I already mentioned LoTW in a previous posting, now I have had chance to examine this much more closely and how best to integrate or not with Winlog32.
LoTW is a secure way of verifying contacts for Awards by matching QSO data from two seperate logs in the LoTW database, principly this will be for the DXCC award but others will undoubtly follow.
It is more complex than using eQSL but does not seek to replace it, as the principle idea is to provide a verification rather than QSL type service.
If this subject doesn't interest you then you need not read further.
You can find ALL about it at the ARRL web site there is a "Link" on the Winlog32 web page menu that will take you right there.
All guys who chase DX and Awards really need to take a closer look at the LoTW facility as it will be surely widely supported, and will be a big advantage to DX peditions and rare DX stations who find it a drain on their time and resources QSLing. Hopefully it will not replace QSLing entirely as there is still a lot of satisfaction about exchanging QSL cards and QSL card collecting (mine being some 4000 cards).
How to provide support for LoTW is now one of my priorities, LoTW is rumoured to be going 'Live' in a very short time, the LoTW project which has been spearheaded by the ARRL and it's associates have had LoTW database in test mode for some while, this has enabled me to experiment a little.
At first my intention was to fully integrate LoTW into Winlog32, but many insurmountable problems face me at present, so I have shelved that idea for the time being, however I still want Winlog32 to be fully compatible with the LoTW process, and to make sending your logs to LoTW as painless as possible.
Having used the LoTW - TQSL program for formatting the standard Winlog32 ADIF output, I have only noted a couple of problems, the 'Modes' such as F2B can not be fully interpreted with the actual mode used as F2B (etc) can represent several data type modes. I am not sure what the answer is here - unfortunately in the U.K. the licensing authority force us to log these Modes which apparently no one else uses!
As a test I formatted and uploaded to LoTW around 6500 of my QSO's and about 3 errors were reported, these were all Mode related problems.
Those planning to use LoTW MUST be aware of the accuracy required for log Keeping, as QSO time must match within a few minutes, judging from past accuracy of QSL's I have received, this is going to be causing a lot of frustration, and LoTW database doesn't allow 'trolling' (as they call it) so you can not search through the other stations log to find the matching or non-matching QSO information for your QSO with that rare DX station.
Any comments relating to LoTW and Winlog32 will be appreciated posted here or addressed directly to me.
73 Colin G0CUZ
Winlog32 Author
LoTW - Logbook of The World - some thoughts
LoTW - Logbook of The World - some thoughts
As you may be aware LoTW has now gone 'LIVE', I had to make a hurried change to Winlog32 v2.2 to correct an error that really was a problem in the TQSL program when trying to edit an existing ADIF file, but rather than wait for that to be fixed I have modified the exported ADIF from Winlog32 to include a <band> tag.
To use TQSL ADIF editing facility you must use Winlog32 version 2.2 build 3 (onwards), although I am asured by the LoTW team, that 'signing' an existing ADIF exported by earlier versions should work OK, anyway to be sure use ver 2.2.3 on which is available now and does include a dedicated LoTW ADIF export routine.
I can not try my own Logs at present as I need to get a Cert. but will keep you posted on what is happening.
Incidentally I have modified v2.2 to send any exported file including ADIF to the Winlog32\OUTPUT folder as default.
73 Colin G0CUZ
Winlog32 Author
To use TQSL ADIF editing facility you must use Winlog32 version 2.2 build 3 (onwards), although I am asured by the LoTW team, that 'signing' an existing ADIF exported by earlier versions should work OK, anyway to be sure use ver 2.2.3 on which is available now and does include a dedicated LoTW ADIF export routine.
I can not try my own Logs at present as I need to get a Cert. but will keep you posted on what is happening.
Incidentally I have modified v2.2 to send any exported file including ADIF to the Winlog32\OUTPUT folder as default.
73 Colin G0CUZ
Winlog32 Author
LoTW - Logbook of The World - some thoughts
I have now uploaded my Log of 6700 QSO's since 1993 to LoTW and already have some 'credits', beforehand there was a small amount of work to do in the log with QSO's which the TQSL signing program threw out, there were a couple of QSO's with missing QSO times, a couple of callsign corrections (O instead of 0 (zero)) and a couple of unrecognised Modes, about 5 minutes work in correcting the log and an error free TQSL signed file resulted.
On this subject a few things we must keep in mind, the LoTW ADIF export from Winlog32 ignores the following in the log:
Callsign field: 'TEST' 'CQ' and any '?' within the Callsign.
Report fields where 'Report In' and 'Report Out' contain no reports.
The above may result in a differnt number of exported QSO's than reported in the log total and need be edited if required.
The cross-referencing in LoTW may not give QSL matches if the TIME is not within 30 minutes of the corresponding QSO partner or if there are inaccuracies in the Callsign (ommitted /P etc), Date and of course Band and Mode.
LoTW offers some online referencing, and now it is possible to download an ADIF file with your own QSO or QSL records from the LoTW database.
I am looking at ways to use this report ADIF file to update the log in Winlog32, there are a few difficulties with this, however non that can not be overcome.
At this moment I am not sure how to I will approach the LoTW confirmed QSO's(QSLs). Updating the QSL IN field seems appropriate, with the possibility of using the LCR to update the Databases later, but not sure if the LoTW confirmations need be seperated from normal QSL confirmations - this may be difficult with present database format which was designed before LoTW was thought of, any user input here would be helpful here on the Forum or direct to me.
73 Colin G0CUZ
Winlog32 Author
On this subject a few things we must keep in mind, the LoTW ADIF export from Winlog32 ignores the following in the log:
Callsign field: 'TEST' 'CQ' and any '?' within the Callsign.
Report fields where 'Report In' and 'Report Out' contain no reports.
The above may result in a differnt number of exported QSO's than reported in the log total and need be edited if required.
The cross-referencing in LoTW may not give QSL matches if the TIME is not within 30 minutes of the corresponding QSO partner or if there are inaccuracies in the Callsign (ommitted /P etc), Date and of course Band and Mode.
LoTW offers some online referencing, and now it is possible to download an ADIF file with your own QSO or QSL records from the LoTW database.
I am looking at ways to use this report ADIF file to update the log in Winlog32, there are a few difficulties with this, however non that can not be overcome.
At this moment I am not sure how to I will approach the LoTW confirmed QSO's(QSLs). Updating the QSL IN field seems appropriate, with the possibility of using the LCR to update the Databases later, but not sure if the LoTW confirmations need be seperated from normal QSL confirmations - this may be difficult with present database format which was designed before LoTW was thought of, any user input here would be helpful here on the Forum or direct to me.
73 Colin G0CUZ
Winlog32 Author
LoTW - Logbook of The World - some thoughts
Still on the subject of loTW.
I have moved on since last remarks and presently all work in Winlog32 is aimed at improving the LoTW compatibility and the improvements will be released as v2.4 hopefully early December.
I have added a LoTW 'Manager' window, this will work in conjunction with the TQSL and TQSLCert software available from the ARRL which must also be installed on your computer to use this facility in Winlog32.
Almost everything that you need to do can be done from Winlog32's 'LoTW Manager' window.
1. Export your log file in ADIF
2. Digitally Sign the ADIF file into the Gabbi TQ8 format (ready to upload).
3. Download the QSL report file from LoTW and update the Log and databases.
4. Add/edit a Station Location (with TQSL)
5. Load a Certificate (using TQSLCert)
Ultimately I wish to fully integrate Winlog32 with LoTW but this is a complex issue so for the the present time, I want to make it as straightforward as possible to process your logs for LoTW and using the TQSL/TQSLCert software from within the Winlog32 LoTW Manager window.
I have one or two problems to sort out but I am working with the 'Trusted QSL' team on this, hopefully things will be OK soon anmd I can release v2.4.
73 Colin G0CUZ
Winlog32 Author
I have moved on since last remarks and presently all work in Winlog32 is aimed at improving the LoTW compatibility and the improvements will be released as v2.4 hopefully early December.
I have added a LoTW 'Manager' window, this will work in conjunction with the TQSL and TQSLCert software available from the ARRL which must also be installed on your computer to use this facility in Winlog32.
Almost everything that you need to do can be done from Winlog32's 'LoTW Manager' window.
1. Export your log file in ADIF
2. Digitally Sign the ADIF file into the Gabbi TQ8 format (ready to upload).
3. Download the QSL report file from LoTW and update the Log and databases.
4. Add/edit a Station Location (with TQSL)
5. Load a Certificate (using TQSLCert)
Ultimately I wish to fully integrate Winlog32 with LoTW but this is a complex issue so for the the present time, I want to make it as straightforward as possible to process your logs for LoTW and using the TQSL/TQSLCert software from within the Winlog32 LoTW Manager window.
I have one or two problems to sort out but I am working with the 'Trusted QSL' team on this, hopefully things will be OK soon anmd I can release v2.4.
73 Colin G0CUZ
Winlog32 Author
LoTW - Logbook of The World - some thoughts
"Logbook of The World"
Some more notes on LoTW and Winlog32.
Since v2.4 Winlog32 has the LoTW Manager window which can handle most of the processes you would need to use the LoTW facility at ARRL.
I have been using LoTW myself for a while and everything seems to be going well, I think this is a major undertaking for the ARRL and they need to be congratulated on their efforts which so far in my opinion have worked flawlessly.
I am genrally uploading/updating my QSO's every month or so, my QSO rate is really slow these days so most of the uploads are for past QSO's that I am still entering into the log.
Here are some comments on using the process with Winlog32.
When entering OLD QSO's into Winlog32 the dates will be sorted accordingly, this would appear that they will not be exported for LoTW but this is not so, the LoTW ADIF output is sorted by QSO input order and not date order, so what you need to do each time you want to upload a new file is as follows;
Check your LoTW account to see what the last QSO (Date/time/Callsign) you have uploaded, refer to Winlog32 and select next QSO in Log and export the ADIF in LoTW Manager, this will export all new QSO's after the last one entered including any 'old' QSO's that may been entered whatever the date was.
You can open the ADIF file (in a text editor) to confirm that the correct QSO's have been exported.
It is NOT recommended to export your complete Log each time, I am not sure that LoTW server does duplicate checking, so you will be using up resources on their server with unwanted duplicates.
Sign the file (convert to TQ8 file) and upload to LoTW.
Within a minute the uploaded ADIF file will have been processed automatically by the LoTW server and the result will be indicated in your account, you will be able to download the update file immediately and process the update on your Winlog32 log.
At the moment the update process in Winlog32 downloads and runs through the complete verified QSO list and checks the log against each, this takes only a few seconds even on a slow machine like mine so does not cause too much of a problem, although ideally it should only check the newly verified QSO's.
The whole (export/sign/upload/download/update) process takes me just 4 or 5 minutes.
Each time I find that I have new verfied Countries and QSO's, so more and more logs are being uploaded all the time.
73 Colin G0CUZ
Winlog32 Author
Some more notes on LoTW and Winlog32.
Since v2.4 Winlog32 has the LoTW Manager window which can handle most of the processes you would need to use the LoTW facility at ARRL.
I have been using LoTW myself for a while and everything seems to be going well, I think this is a major undertaking for the ARRL and they need to be congratulated on their efforts which so far in my opinion have worked flawlessly.
I am genrally uploading/updating my QSO's every month or so, my QSO rate is really slow these days so most of the uploads are for past QSO's that I am still entering into the log.
Here are some comments on using the process with Winlog32.
When entering OLD QSO's into Winlog32 the dates will be sorted accordingly, this would appear that they will not be exported for LoTW but this is not so, the LoTW ADIF output is sorted by QSO input order and not date order, so what you need to do each time you want to upload a new file is as follows;
Check your LoTW account to see what the last QSO (Date/time/Callsign) you have uploaded, refer to Winlog32 and select next QSO in Log and export the ADIF in LoTW Manager, this will export all new QSO's after the last one entered including any 'old' QSO's that may been entered whatever the date was.
You can open the ADIF file (in a text editor) to confirm that the correct QSO's have been exported.
It is NOT recommended to export your complete Log each time, I am not sure that LoTW server does duplicate checking, so you will be using up resources on their server with unwanted duplicates.
Sign the file (convert to TQ8 file) and upload to LoTW.
Within a minute the uploaded ADIF file will have been processed automatically by the LoTW server and the result will be indicated in your account, you will be able to download the update file immediately and process the update on your Winlog32 log.
At the moment the update process in Winlog32 downloads and runs through the complete verified QSO list and checks the log against each, this takes only a few seconds even on a slow machine like mine so does not cause too much of a problem, although ideally it should only check the newly verified QSO's.
The whole (export/sign/upload/download/update) process takes me just 4 or 5 minutes.
Each time I find that I have new verfied Countries and QSO's, so more and more logs are being uploaded all the time.
73 Colin G0CUZ
Winlog32 Author