[RTTY] Review of the Updated ARRL Trusted QSL version 1.14

[Dick Kriss]

Consider this a sneak preview of  the soon to be  available tqsl-1.14. 

http://www.eham.net/reviews/detail/11120#119383

Over the 2013 Dayton Hamfest weekend, I was able to download, install and use a preview of the ARRL Trusted QSL (tqsl) version 1.14 from http://sourceforge.net/projects/trustedqsl/files/TrustedQSL/v1.14/. The page has versions for Windows, Linux and Mac OS X. I only tested the OS X version. Per the LoTW web page http://www.arrl.org/logbook-of-the-world tqsl v1.14 was scheduled to be available on May 20, 2013; however, this may slip 10 days to allow time for some final tweaks.

When I was in the software business, the golden rule for a new software release was a new version should let the users do exactly what they used to do but give them some options to do some things different. For existing ARRL LoTW users who are used to tqsl v1.13, the updated Trusted QSL (tqsl) version 1.14 works just the same. When you launch the new update, you will notice under the File menu there are two user options:  

The option to "Sign and save..." works the same as used in tqsl version 1.13 where you select the log file to be signed and the file is saved in .tq8 format to your hard drive. You then manually upload the digitally signed .tq8 file to the server via the LoTW web page or send the file as an attachment to an email message address to <lotw-logs at arrl.org>. 

The "Sign and upload…" option is the new addition.  When you select the "Sign and upload..." option, you select your log file and the tqsl app applies your digital signature and uploads the log to the LoTW server all in one-step. This is a one-step option should make LoTW easier to use for some users.

I tried both options and they worked FB. I feel sure there are a number of under-the-hood improvements but the updated tqsl application does what is expected. It applies your digital signature to log files for upload to the LoTW server.  

Check the ARRL LoTW page for availability the of Trusted QSL version 1.14.

73 Dick, AA5VU
Austin, Texas