[FQP]FQP logs and LoTW

[Ron Wetjen]

ku8e at bellsouth.net wrote:

> I haven't looked at the LOTW yet. So I'm not sure if they have 
 > this already .. If they had a field in their database for each
 > QSO record named "Notes", Then you could maybe put something like
 > "FQP 2003 SAR" in that field, which would ID it to the person
 > looking at it as a FQP QSO.

No, they don't have a "notes" field to add comments.

What you can do, is "tag" each log with a different QTH.  This "tag" is 
apparently added when you electronically "sign" your log.

So, once my logs are uploaded for each county, folks needing that 
county, should get credit for it (you'll also get credit for CQ Zone, 
ITU Zone, Grid Square, IOTA #).

As Axel wrote,

 > I think so far LOTW isn't really ready for County-Hunters-Activites,
 > especially for those of the Mobiles.

This is probably true.  The main problem seems to be with the different 
ways the QSO can get logged.  For example, someone might log me as

NJ4M
NJ4M/M
NJ4M/SAR

The "match" depends on what call I use to "sign" my log, which could be

NJ4M
NJ4M/M
NJ4M/SAR

If they are not the same, the QSO's won't match, and you won't get credit.

Looks like there either has to be a "standard" way for all stations to 
log mobile QSO's which match the call used to "sign" the log, or the 
software needs to be able to match "wildcards", so NJ4M, NJ4M/M, or 
NJ4M/SAR will all give the proper credit.  Since LoTW is fairly new, 
perhaps either or both of these ideas will be implemented at some point. 
  (I have the same problem with my DL/WD4AHZ and DL/WD4AHZ/P logs!)

For the moment, I'm going to use the call NJ4M (and DL/WD4AHZ) from each 
county (and I won't need a separate LoTW certificate for each county), 
until a better idea comes up.  If someone doesn't get the proper credit, 
they can just upload a "new" QSO using just NJ4M for the call ... this 
should come up with a match.

Will have my mobile logs uploaded shortly, in case someone wants to 
"experiment".  Either way, interesting discussion and a good shakedown 
of the LoTW system.

73, Ron  WD4AHZ