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Re: [CQ-Contest] L.O.T.W.

To: <cq-contest@contesting.com>
Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] L.O.T.W.
From: "Joe Subich, W4TV" <k4ik@subich.com>
Date: Wed, 27 Jul 2005 11:33:38 -0400
List-post: <mailto:cq-contest@contesting.com>

A private reply in this thread stated: 

> I'm guessing that the technical facts are not going to
> sway the "it's to hard" crowd. They have made up their minds 
> based on not being exposed to the key/certificate exchanges 
> etc. in the other online transaction experiences. 

The other issue is that the raw log data (ADIF or Cabrillo) 
does not contain the location information (State/County, grid, 
ITU/CQ zone, and IOTA as appropriate) necessary to support 
awards other than DXCC.  Only the DXCC entity is identified 
in the "certificate."   

The location information gets added to the log record during 
the signing process.  Good logging programs will add it from 
their internal data.  For example, DXKeeper maintains a "QTH" 
record in its internal database - that record includes State, 
County, Latitude, Longitude, address, zones, grid, etc.  tQSL 
requires that the user create a "location" and uses that data.  

When one "signs" the log, the station location and certificate 
(what amounts to a checksum or hash based on the private key) 
are added to each record and the file is compressed for e-mail 
or upload.  In addition to protecting the data from intentional 
tampering, the signing process protects it from corruption in 
transmission and/or storage.       

The entire process may be somewhat cumbersome when using the 
example tQSL program but is completely transparent when using 
a good logging program.  However, for someone operating from 
multiple locations (vacation home, mobiles in state QSO parties, 
etc.) it could be a complete nightmare to do an unsigned ADIF 
upload.   

73, 

   ... Joe, W4TV 
 

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