One of the more treasured aspects of Amateur Radio just bit the dust today with the announcement that the ARRL and CQ Communications have signed an agreement to support CQ-sponsored operating awards on Logbook of the World.
LoTW was created in 2003 and despite some criticism from hams who found its registration requirements ponderous, the electronic logging program has been growing in popularity with contesters and DXpeditions (who, depending on Internet connections, can upload logs in real time).
LoTW also provides a built-in QSL confirmation service that compares uploaded logs and confirms contacts. From this database the ARRL has been automatically creating notifications of awards that it offers amateurs such as DXCC and others.
With the new announcement contesters can now upload their contest files from CQ sponsored contests and be eligible for CQ-sponsored awards.
When you consider the cost of QSL cards and the problems associated with some country’s volunteer QSL bureaus, this spells the end to paper QSL cards.
First it was my spark transmitter, then AM mode and now QSL cards. What’s next?
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