I want to again urge all topbanders to use LOTW if you possibly can
do so. It takes a bit of effort to get started, but once you do, it
can be painless, especially if you use one of the logging programs
that supports it well. I'm sending a big stack of QSLs via the
bureau -- there's no way that I can spare the cash to mail them,
AND to include $3 in every envelope to pay for return postage.
Since getting back on the air in 2003, I've been using DXKeeper, an
excellent FREE program that does logging, keeps track of awards,
and makes it VERY easy to upload logs to LOTW (and also very easy
to download QSLs). Yesterday, a bit before sunrise, VK3EW called
me, and we made a QSO. That's a new call in my log, so I suspect he
may not have worked a lot of DX on 160 (or other bands). An hour
later, I pushed a couple of buttons in DXKeeper and uploaded his
QSO to LOTW, along with several others. If he's on LOTW, he's got a
confirmed QSO!
Dave, AA6YQ recently won a well-deserved award from the ARRL for
Technical Excellence for his work in developing DXKeeper, which is
part of a suite of programs he calls DXLab. Other parts of the
suite, all FREE, do radio control, propagation tracking, QSL rout
checking, RTTY, rotor control, and will display azimuth and
distance to any call (or prefix) that you enter. His suite also
integrates with Ham Radio Deluxe, another excellent FREE suite of
programs by HB9DRV. Dave has recently taken on the task of updating
MMTTY. Although I've never used it, friends have told me that
DX4Win is also excellent, but I don't know how well it works with
LOTW.
You don't necessarily have to have an internet connection to use
LOTW. LOTW log files can be created by programs like DXKeeper, put
on disks, and mailed to ARRL. A single disk with tens of thousands
of QSOs can be mailed for 2-3 times the cost of a single card! I
don't know about you, but I would FAR rather put my limited dollars
into upgrading my rig and antennas than mailing QSL cards.
BTW -- if you DO send cards, DXKeeper spits out QSL labels to fit
nearly any labeling stock that you would buy for your computer
printer. It can also print complete cards on pre-punched card stock
or sheets that you cut into cards after printing.
73,
Jim Brown K9YC
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