In the past week or so I have been going through my log book and filling out my QSL cards. I have always maintained a manual logbook. In the days when I first had my licence it was mandatory in the UK to maintain a log of your transmissions. That requirement was lifted some time ago now but I still kept my log!
I have flirted with computerised logging software and in fact most of my contacts up to the year 2000 or so are saved electronically (somewhere on a disk I think!!) but I find it easier to maintain the written log as well. Certainly when filling out my QSL cards it saves me staring at a screen.Perhaps its because I am not incredibly active on the air or perhaps its because I still find it much easier to write than to type but I prefer the manual log.
I wonder how many Amateurs no longer keep a log? Apart from making life easier if you have QSL cards to write its also nice to look back from time to time on the contacts you have made. I totally accept that computer loogging is invaluable if you need to generate statistics, check which prefixes/countries you have worked etc. In fact "one day" I will get around to inputting all of my contacts to a computer log. But there is still something about the old manual logbook and I can't see me giving that up for some time to come.
Hello Kevin, I just recently discovered your nice blog. When I became a licensed radioamateur I used a paper log as well. I was used to it before on 11 Mtr. But soon I got into contesting and you can't really do without a computer log. Are there really some that do not keep a log? Why are they radioamateurs anyway??
ReplyDeleteHi Bas,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comments. In the UK we don't HAVE to keep a log any more. I think most hams still do but there are some that don't. Many people now don't log their local contacts on VHF but still keep a log of HF contacts.