Posts on K2DT - Amateur Radio

TQSL Information Incomplete?

Sat, 20 Jun 2020 01:28:41 +0000

I’ve received some confirmations on Logbook of the World (LoTW) that do not include US State and/or County information. This happens because the TQSL “station location” used by the other station is incomplete. It doesn’t matter if your logging program fills in your State and County - TQSL will use what’s in the station location! If the other station needs your State for “Worked All States” award, your LoTW QSL will not help them without having at least the State specified!

Software Version 1.9 Posted

Sat, 09 May 2020 11:47:18 -0700

I have posted version 1.9 of the software.

New features and fixes in version 1.9:

Program will check for a new version available and show a message indicating so
Warnings received when logging onto QRZ.com will be displayed

I have not updated the installation instructions from 1.7. The only new field is the override for lat/lon.

Software Version 1.8 Posted

Sat, 04 Apr 2020 15:44:05 -0700

I have posted version 1.8 of the software.

New features and fixes in version 1.8:

Corrected format of lat/lon fields to comply with the ADIF spec
Allow override of lat/lon fields
Automatically overwrite lat/lon fields at exactly zero (some log programs emit this)

Thanks to John K2GOC for the heads-up on the zeroed lat/lon in the input file

I have not updated the installation instructions from 1.7. The only new field is the override for lat/lon.

Software Version 1.7 Posted

Wed, 04 Dec 2019 18:01:09 -0700

I have posted version 1.7 of the software.

New features and fixes in version 1.7:

Fixed handling of longitude field when using HamQTH.com

Thanks to Peter KQ6QB for the heads-up on the longitude issue with HamQTH.com.

Software Version 1.6 Posted

Thu, 28 Nov 2019 11:25:23 -0700

I have posted version 1.6 of the software.

New features and fixes in version 1.6:

Added ‘county’ field to the list of fields that can be overridden
Fixed county field generation for US states to be ADIF standard compliant

Thanks to Al VE3FZ for the heads-up on the problem with US counties.

Text Alerts or Email from JTAlert makes state or DXCC hunting easier while using WSJT-X

Sun, 17 Nov 2019 07:27:18 -0700

I’ve been operating JT65, JT9, and now FT8. It’s very helpful in getting new states for Worked All States awards and entities for DXCC.

I run on Windows 10 and use the excellent JTAlert (http://hamapps.com) program to help automate logging and to track what new entities I need on a per-band basis.

Since I have WAS for 80, 40, 20, and 15 meters, I’d like to complete WAS for 10m to qualify for the 5-Band WAS award. 10 meters is open periodically but I can’t be in front of the radio (or even in the house) all the time.

Software Version 1.5 posted

Fri, 10 Aug 2018 14:43:34 -0700

I have posted version 1.5 of the software to merge QRZ.com or HamQTH.com data into ADIF log files.

New features and fixes in version 1.5:

Added ’name’ field to the list of fields that can be overridden
Fixed logic error that prevented empty fields from being overwritten automatically
Fixed an error that resulted in fields being folded to upper case before update

Get Your QSOs on Route 66

Tue, 10 Oct 2017 17:27:37 -0700

I was operating FT8 mode on 40m one evening and noticed a special event callsign W6B on the waterfall. Curious, I went online and looked up the call on QRZ.com. The page said the station was part of a Route 66 on the Air special event and included a link to their club’s main page. A web search brought me to the event’s main page on the Citrus Belt ARC site. I hadn’t heard of it before, but it turned out to be the eighteenth year the event was being held.

Software Version 1.4 Posted

Wed, 07 Dec 2016 10:35:53 -0700

I have posted version 1.4 of the software to merge QRZ.com or HamQTH.com data into ADIF log files.

New features in version 1.4:

Support for QTH field
Support for HamQTH.com in addition to QRZ.com
Ability to abort execution from the “Ask” panels.

Comments are welcome.

DX Calling Little Ol' Me?

Wed, 30 Nov 2016 17:33:23 -0700

A bit of a puzzler today. I was calling KH6SAT on JT65 20m primarily to thank him for the nice paper QSL he sent (which I had reciprocated right away).

Instead of a response from Rick, VR2ZUZ called me from Hong Kong. Only my second Hong Kong (and none confirmed yet). But I was surprised that 1) he’d call me at all and 2) was so anxious he didn’t wait for a CQ (which I probably wouldn’t have sent anyway).

Why not use LoTW?

Wed, 30 Nov 2016 10:10:22 -0700

ARRL’s Logbook of the World (LoTW) provides a secure, authenticated means to electronically QSL. Confirmations are good for DXCC, WAS, VUCC and CQ WPX awards. There is no cost to sign up and ARRL membership is not required. There is a fee associated with requesting awards with LoTW credit, but it’s pretty modest, particularly when compared to postage for mailing paper cards or the inconvenience of getting cards checked by an official (or not, as required) human checker.

CQ WW DX 2016 is over

Mon, 28 Nov 2016 10:42:36 -0700

and I did… well, OK.

I didn’t participate in these because I thought I had a shot at winning a prize. I’m in it for DXCC countries. So how did that work out?

In the CW contest, I had 226 QSOs in 45 countries. For phone, I had 150 QSOs in 41 countries. Total 376 QSOs in 63 countries. 100% search and pounce. For CW I connected to a cluster to pick up CW Skimmer spots. It doesn’t matter to me if I’m at the bottom of an assisted or unassisted category. Plus I have trouble copying a CW callsign sent at >35wpm.

Happy Thanksgiving AKA CQWWDX CW Eve

Thu, 24 Nov 2016 09:25:04 -0700

Happy Thanksgiving to those in the US!

It’s also the eve of the CQ Worldwide DX CW Contest start. I worked 40 countries (72 multipliers) in the SSB contest with my little pistol station. I’m hoping to better that on CW, though the pileups on rare countries will probably be just as challenging.