K3CAN

I posted a while back about online amateur radio logging (here) and wanted to do a follow up on some of the client software I've been using to log contacts and sync to both LOTW and QRZ.

I used to use CQRLOG, which is still a great logger, but it is primarily intended to be installed directly on the PC you're logging from. If you want to view QSOs or add a new entry, you need to have access to that PC.
For greater flexibility, there are now self-hosted server-based logging platforms which allow access from any device with a web browser and internet access, such as Wavelog and Cloudlog. I'm going to refer to Wavelog throughout this post, but the features are similar between them both Wavelog and Cloudlog (the former being a fork of the latter). 

Wavelog is a PHP application intended for a LAMP stack, although it actually works on a variety of systems: more on that at the end.

To start, here's a quick screenshot of the QSO entry, on both desktop and mobile:

At a glance, you can see all of the details of the station as soon as you enter the callsign. If the station has a QRZ profile, it will even display their profile photo!

Once you start building your logs, Wavelog can create a number of reports and analytics based on your logbooks, such as:

Or band usage:

It can also track progress towards awards, such as:

One of the features that I particularly enjoy is that you can upload QSL cards into your logbook, attached to the QSO entry: 

It can also automatically retrieve eQSL cards, as well!  As I mentioned before, Wavelog can sync entries to LOTW, QRZ, eQSL and more, and will show you the confirmation status for each.

If you happen to use Gridtracker, it can log directly to Wavelog. There is also a small helper application which will allow you to log directly from wsjtx and automatically sync your qso entry page to your radio via FLRig (freq, band, etc).

I've been running a Cloudlog server for both myself and my father until about a month or two ago when I switched to Wavelog. The migration from one to the other was fairly straight forward, and the Wavelog wiki provides instructions.  I'm running Wavelog on an Nginx webserver with a MariaDB backend, but there is also a Docker image if you want something simpler.  I did test Cloudlog on a lighttpd server, as well, and encountered no problems.  

So far, I'm happy to report that Wavelog has been quite reliable. The only downtime I've encountered is when I've accidentally broken the webserver itself, and that's certainly not the fault of Wavelog.

If you're looking to try a new logging solution, Wavelog would get a strong recommendation from me.

Check it out at Wavelog.org

Logging amateur radio activity has been around about as long as amateur radio itself. At one time, it was required that all amateur stations kept a log of their activity. Now, it's no longer required, but it is still a very common practice.
Many people enjoy trying to contact a variety of different geographical areas, such as each of the United States, various different countries, or specific zones or grids. The easiest way to keep track of this is with a station log, particularly a modern online logbook.
There are a number of different online log books, but they generally have the same core features. They record your contacts, confirm your contacts, and track awards.

The first part is simple. You enter the station you contacted, the time of the contact, and the frequency or band. The system saves this info and you can review it from any web browser. Many logs will also let you record a little info about yourself, and show you the info added by other users.

The second part, confirmation, is done by cross referencing your log book with the other station's log book. So if I entered into my log that I contacted VE3XYY on 10 Jun, at 17:45, on 40m, the online system will then check the log of VE3XYY to see if he recorded the contact as well. If both stations recorded it, then it's considered "confirmed," commonly called a "QSL."  It's important to note that in order for this confirmation to happen, both stations need to be using the same online log.

Lastly, many online log books also offer an award system. Common awards are "Worked all States," "Worked all Zones," and "DXCC." To earn an award, you must meet the criteria with confirmed contacts. To earn "Worked all States," for example, you must have a confirmed contact with an operator in each of the 50 United States. This is where choosing the right logbook becomes important; because only confirmed contacts count towards these awards, choosing a popular logbook increases the chances that the other station is using the same log, and thus allows for a confirmed contact.   

The three most common online logs seem to be ARRL's Log Book of the World, QRZ.com, and eQSL.

Personally, eQSL is my least favorite. Personally, eQSL is my least favorite. I find the outdated interface to be confusing. While I enjoy the esthetic (see my webpage), it doesn't make for an easy logging experience. eQSL does go a little beyond just recording your logs, though, as the website also allows trading of "electronic QSL cards."  This is fun, but it requires a subscription fee if you want to use a custom card or apply for awards.

The Logbook of the World (LOTW) is the ARRL's official online logbook.  Rather than allowing you to enter contacts directly, it requires you to install a program on your computer, as well as submitting a copy of your FCC license. This is done to prevent fake accounts, but the hassle may also discourage some operators from using the service. I have heard that this system is particularly difficult for operators in other countries, so it may not be a good choice if you intend to make a lot of long distance contacts. LOTW also has an outdated-looking interface. Luckily, since you're required to use a program on your computer to submit contacts, you don't have to actually visit the webpage very often.

QRZ.com is my personal favorite. It has the added bonus of also accepting confirmations made by the Logbook of the World, so it greatly increases your chances of getting a confirmation on a contact. It also has the most modern looking interface of the three, allowing you add and review entries directly on the website, create and view profile pages, and even post messages in an online community. Here's my page. I also believe this is the only site of the three that doesn't charge a fee to apply for awards. It has a full API, as well, so you sync logs from a variety of desktop applications.

You don't have to choose only one, and there are many others out there as well, such a clublog, hamqth, hrdlog, and hamlog. Choosing a popular one is you best chance at receiving "confirmed" contacts, but if you're just logging for your own record, then simply choose the one you find most comfortable.

73!

I've been using a "Gaming" PC headset as a pair of radio headphones since I purchased the headset some time ago, but it's always bothered me that I couldn't use the headset's microphone with my FT-897...
Then I found N1GY's simple schematics for a PC Headset to Yaesu Adaptor! After purchasing a new soldering iron (actually, two; don't Amazon if you're sleep deprived), I snagged the few components I needed from some scrap circuit boards and set to work.
Here's my end result. I used a small enclosure purchased from Radio Shack (before they went out of business), and added a simple red button as a PTT.

It's seems to work quite well, although I needed to reset all of my gain settings. I've also found that a hands-free headset, combined with VOX transmitting, makes for a lovely and simple ham radio experience. My hands are free to type, or I can just lay back and make contacts. Speaking of typing, I plan to cover my logging software and logbooks in a future post.