I have started entering my old log books into digital form.
I got my first license in 1973, and have been doing ham radio since then, sometimes more , sometimes less.
For now I am using the Linux program Xlog. It has a simple data entry and a simple file structure that can be exported to some of the most common logbook formats, ADIF being the most relevant for me, I think.
Because I am using Linux more than anything for ham radio, some log programs were, of course excluded from consideration. I am well aware that there are several excellent logging programs available for windows. If I want something more elaborate, I will probably switch to CQRLog.
I did notice one significant (to me) weakness in the Xlog program, and that is counting of old (now deleted) DXCC entities. Examples for me are the old East Germany (DMxxx, Chekoslovakia (now 2 separate entities), the Baltic states, some Russian calls and Belarus, and, of course, the former Yugoslavian republics. I am sure that there are others, but those stood out for me.
I started doing my VHF/UHF logs, as those bands have my highest interest.
I have now reached November 1978 in the entries, just before I added 70cm to my activities. 1978 was a significant year for 2m activity, working many new DXCC entities and grid squares.
Entering the data will take some time due to thousands of QSOs to be entered, and I do not want to stop all other activities, so a few log pages per day is feasible. I will probably post some updates once in a while, as the data entry progresses. After the VHF/UHF entries, I intend to add all my HF QSOs, but that will not be for a while.
Also, one of the aims for this activity is adding the logs to online logs, such as eQSL and Logbook of the World, so people will be able to confirm QSOs that way. I will have to do the administration for getting there, but initially there will be (ir)regular update uploads to the QRZCQ site that I have registered to. I still need to upload the latest updates. This will probably happen when I have completed the 1978 VHF/UHF log entries, likely near the end of this year.
4 comments:
Hi adding many old qso's in a log is a tough work but, its absolutely necessary this days also uploading them to LOTW, keep us informed 73.
Update: All VHF QSOs for 1978 have been entered. Now for merging the logs already in electronic form:
VHF/UHF: 1973 - 1978 and 2015 - ?
HF: 2015 - ?
The result in 1978 VHF was as follows:
- DXCC: 25 (counted by the log program using only current prefix/DXCC allocations) There will be more, actually, because prefix's have changed.
- Grids: 102
- WAC: 1 continent
Lots of more work ahead, will probably not be finished soon.
I hope that LotW will accept back-log QSOs to be added, when I get the registration done.
1979 and 1980 VHF QSOs entered now. The rest may take a while.
All from I got the license in 1973 till 1980 entered.
There was a long break from main call (OZ9QV) activity from 1990 to 2015, when I was living out of the country.
As I said, the VHF-UHF activity has the highest priority for the early activity, and I have to find out how to get access to LotW.
Here you can find an extensive help for Lotw:
https://lotw.arrl.org/lotw-help/getting-started/?lang=en
73
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