Hi Chuck:
I assume the question from me that you were referring to was the LoTW COST
ISSUE.
I have been giving this some thought. I think you are correct about the ARRL
waiting until they get as many logs as they can BEFORE telling us the cost.
Once we have uploaded our logs I think we have given them to the ARRL to sell
for whatever the ARRL wants to charge.
After reading The ARRL Letter Vol. 22, No. 37 September 19, 2003
I can't help wondering just what Wayne Mills means by "Mills expects
it will be much less than the typical costs involved with exchanging
paper QSL cards.". That's pretty "Open Ended" to me !!!
If I compare eQSL vs LoTW I see major control differences.
In eQSL you can upload your logs and still have control over them to the extent
that if you don't pay the $5 fee for the AG (Authenticity Guaranteed) they can't
be used by the other party for any Awards Credit.
In LoTW, once the log is uploaded, I don't see any way to remove our logs if we
don't like the ARRL fee policy so the ARRL can still sell them even if an
individual
chooses to drop out of LoTW.
Another thing I noticed while looking at my LoTW Certificates is that they are
only
valid for 1 year from the date of issue. Does this leave the door open for the
ARRL
to invoke a yearly charge in the future ???
This cost issue may end up being the big "Gotcha" in LoTW.
More questions than answers !!!
73
Bob, K1VU
At 19:23 9/27/2003 , Chuck wrote:
>Greetings!
>
>LoTW sounds quite good and I'm giving serious thought to uploading contest
>logs that I generate from K3FT.
>
>K1VU asked ONE question that I've been seeking an answer for - and as of yet
>haven't found one. Perhaps ARRL is waiting till LoTW launch is fully
>successful and operational with lots of Q's before they announce that part
>of the information.
>
>
>I have a more specific question. Since many folks will use LoTW in lieu of
>QSL'ing with 'the old fashioned loveable "pasteboard" card... WILL this make
>it MORE difficult for folks like me who PREFER the 'good old fashioned
>cardboard QSL via snail-mail to get one?
>
>In other words.. NOW, if you are an active station and you get QSL's via
>regular mail from someone who also uploaded logs (and obviated the need to
>exchange the card) and for which you don't really NEED a card (like WHO
>REALLY needs a K3 from MD, if you are ACTIVE?? ;-) and I send you one in the
>mail.. do you believe that this would REDUCE my chances of getting a return
>card? I tend to use SASE's as a rule so that's not a cost question on the
>other station.
>
>The 2nd part of the question is this... Is a DX station who would normally
>use 'the burro' more likely than not to QSL if he knows that the other
>station also uses LoTW?
>
>My personal preference is that I LIKE the old fashioned way. It is a
>tangible item, it makes for a great conversation piece and there is just
>'SOMETHING' about being able to pull out a pile of cards (or one card) and
>enjoy the trip down memory lane. You know what I mean.
>
>I'm NOT trying to begin a large thread on this.. but it's something that has
>been niggling at my mind for some time. Ancillary to that is this part. If
>LoTW (and other aspects of electronic QSO logging/storing on remote systems
>takes a good strong hold, how soon before we see (electronically
>authenticated) QSL's that are displayed and available for me to print out on
>the printer without any thing being sent through the mail?
>
>I'm NOT against that - I'm NO Luddite as evidenced by the fact I sent this
>via Internet and my PC. :-)
>
>It gets back to the intangible 'SOMETHING' that comes from having a card
>that someone filled out, mailed, and was sent to me..
>
>Dunno.. Am I looking at this from an 'old fashioned, I'm afraid of the new
>stuff' perspective OR am I suffering withdrawal pains at the thought of not
>being able to do things the good old-fashioned comfortable way?
>
>73
>
>Chuck K3FT
>
>
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