One last comment on LoTW. I've worked 168 DXCC on TB with my modest little
station and have 148 CFMs to date, mostly from LoTW. There are a few paper
cards that arrived via mail that I received from expeditions by using their
online QRSS and PayPal during or after their trips. If I spent $5 on a
website to cfm a handful of QSO with say VP6T for example, that's a good
deal. Pretty sure they didn't want or need my card anyway. The straw that
probably broke the back on paper qsls for me was when I sent a ZL station my
card, an SAE and $1 and got an email asking for more USD because he didn't
feel he could cover his cost to send me a return card with only a buck. Now
at that time it had been years since I sent out any cards internationally so
shame on me for not knowing the cost of return postage. That particular card
would have been #100 for my DXCC on TB. Needless to say I never sent any
more USD and he never sent a card. I was happy on that day when I not only
received #100 but #101 on TB via LoTW and submitted my TB DXCC application.
If it works for you then use cards., but it doesn't cost you anything to
upload your logs to LoTW and it may help a fellow ham who just can't do
paper cards of any number of reasons. It's all about how you feel about this
hobby and what makes you happy right? If I can help another ham enjoy this
hobby , especially TB then I feel good about that. In the end, its just more
junk that someday our kids will throw out wondering why we ever kept all
that stuff. Good luck to all on TB tonight in the test. I hope we all work
at least one new one!
-----Original Message-----
From: Jeff
Sent: Thursday, February 16, 2012 9:25 PM
To: topband@contesting.com
Subject: Re: Topband: LOTW Participation
I love the LoTW system. The money I save on cards and postage goes into
radios and antennas. I'm not much of a contester any more, I just kind of
hunt and peck vs. S&P when I do work contest stations. One of the things do
is to look for DX stations that have taken the time to become active on LoTW
and reward them with a W7JW contest qso. Not much of a return on their
investment for sure but it does provide them with one more contest point
that would other wise never have happened. So, this weekend while ur
listening around on TB during the contest for new ones, think about handing
out some reward points to those DX stations who went that extra mile so we
can get those coveted awards we all like.
-----Original Message-----
From: Wayne Mills
Sent: Thursday, February 16, 2012 8:08 PM
To: wa3mej@comcast.net ; topband@contesting.com
Subject: Re: Topband: LOTW Participation
Jim.
There are a number of reasons why more people don't use logbook. There's the
perception that it's too complicated (mostly, IT guys have problems), and
the fact that non-US hams must send a letter to ARRL, unlike US hams. There
are also many people who like to collect paper cards. In Europe, the bureau
system is much more popular than it is in the US largely because incoming
and outgoing services are free with the membership in some national
societies -- never mind that their dues are far greater.
Actually, however, there are ma large number of hams who do use LoTW. Some
estimates put the number of at least semi-active DXers at around 100K to
150K. Consider then that the nearly 50K individual users of LoTW is quite
significant. Here's something to think about: I wouldn't be surprised to
learn that the percentage of regular LoTW users is higher than the
percentage of non-LoTW users also who QSL regularly. LoTW is a different
animal than conventional QSLing.
73, Wayne, N7NG
Jackson, Wyoming
-----Original Message-----
From: topband-bounces@contesting.com [mailto:topband-bounces@contesting.com]
On Behalf Of wa3mej@comcast.net
Sent: Thursday, February 16, 2012 5:28 PM
To: topband@contesting.com
Subject: Topband: LOTW Participation
This has probably already been asked on here.. geeze I hope it doesnt start
another gripefest. But I am wondering with the cost of QSL cards, postage
etc Why dont more people working DX (especially hams O-CONUS) use LOTW? It
appears that a lot of DX does not participate in LOTW. Is it because they
dont like ARRL, dont like their activites controlled (if your not in the US
you gotta mail stuff in etc.) or what? I just dont understand this is the
most painless method to get confirmation you could possibly have. Or maybe
they just like collecting all those cards that we put into shoe boxes and
put into the closet.
I just got 22 QSLs for contacts work less than two months ago.. some of
them even less than a week ago. How good can it get? Sure make my work
easier
Jim WA3MEJ
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UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
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UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
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UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
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UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
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