Brief Summary of LOTW

Brief Summary of LOTW

• Do you QSL?

• Do you like to save money?

• Do you use LOTW?

WHY NOT?

What is LOTW?

• A repository (database) of log records submitted by LOTW users worldwide.

• When two stations submit matching QSO records to LOTW a QSL record results.

• The QSL records can be used for ARRL award credit (and to some extent CQ awards)

LOTW Security

• To minimize fraudulent submissions, all QSO records must be digitally signed using a certificate obtained from ARRL

• ARRL provides software to convert your log data (in ADIF or Cabrillo format) into a digitally signed file.

LOTW Accommodates a variety of scenarios

• Portable / Mobile operation require different certificates!K3GP, K3GP/8, VE3/K3GP, K3GP/MM, etc.

• Different locations may exist for each certificate (includes grid squares, state, county)

– K3GP in Finleyville PA, Bethel Park PA, North Canton, OH and Alliance, OH– Different locations must be signed differently (More later)

What LOTW is NOT

• A online backup of your log data– Abridged (incomplete) data can be retrieved to recreate a log

– This is a last resort as full details are not kept on LOTW

– Protect your log data with frequent and complete backups

– Cloud storage is available (Amazon, Dropbox, others)

• A substitute or replacement for paper QSLs– Not all stations participate in LOTW

– DXPeditions often offer colorful and collectible QSL cards

– Perhaps you collect “subject” QSLs (Historical photos, etc)

LOTW Costs?

• LOTW is free to join and use• There is a modest cost when you submit QSO

records for awards (WAS, DXCC); this cost is significantly lower than paper QSLing

• Signing up for and configuring your LOTW account is straightforward, but requires several steps.

• You do NOT need to be an ARRL member to use LOTW

Who Uses LOTW?

• As of Yesterday (February 10th)

Why use LOTW

• QSO confirmation is faster (in most cases)• QSO confirmation via LOTW is free.• Allows electronic filing of application for DXCC,

5BDXCC, WAS, DX Honor Roll, DX Challenge awards.

• On line award applications have faster turn around

• Application cost about the same as a “paper” application; Hybrid applications (LOTW QSL’s with Paper QSL’s) are possible.

LOTW Tips

• Your mailing address registered with the FCC must be accurate!

• Getting your certificate and starting will seem tedious• An internet connection will be necessary• Manual entry of log data to LOTW is possible but

impractical; you should be using a logging program that exports log records in ADIF or Cabrillo format.

Setting up a new LOTW account

Set up a new folder on your hard drive for LOTW

The basic steps to creating a LOTW account:

1. Download the TQSL software from the ARRL

• Software is Operating System Specific (windows, MAC, Linux)

2. Create a certificate request for your call sign

3. Upload the request (then wait for postcard)

4. Authenticate your request (With 8 digit code on postcard)

5. Load the certificate (emailed to you by ARRL)

6. Create station location(s)

7. Back up the certificate

Detailed step by step instructions at: http://www.arrl.org/instructions

Step One – Download Software

Step Two– Requesting Initial Certificate

At this point you have created your initial LOTW Certificate REQUEST

As indicated by the slash, this certificate must be authenticated before it can be used to sign QSO files.

Remember where you stored this request (.TQ5) file

This is what my tQSL certificate list looks like:

IMPORTANT NOTE FOR

Step 4 –Entering the Postcard Password

Step 5 – Load and Save Youractive LOTW Certificate

Save Your Certificate

This completes the certificate process.

Advanced topics such as certificates for signed portable operation, DX-pedition operation and club calls are beyond the scope of this presentation.

Creating Station Locations

Creating your station location(s)

• The station location contains all of the geographic information for your operation.  This includes ITU and CQ zones, grid square, US State and county and IOTA number if you operated from an IOTA island.

• Please be accurate and complete when entering the information in this step because this is how the other station will receive credit for your geographic positions from a QSO with you.

I also have separate station location records for my previous QTH in North Canton, and my old Pennsylvania QTH, Bethel Park

Enter all of the information about your station location and click next

Digitally Signing Your LogThis step assumes you have exported an ADIF or Cabrillo log file from your logging or contest software. Some programs may perform these steps for you.

From tQSL:

Select FILE > SIGN EXISTING FILE

Next, left click on the correct station location for the QSOs you are preparing to upload, then click OK

Select the log file to be digitally signed, then click OPEN

Next select the file to write the signed (.TQ8) file:

Next you will be asked to confirm the signing of your file:

If you have multiple certificates, be sure you are signing the file using the correct certificate.

You have the option of entering a date range for the QSOs to be uploaded. You may leave either date blank. If duplicate QSOs are being uploaded, the most recent upload will overwrite previous QSO information.

You will see the tQSL software signing your log and converting it to tQSL signed format (.TQ8); You will get a message when the conversion is complete.

Next, log onto the LOTW web site https://p1k.arrl.org/lotwuser/default

Select the UPLOAD FILE tab

Use the browse button to locate the signed (.TQ8) file you just created

Click the UPLOAD FILE button to upload the file. You will receive a message that the file is uploaded for processing, or an error message such as:

<Filename> does not appear to be a TrustedQSL file – Processing aborted!

This message generally occurs when you select a file other than a .TQ8 file.

LOTW Hints and Kinks

• Build the following link in your “Favorites”:

– https://p1k.arrl.org/lotwuser/qsos?login=yourcall,password=yourpass

NOTE: Do not do this on a public computer!

Sample Confirmed QSO Query Result Report

Sample DXCC Award Summary Page

My experience with LOTW

• I have been on LOTW since it became active September 2003• I have 30K + QSOs uploaded and 16K + Confirmed (45.6% rate)• Heaviest users are contesters and DXers• I have 5B DXCC completed on LOTW, 6th band ready to submit• Including paper cards, I could qualify for 8 band DXCC • Observations

– LOTW great for repeat QSL requests from same station/band/mode

– LOTW stressed heavily immediately at conclusion of a contest

– Until recently log uploads could take days to process to account

– Cost savings substantial. Consider 5B DXCC: By QSL cards at $4 per QSL average: 5 x 100 x $4 = $2,000 + Application fees. By LOTW, Application fees only.

– US Postage rates just rose and USPS stopped selling IRC’s

Recent LOTW problems

• LOTW Outage in early November – duration measured in days.• Log upload processing in Summer 2012 could take days following

contest.• Early 2013 ARRL upgraded to SSD drives:

LOTW Logbook Queue Status Page

May be viewed at: http://www.arrl.org/logbook-queue-status

What are you waiting for?

• Get started this week!

• I’ll be glad to help PCARS members get set up and started on LOTW.– Prefer on-the-air assistance so we both can

be in front of the computer.