I recently upgraded my license and have been getting to HF, both SSB and PSK... For the moment, I've been logging my QSOs using QRZ.com as well as eQSL.cc... I do QRZ.com because I like how it shows which countries I've worked, with the flags and such in my logbook display, and eQSL.cc because it's actually QSL cards that are exchanged (electronic, but better than nothing)...
However, I've noticed some shortcomings doing it the way I do it. And I'm sure there are things I haven't thought of yet.
First shortcoming is that I have to do everything twice. Since I'm logging to two different websites, all the information has to be put in twice. Ugh.
Second, neither of these options tell me whether I've worked a station before. Particularly with PSK, QSOs happen pretty quickly. I see a CQ out there, I copy the call, look it up on QRZ so I have something to work with, and usually by that time the calling party is done with their call out of CQ, and I can work them if I choose to (assuming I don't recognize the call as a previously worked call)... But now, as the number of stations I've worked grows, I don't remember all the calls I've worked, and tonight I got my first double, a station I worked tonight I worked just a month ago, also on PSK-31...
So here's what I'd like. A windows program that will allow me to log first and foremost. I'd like to enter a call, and have it look up the info (and tell me if I've worked them before - and if so, what date/freq/mode/etc). If I work that call, then I'd like to click a button that makes a log entry with date/time/freq/mode, as well as retrieved data (full name/location/locator code/etc). Ideally it'd interface with at least eQSL.cc, but would be nice if it also interfaced with QRZ.com as well. Future expansion capability to LotW would be nice too. Any other logging sites I currently don't know about would be cool too...
Synchronization would be important as well. QRZ.com tracks confirmed QSOs, and eQSL.cc does as well. It'd be nice if my logging program could sync up and store locally confirmations from those sites (and any other sites I choose to use in the future).
For future expandability, I know newer radios are capable of talking to the computer giving info like s/n ratios, current freq, s-meter levels, etc. My current radio does not do this, but if I upgrade in the future... *shrug*
And, a nice feature, though not absolutely required, would be the ability to do most functions using a keyboard. For instance, if I look up a call, then click a button to have it log a QSO with that callsign, then I'd like to have all the things I enter be able to be done without a bunch of mouse clicks. Using tab to move between fields is (was) a basic thing in older programs, but many newer windows programs seem not to do this very well. I am a touch typist, and can move very quickly through a form using the tab key.
In regards to reporting, the ability to show how many, and what countries I've worked would be nice. I love the look of QRZ using the country's flag in their list is neat, and it would be cool if the logging program did that too. Also, I'd like to be able to see how many states I've worked. Basically, in regards to states, I'd like to "work all states", and once I do, I'd like to "work all states on each band", and/or "work all states on each mode", etc. Having a report showing me what I've done and what I need for these types of goals would be awesome.
And I know this last one is a long-shot, but for the moment, all my HF work is done at home, but in the future, I'd love to be able to put this logging program on my laptop, sync it up, and have all my info available if I decide to work HF from the mobile, or from another station, without having to write down the QSO information by hand and enter it when I get home. If I could enter it using a laptop, and have it automatically show up when I launch the program at home, that would be most excellent...
I've tried doing this research myself, but there are SOOOO many logging programs out there, and none of them quite do what i want them to, and there's really no central repository for the software where I can compare features and such, so I figured I'd throw out what I'm looking for in a forum, and see what people come back with.
Thanks in advance for all your help
73,
Eric
Afterthought: eQSL has electronic QSL cards I can download. It would be super cool if the logging program could store locally an image of those eQSL cards? And for paper QSL cards, maybe scan an image of them and store those with the QSO log?
However, I've noticed some shortcomings doing it the way I do it. And I'm sure there are things I haven't thought of yet.
First shortcoming is that I have to do everything twice. Since I'm logging to two different websites, all the information has to be put in twice. Ugh.
Second, neither of these options tell me whether I've worked a station before. Particularly with PSK, QSOs happen pretty quickly. I see a CQ out there, I copy the call, look it up on QRZ so I have something to work with, and usually by that time the calling party is done with their call out of CQ, and I can work them if I choose to (assuming I don't recognize the call as a previously worked call)... But now, as the number of stations I've worked grows, I don't remember all the calls I've worked, and tonight I got my first double, a station I worked tonight I worked just a month ago, also on PSK-31...
So here's what I'd like. A windows program that will allow me to log first and foremost. I'd like to enter a call, and have it look up the info (and tell me if I've worked them before - and if so, what date/freq/mode/etc). If I work that call, then I'd like to click a button that makes a log entry with date/time/freq/mode, as well as retrieved data (full name/location/locator code/etc). Ideally it'd interface with at least eQSL.cc, but would be nice if it also interfaced with QRZ.com as well. Future expansion capability to LotW would be nice too. Any other logging sites I currently don't know about would be cool too...
Synchronization would be important as well. QRZ.com tracks confirmed QSOs, and eQSL.cc does as well. It'd be nice if my logging program could sync up and store locally confirmations from those sites (and any other sites I choose to use in the future).
For future expandability, I know newer radios are capable of talking to the computer giving info like s/n ratios, current freq, s-meter levels, etc. My current radio does not do this, but if I upgrade in the future... *shrug*
And, a nice feature, though not absolutely required, would be the ability to do most functions using a keyboard. For instance, if I look up a call, then click a button to have it log a QSO with that callsign, then I'd like to have all the things I enter be able to be done without a bunch of mouse clicks. Using tab to move between fields is (was) a basic thing in older programs, but many newer windows programs seem not to do this very well. I am a touch typist, and can move very quickly through a form using the tab key.
In regards to reporting, the ability to show how many, and what countries I've worked would be nice. I love the look of QRZ using the country's flag in their list is neat, and it would be cool if the logging program did that too. Also, I'd like to be able to see how many states I've worked. Basically, in regards to states, I'd like to "work all states", and once I do, I'd like to "work all states on each band", and/or "work all states on each mode", etc. Having a report showing me what I've done and what I need for these types of goals would be awesome.
And I know this last one is a long-shot, but for the moment, all my HF work is done at home, but in the future, I'd love to be able to put this logging program on my laptop, sync it up, and have all my info available if I decide to work HF from the mobile, or from another station, without having to write down the QSO information by hand and enter it when I get home. If I could enter it using a laptop, and have it automatically show up when I launch the program at home, that would be most excellent...
I've tried doing this research myself, but there are SOOOO many logging programs out there, and none of them quite do what i want them to, and there's really no central repository for the software where I can compare features and such, so I figured I'd throw out what I'm looking for in a forum, and see what people come back with.
Thanks in advance for all your help
73,
Eric
Afterthought: eQSL has electronic QSL cards I can download. It would be super cool if the logging program could store locally an image of those eQSL cards? And for paper QSL cards, maybe scan an image of them and store those with the QSO log?
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