LoTW

[KF0RT]

Quote[/b] (KC9AXZ @ Nov. 30 2005,13:19)]I also noticed that a lot of contest stations use LoTW instead of sending paper cards. That is probably because of the speed and cost of conventionl QSL cards.

A number of the "big guns" do both. At least, I haven't had problems getting a paper card out of most contesters. But it does seem like contesters use LoTW more than the average ham. And they use LoTW more than eQSL.

I doubt that many stateside stations get a lot of paper QSL requests in the stateside contests, so if a "big gun" racks up 2,000 contacts during SS and gets a dozen cards in the mail, it's probably not a big deal especially with most folks sending SASEs these days.

On the other hand, I bet the DX stations get clobbered with QSL requests after a contest.

The other thing about LoTW is that your certificates have to be renewed every year. That's just long enough to forget how it was done (for me at least), so the process has to be relearned. You'd think they were guarding Fort Knox or something.

73, Rob

[W5ALT]

Quote[/b] (KF0RT @ Nov. 30 2005,19:57)]The other thing about LoTW is that your certificates have to be renewed every year. #That's just long enough to forget how it was done (for me at least), so the process has to be relearned. #You'd think they were guarding Fort Knox or something. # #

Actually I just renewed my certificates - after having forgotten and let them expire - that was sort of a pain. At any rate the new ones expire in 3 years.

Want to bet whether I still remember how to renew them in 2008? Or whether they will change the system by then?

73,
Walt, W5ALT

[KF0RT]

Quote[/b] (w5alt @ Nov. 30 2005,17:39)]

Quote[/b] (KF0RT @ Nov. 30 2005,19:57)]The other thing about LoTW is that your certificates have to be renewed every year. That's just long enough to forget how it was done (for me at least), so the process has to be relearned. You'd think they were guarding Fort Knox or something.

Actually I just renewed my certificates - after having forgotten and let them expire - that was sort of a pain. At any rate the new ones expire in 3 years.

Want to bet whether I still remember how to renew them in 2008? Or whether they will change the system by then?

73,
Walt, W5ALT

That's great news, Walt. 3 years makes more sense. I renewed mine in September, and am pretty sure they're only good for a year. I'll have to check and see if they made this retroactive.

And no, I won't be taking that bet!

73, Rob

[VA3JOD]

I use ACLog 2.8 and love it

You can upload directly from that.

I just sealed my 8th envelop tonight to send cards away and counted the cost just for those 8 .....I can't wait till LOTW gets back to me LOL

[WG7X]

Joe,

I've been using LOTW since the beginnng, and I think that it is the way of the future.

The costs for the awards are very minimal, compared to the costs involved in paper QSL'ing, especially if you QSL direct! It is not too involved once you get past the initial set-up. I have renewed certificates, and changed from one PC to another with no problems.

With about twenty-three thousand QSO's in the LOTW data base, I am averaging about a 9.2% return rate. I think that this is because I have been keeping a log on a PC for decades. Most of the folks are like the fellow who mentioned the difficulty of entering decades worth of log into a data base. Most of my QSL's recorded on LOTW are from the year 2000 forward. This is about the time that the PC logging programs really began to take off.

I have gotten over the 100 QSL's needed for the #DXCC now, and will be sending off for it soon.

I hav received some QSL's for contacts prior to 2000, but those are long in coming.

Oh, well...

73 all Gary WG7X

[VA3JOD]

Thanks Gary

A question, I only have 5 approved contacts in the eqsl and 15 actual cards gotten the old fashioned way. I’m wondering if it would be ummmm well bad if I resubmitted those contacts, through LOTW when I get approved.

Would a DX get upset? Or should I just forget about them and go and get them again.

Thanks

Joe