Short post today, but just wanted to mention something I've noticed about Hams through e-mail reflectors' and social media, regarding Logbook of the World.
Type 1 are those who hate it. It's "too complicated" or "I can't get it to work" or "It doesn't work well, so I'm not going to bother using it."
Type 2 (now that it's been down for a bit) - "What's going on, I can't access my QSOs!" or "I can't believe it's been down so long - I can't live without it!" or "It's the end of the world as we know it!"
Personally? I keep all my QSOs on N3FJP's Amateur Contact Log and I upload to LOTW every now and then. I download complete ADIFs of my QSOs every month or so and I upload the file to a USB stick and I also upload a copy to my Google Drive account.
For me, LOTW is just a way of keeping track of my QSOs and QSLs with DXCC entities and ATNOs. I like LOTW as paper QSL'ing is just too danged expensive with the cost of postage these days. Paper QSL'ing is for special contacts, responding to QSL requests and for ATNO DX QSOs who don't use LOTW.
I'm sure the ARRL will figure it out and get it fixed ASAP, but I have to tell you that the optics are really bad considering their recent history with dues membership increases. This was a really bad time for LOTW to go down. In the meantime, I'll make some popcorn and will watch each side of the spectrum tear their hair out.
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
I have everything in a local copy of DXLab - but I still worry about LOTW - and what we DON'T know. There are rumors that there are problems with everything hosted in Newington. I worry about loss of data there and basically everyone having to re-upload/losing QSOs - particularly with uncredited entities.
ReplyDeleteTo me, this is showing something about ARRL leadership. The last IT director quit abruptly (supposedly after a disagreement with the CEO). They took the developer who was supposed to be on LOTW, and moved him to other projects. They have been short staffed on IT for years, and they don't seem to care. That attitude seems to be "It is only IT, not important". In today's world, NOT a good thing
I have grown accustomed to waking up each morning and checking LoTW for overnight confirmations while the coffee is brewing. It's been over a week since I could do that and am likely falling out of the habit now. I might discontinue using it after this episode.
ReplyDeleteBut, I don't harbor any ill will towards ARRL over it. I keep reading lots of people who've suddenly become IT experts beating up HQ for not taking this or that precaution. The truth is, everybody gets hacked in the 21st century unless they are of so little value that they don't. In the last year I have received notice from my bank (Chase), my healthcare provider (United Health Care), and my last employer (Kroger) informing me that they had been hacked. And I daresay those corporations have a bit more IT muscle than a ham radio club in Newington, CT. Everybody gets hacked. The ARRL's "sin" has been the lack of reasonable communication about the problem, not that they got hacked.
Good morning Larry, like you I also use N3FJP's logging software and I do have a LOTW account but mainly for those who like to confirm my qso via that platform. I also use club log and EQSL, very wise idea to do a monthly refresh of the complete log.
ReplyDelete73, have a great weekend
Mike
VE9KK