QSLing in the Digital Age - Halifax Amateur Radio Club

Howard Dickson – VE1DHD
17 October 2012
Self Disclosure
• First HF Contact:
• 26 March 1995 with Ted Norwood (VE1VL)
in Hubbards Nova Scotia on 80m
• Contacts:
– VE1DHD – 19,757
– VE1ZD – 14,254 (since July 2009)
My Awards
• DXCC
• Total Confirmed – 182
• Total Worked – 241 (522)
• WAZ
• Total Confirmed – 33
• Total Worked – 40 (40)
• WAS
• Total Confirmed – 50
• Total Worked – 50 (50)
• BUT…..I have never applied for an award & never
initiated a QSL request – direct or bureau!
QSLing Methods Used
• Why have I NEVER initiated a QSL request?
• Too frugal
• Not competitive
• Lazy
• Just never placed a lot of value in shingles
• Respond to ALL QSL requests (Direct & Bureau)
• Upload ALL logs to:
• Logbook of the World (LotW)
• eQSL.cc
QSL Cards have Changed a Bit!!
1933 compared to 2012 Card
Summary of QSL Options in 2012
• Traditional Paper QSL Card sent either:
– Direct – through postal system
– Bureau – through RAC
• Global QSL Service
– New – on-line bureau service +
• eQSL.cc
• ARRL - Logbook of the World
Traditional Paper QSL Cards
• Advantages
– Love of traditional paper cards
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Add context to a QSO – person/place
Can be expressive!
Until recently was really the only option
BUT, there are now other options
• Disadvantages
– Time consuming – filling out cards or printing labels
– Expensive
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Card production
Labels
Postage – domestic, USA & international
Bureau Charges (new RAC system)
– Must be a RAC member to use
– Limited to 2000gm/year then pay by weight - $2.50/100gm
If not Traditional Paper Cards
• Global QSL – an analogue/digital hybrid
– Design your own card on line using their software
– Order batches of blank cards to use for Direct QSLing
• Allows you to QSL traditionally for those rare calls and
locations at a competitive price for cards
– Submit your logs in ADIF format and they will:
• Print your cards with your data and ship them to the
appropriate incoming QSL bureaus around the world for you –
again for a modest price
– A great solution to a time consuming part of our hobby
– Sound too good to be true?
Global QSL – Love it or Hate it!
• Then…you might want to check out the reviews
on eHAM.net
– Many are satisfied and rate it 5/5
– However, a significant number express concerns
related to slowness of their system to print and
distribute cards to incoming bureaus
– Worry about future price hikes once they build a
customer base
– Who are our current local users??
• VE1CDD
If not Paper Cards – What else?
• eQSL.cc – another analogue/digital hybrid
– This is a free system with over 200,00 members:
• Has been around for a number of years
• Design your QSL card front and submit it to the site
– Upload your ADIF-formatted logs
• Automatically confirms matches
• Allows users to print off cards from confirmed contacts or
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they will mail confirmed cards to you (for a price)
eQSL.cc awards are available
Many clubs and organizations now recognize eQSL contacts –
including CQ magazine for their awards
However, ARRL does NOT recognize eQSL.cc nor does the
RSGB for IOTA for their “Gold Standard” awards!!!!
eQSL.cc Card
• Upload an image and your station data
and contact data are added automatically
If not Paper Cards – What?
• ARRL Logbook of the World (LotW)
– Premier electronic QSLing system
– Advantages:
• Rigorous security to prevent fraud
• Use in conjunction with paper cards or alone to
apply for ARRL awards
• No cost to use – costs occur when applying for
awards
• Increasing usage world-wide – 78,795 callsigns
• Most big DXpeditions now use as well
LotW – How does it Work?
• Uses digitally signed certificates to ensure
security
• Uses Trusted QSL Software
– TQSL Cert
• Maintains the digital certificates for the callsigns
that you have registered with ARRL
• Finite life
– TQSL
• Used for station location management and for
digitally signing logs that you submit
LotW Security
• All LotW users are verified as legitimate before
an account is set up
– Non-American operators must mail in a copy of their
Amateur Radio operator permit + a copy of a photo
ID
• All unique callsigns are assigned a unique digital
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•
certificate by ARRL
Your certificate is used to “sign” your log and a
special log version – .TQ8 file – is produced for
submission to ARRL
Believed to be the most secure system available
What LotW can NOT do
• Provide paper (physical) QSL cards in any form
• Is purely a digital (electronic) QSL service
What awards are Available?
• ARRL Awards –
• DXCC
• WAS
• VUCC
• CQ Awards –
• CQ WPX award
• Soon ALL CQ awards will be available through
LotW
• Will there be others? RSGB/IOTA??
Summary
• While there are many QSLing options – as I said,
I will:
– Respond to all Direct QSL requests – I never initiate a
Direct QSL request
– Respond to all Bureau requests – UNTILL my current
card supply expires – THEN – I will go with Global
QSL
– Upload all of my ADIF logs to:
• eQSL.cc
• LotW
The End