don't expect that the big DX'peditions will be an early participant in the LOTW, for ovbious reasons. There is also the fact that many of the more desirable DX stations don't have and may never have a computer and electronic means of record keeping. For this reason alone, the LOTW will never fully replace the old system.

Be sure to keep plenty of envelopes at the "Buro"!

73, Gary WG7X

[N0RUT]

I'm now uploading to both LOTW and eQSL. Since I started uploading I have 322 QSOs loaded to both.
119 paper cards rec'd (quite a few of those are net QSOs with a buro run by the net. so I may be higher than average on the card return)

LOTW has produced 48 QSLs
eQSL has broduced 45 QSLs (8 of which aren't AG)

Usually, when I find I have a QSL in one system, it's also in the other.
----------------
A few weeks back I also transferred my paper log to computer for my 1991-1992 operation as KG4RC from Guantanamo Bay so I could upload those to LOTW. I figured if I could confirm GTMO for someone who may need it, great. But I wasn't expecting much from QSOs 12 years old. I uploaded almost 700 QSOs and received 5 QSLs. I checked back against my log book and only 1 of the 5 had sent a paper card. So, 4 more hams pick up a GTMO contact. There are some folks uploading some really old stuff. I was kind of surprised.

[WA3KYY]

Well I've uploaded 4500 QSOs and as of this morning have 281 QSLs in LoTW. About 3 times as many in eQSL but they've been around a lot longer. Over 1000 paper QSLs so far. All this staring in Aug 2001. Haven't computerized my logs dating back to 1965 yet.

Seems the standard after looking at this post and reviewing my own is that it is about a qsl rate of 10% if lucky and I concure that of that 10%, 9 out of 10 of those are contest stations. I am pleased to see a few more rare dx that I have yet to get on paper before. I still think its too much for what it is but hopefully it still has a future.

I wish there was a more liberal orginization that would allow qsl's via all types for awards. (I.E. eqsl AG's, lotw, and paper combined)

Tom
KH6OO