WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU DON'T KEEP AN ELECTRONIC LOG???

The days of the paper log are long gone! Oh sure, there are some old timers AND "newbie" Hams who are using them, but today's Amateur Radio operators are all using electronic logs! Well, at least the good looking ones are!

Electronic logs are like cars, everyone is going to have their "preference" but when you boil it down...there are a few that rise to the top....I can honestly say I have tried the lion's share of them all!...:
DX4Win
DXBase
WinLog
Logic 
N3FJP
Aether

Amateur Contact Log 2.2

CommCat

CQ Log
DasLog
Easylog -- by microware softwareEUROWINLOG
Fastlog
GC   --  From OE8YDQ and OE8CIQ
Ham Radio Deluxe
ILIA Software 
Logger 32 

Just to name a few....
And when the dust settled...... the overwhelming winner for best all around log was DXLab Suite by AA6YQ


DXlab suite is FREE!...and it does everything and I mean everything (and then some you could ever want)...

http://www.dxlabsuite.com/

DXLab is a freeware suite of eight interoperating applications designed to automate amateur radio DXing activities:

Transceiver control with bandspread - controls up to 4 transceivers, with frequency and mode tracking by an independent transceiver, receiver, SDR-based panadaptor, or skimmer	QSL card and label generation
Rotator control -	Logbook of the World and eQSL.cc support - automated bidirectional synchronization
Solar terminator display and prediction	PSK31, PSK63, PSK125 - monitors an entire band and extracts heard callsigns
Prefix, Region, IOTA, and Gridsquare lookup and display	RTTY - dual receive via the included MMTTY engine and a TNC
World map display	CW (generation only) and Phone voice keyer
Callbook lookup	DX and WWV spot collection - up to 6 clusters, filtering, direct QSY with QSX
Logging - can be optimized for real-time logging, or for recording QSOs from paper logs	Propagation prediction
Award tracking and submission - AJA, Canadaward, Challenge, DDFM, DOK, DXCC, Holyland, IOTA, JCC, JCG, Maidenhead Fields & Squares, Marathon, RDA, SRR,  TopList, VUCC, USA-CA, WAB, WAC, WAE, WAJA, WAIP, WAHUC, WAS, WAZ, WPX, WAJA, WITU	Propagation monitoring
QSL route discovery - more than 80 online sources	interoperates with MultiPSK, MMSSTV, MMVARI, DM780, Fldigi, HRD, MixW($), DX Atlas($)

 If this program does NOT do everything your current logger does and MORE...and does not satisfy...then something is wrong....BEST PART is....you do not have to worry about installing anything...REAL TIME Updates come out every few weeks, program lets you know it....ONE CLICK and your program downloads AND updates AUTOMATICALLY....Do you read that? AUTOMATICALLY! No more fuss with, "What the hell do I do with it now" syndrome!!! And you can run one or ALL the programs at once....it is your choice! 


And check this out...IF you want a feature added....email the reflector, and if makes enough sense, it will be implemented in short order.


Try it! I dare you not to like it!


73 and good DXing...


Jose - N4BAA

QSLing - Better to send an SASE

Yesterday, I received 14 QSL requests from this past weekend's NAQP SSB Contest.
4 included and SASE (Self Addressed Stamped Envelope) and
10 just sent QSLs.

Had they looked at my QRZ.com page, they would have seen my request for a SASE for their return QSL.
But...even if they had not checked the site, it is very much inline with today's economy to include this for any QSL you wish to receive in return.

I emailed the 10 hams who did not send SASEs and received responses from 6 of them to date.
3 of them could not believe I would not return their QSL that they sent direct with no SASE!
YOU HAVE TO BE KIDDING ME!!!!

For those of us who are more than a casual user of the airwaves, and further more, those such as myself who make over 20,000...yes! 20K QSOs per year, can not be expected to reply to all QSL requests on my own dime! NOT going to happen!

I QSL 100% to every single DX station I work, even if it is 20 QSOS per year....My QSL card can handle up to 20 QSOs per card, so it is very easy to have the computer print right on my QSLs cards! Those QSLs go via the ARRL Outgoing Buro, Global QSL, WF5E for DX stations I really need, or direct to the DX station. For US QSL cards, I only send to those who need my card AND who send an SASE or at least a stamp for return QSL!

In fact, I MUCH prefer LoTW (Logbook of The World) for all my QSLs except those I need paper QSLs to satisfy a WAZ awards or such. I do NOT currently upload to eQSL but about once per year (at Christmas)....but do upload for those who can not find the gumption for what ever reason to get on board with LoTW! If you are on LoTW...THANK YOU....if you are not....SHAME ON YOU!!! LOL...

If you need help....email me and I will see to it you get on LoTW ASAP! It is a WONDERFUL money saver, and it is growing by huge numbers!

Bottom line is this: no matter what form of QSLing you prefer, nor how you manage your QSLs...THAT is 100% up to the individual ham. But if you want a return QSL and you send direct, either toUS stations or DX, be polite enough to send a Self Addressed Stamped Enveolope....OR a Self Addressed Envelope WITH enough money to cover return postage!

If you are the type to say, "Hell no! I'll just do what I am doing......" That is 100% AOK too, but your chances of getting a QSL are slim to none!...AND if you send me a QSL without an SASE, "THANK YOU"...but you won't be getting a QSL in return. Those are the rules!

Now go through that stack of QSLs and pick out the ones you REALY REALLY REALLY need for new band/mode counters or all time new ones....and QSL properly!!!!

YOUR results may vary, but your QSLing SOUL will feel better about the whole QSLing process!!!

73 and Great DXing!
Jose - N4BAA