[DogParkList] Using the eQSL services

[Scott Andersen]

Terry,

I'm not sure what you are looking for here. There are two popular
electronic QSLing mechanisms: eQsl (http://www.eqsl.cc) and the
Logbook of the World [LoTW] run by the ARRL (http://www.arrl.org/lotw).
These two services, while attempting to do the same things, actually
operate quite differently.

First, the eQSL service is free, offers a set of rewards for different
levels of achievement, and doesn't require much to get started. All
you need to do is join their service, set up your account, and you can
begin using it immediately. In order to have the QSLs you send or
receive used for credit, however, they ask that there is some evidence
that you are who you say you are. An "authenticity guaranteed" marking
can be obtained by sending them a scanned version of your signed FCC
license. They will also accept donations to help support the site.

The other popular eQSL service is the ARRL's own LoTW. This service
requires a bit more setup. You need to sign up, get a postcard in the
regular postal mail, finish the signup process on-line, then maintain
a special encryption key (private key) that you use with the ARRL's
special software when submitting batches of log entries.

I use MacLoggerDX with both of these services, but nothing is automated.
For eQSL, I dump the latest log book entries to ADIF using the
File->Export ADIF feature. Once I have that file, the eQSL site has
a page where you can upload the file to the service. Those entries will
then appear in your "outbox" on the site.

MLDX logs can also be used to feed the LoTW. Again, I begin by
exporting an ADIF file from the log through the File->Export ADIF
feature, but that is only the beginning of the process. I must then
use the ARRL software to "sign" that batch of log entries and produce
a second file of signed, encrypted, and compressed entries that is
then uploaded to the LoTW server for processing.

That is the general idea. Are there other eQSL services you were
thinking of? I don't know of any--but would be interested to learn
of them!

I hope this begins to answer your question. If you'd like more
information, just drop a note on the list and I'm sure somebody
(perhaps even me) will pick it up from there.

73!

-- Scott (NE1RD)

On Oct 20, 2005, at 1:03 PM, Terrence R. Redding Ph.D. wrote:

> Good morning all.
>
> I received a notification of an eQSL card this morning and so  
> clicked on the
> link http://www.eQSL.cc  to retrieve the card and noted that I have  
> a number
> of cards to respond to.
>
> If I remember correctly, MacLoggerDX has a way of sending and  
> receiving
> batch QSL data with two or more eQSL services.  I can't find those
> instruction is the online manual.
>
> Where should I look for that information.  I would like to send my
> MacLoggerDX ADIF file out to the various QSL services - but am sure  
> there
> are a number of steps I should complete before doing so.
>
> All help appreciated.
>
> Terry

B. Scott Andersen    | "Magic is real, unless declared integer."
bsandersen at mac.com   | -- The collected sayings of Wiz Zumwalt
Acton, Massachusetts | Ham: NE1RD, QRP ARCI#11588, FP#-910