Electronic Logging and remote logbooks

Old Reflector
1

Hi All,
Just starting a general chat to see what everyone is using for their logging.

Do you still keep a hardcopy (Logbook & pen)?
Do you use a logging software package (logger32, HRD etc)?
Do you use a remote logging faciility such as eQSL or LOTW?

Just for interest and comments that’s all.

Personally I use Logger32 and eQSL. Both are easy to use and provide more than enough flexibility for my logging needs.

De Kevin G0NUP

2

In reply to G0NUP:

Hi, Kevin, I still keep a full paper logbook here, although I imagine that virtually everyone does on the hill!

73

Brian G8ADD

3

In reply to G0NUP:
Hi Kevin, i’m using the SWISSLOG V5.6b with a separate Log-database for SOTA.
73 Peter/HB9CMI

4

Do you still keep a hardcopy (Logbook & pen)?

Never have done (except when /p when I write in a notepad and transcribe later)

Do you use a logging software package (logger32, HRD etc)?

Does Excel count as “logging software”? I keep an Excel spreadsheet…

I’ve experimented with qrz.com’s log but that struggles with the concept of /P operation

Do you use a remote logging faciility such as eQSL or LOTW?

I have an eQSL account, but again, IMO it’s built around a single place of activation

Andrew
M6ADB

5

In reply to G0NUP:
Hi Kevin,

“Do you still keep a hardcopy (Logbook & pen)?”

Only when activating.

“Do you use a logging software package (logger32, HRD etc)?”

I use HRD. I only use the logbook which I found most intuitive to use at the time when I was looking for a new logging programme.

“Do you use a remote logging faciility such as eQSL or LOTW?”

I use Club Log Loading... which is a brilliant resource for Amateur radio. I also use LoTW, I have an eQSL account but cannot be bothered to upload any more.

73
Roger MW0IDX

6

I no longer keep a full paper logbook; I used to, and have kept those.

I use Logger32 in the shack, and find it easy to retrospectively add selected contacts from SOTA activations if they give me a new DXCC on a band/mode. The main weakness with Logger32 is that it doesn’t have a facility to look at your statistics by individual year. Other than that it is perfect for my needs. I have made my own Excel spreadsheet with some very basic formulae and macro to keep track of my CW DXCCs by band in the current year for G3WGV’s table instead.

The definitive logbook for my SOTA contacts - activator or chaser - is the actual online SOTA Database. That in mind, I should really save backups from it more often than I do.

My favourite logbook though is my Rite in the Rain waterproof notepad on which the ‘live’ logging is done on summits.

Tom M1EYP

7

I use N1MM Logger and open a new log in the same database for every summit.
Then I export the log into ADIF( edit functions with ADIFMASTER) and use ADI2SOTA to translate it to .csv format.

Walter
DK1BN

8

In reply to G0NUP:

Do you still keep a hardcopy (Logbook & pen)?

I always use a paper log on summits. When at home, the contacts are hacked into the computer. I don’t keep the paper logs.

Do you use a logging software package (logger32, HRD etc)?

I am running Amateur Contact Log by N3FJP, which is fast and easy to use.

Do you use a remote logging faciility such as eQSL or LOTW?

both, but I actually do not retrieve QSLs from eqsl and use it just for upload. I created two additional eqsl accounts, beside the one for home operation I now also maintain one for /p from DL and OE each.

Like Roger, I also use clublog.org and have provided a lookup/qsl-request form on my “homepage” which directly queries the clublog database.

73 Bernhard DL4CW

9

I have not used a paper log in the shack for around 3 year (but I still have all the old ones) and I no longer log every contact - mostly I log HF, Contests and SOTA contacts now.

My logging program is VQLog and I upload logs to EQSL as well as the SOTA Database - my log is also available on-line on my own website (by use of some scripts and programs to convert the log file to MySQL and then to KML Maps).

Stewart G0LGS

10

In reply to G0NUP:

I still only keep a hardcopy log - it’s an A5 notebook that gets taken up the hill with me. All contacts are logged. I don’t transcribe into a “neat” version, so some of the entries done with very cold hands are very shaky! I do, of course, have to transcribe into electronic systems for SOTA and contests.

Keeping an electronic log on the hill would, in my view, be more trouble than it’s worth - I did try with my PDA once. It’s easier to scribble.

All the same, I’m also interested in the comments - I keep thinking I should transcribe my log into LOTW or something like that. But I have more interesting things to do still …

73
John GM8OTI

11

In reply to G0NUP:

Do you still keep a hardcopy (Logbook & pen)?

Yes (but I no longer log casual local “chat” contacts).

Do you use a logging software package (logger32, HRD etc)?

I don’t use logging software as such, but keep a copy of my logs in a MS Access database of my own design. I suppose this is what I regard as the definitive log so in many ways the paper log book is redundant.

I’ve occasionally exported from my database into HRD, but don’t do this regularly.

Do you use a remote logging faciility such as eQSL or LOTW?

I upload all logged contacts to LoTW and the “home” subset to eQSL, in monthly batches. eQSL does not handle callsign variants well so I gave up on that. If things improve, I can upload them from the database at any time.

Martyn M1MAJ

12

I’ve just read this thread and while there are lots of suggestions for logging software they all seem to be for Windows.

I’m a Linux user, has anyone come across any good logging software for Linux?

I’ve tried xlog and klog but neither are very usable.

I’d also be interested in contest logging software for Linux.

73 Colin G8TMV

13

In reply to G8TMV:

I’m a Linux user, has anyone come across any good logging software for Linux?

CQRLOG - http://www.cqrlog.com/ - works fine for me. I am using just the basic functions, manually entering the QSOs and keeping track of QSLs to be sent.

14

i like Stewart use VQLog and only ever really use paper logging when out portable for contests etc which then normally (but not always) gets transcribed into VQLog on return home

i find VQLog very useful for creating maps and lists of worked squares aswell as worked dxccs and much more

you can view my map of worked squares on 6m -50Mhz (generated by VQLog) at the following link

http://www.m3wds.co.uk/viewpage.php?page_id=7

73
Matt, M3WDS

15

In reply to G8TMV:

I’m a Linux user, has anyone come across any good logging software for
Linux?

I do not use much office software in linux, but tlf works in my system

http://home.iae.nl/users/reinc/TLF-0.2.html

My adifmerg project might be also useful

http://sral.fi/oh7bf/Soft/

73, Jaakko OH7BF/F5VGL

16

In reply to G8TMV:

I’ve tried xlog and klog but neither are very usable.

I’ve looked into:

For the time being a paper log remains my definitive copy, but I can see a logging program on a CAT-connected notebook might at some point take over.

Online, I can use eQSL.cc if necessary, I gave QRZ.com’s logging a very brief try before abandoning it, and I’m waiting on LotW…

73 Rick M6LEP

17

In reply to M6LEP:

I saw Colin’s request for a log book for Linux and my immediate thoughts were python and sqlite3 with either tk or fltk for the graphics. Interesting to see other people had similar ideas but replacing python with perl.

Having always used a paper log book until I had to start using the SOTA database I was always surprised at the sheer number of logging programs that exist. It’s only when you look deeper you realise the number of niggles there are to solve.

If you have any programming ability then I’d suggest rolling your own using a modern scripting language (python or perl) driving a lightweight database like sqlite3. sqlite3 is surprisingly potent even when handling 200Mb db files on my resource limited server that only has 266MHz PowerPC with 128Mb RAM.

Andy
MM0FMF

18

In reply to MM0FMF:

I saw Colin’s request for a log book for Linux and my immediate
thoughts were python and sqlite3 with either tk or fltk for the
graphics.

My thoughts went in that direction too, well perl rather than python.

If you have any programming ability then I’d suggest rolling your own
using a modern scripting language (python or perl) driving a
lightweight database like sqlite3.

I intend to take a look at tlf (probably not what I want), yfk (looks sensible and the author is responsible for lcwo.net which I’m using) and qle (looks actively maintained).

Also since I’m a DD and the Debian maintainer for perl-tk it’s a good fit with my other non-ham interests.

73 Colin G8TMV

19

In reply to MM0FMF:

I saw Colin’s request for a log book for Linux and my immediate
thoughts were python and sqlite3 with either tk or fltk for the
graphics. Interesting to see other people had similar ideas but
replacing python with perl.

I encountered the problem of compiling the source code with the new updated linux distributions. The different distributions use always a little different libraries especially for the GUI tool kits. The GUI is usually the first thing to break when you upgrade your system or is not backward compatible. Perl should work similar way in most of the machines though, but using Perl modules needs some understanding of the system. Thus I have been writing only less user friendly but hopefully more portable programs without GUI or Perl modules.

73, Jaakko OH7BF/F5VGL

20

In reply to G0NUP:

…and others.

I just found this website:

http://www.bitwrap.no/web/index.php?id=eqf

Interesting?

73 de Halvard