eQSL Upload and Download

[NR3E]

I am having some difficulties with the process of downloading and uploading eQSL cards. I typically don't initiate an eQSL request unless it is a special contact. But I like to respond to every eQSL request I receive and I get a fair number of them.

What I see as the way it should work is that by using Log4OM's QSL tool I should be able to go into eQSL and download all the cards in my Inbox that I have not responded to. They should then appear on Log4OM's QSL screen to let me update them with responses and a date. I would want to then highlight them and upload back to eQSL.

Maybe Log4OM doesn't work that way, but I have tried to tell it to download by date and it not only gets cards from my eQSL Inbox, but from the Archive also. If I check the box to download since my last update and choose a date, it seems to get cards from both the Inbox and Archive also.

I have looked in the manual, but didn't see a lot about downloading.

Hopefully someone has some suggestions.

Thanks,
Ron, KI4TN

[G4POP]

What I see as the way it should work is that by using Log4OM's QSL tool I should be able to go into eQSL and download all the cards in my Inbox that I have not responded to. They should then appear on Log4OM's QSL screen to let me update them with responses and a date. I would want to then highlight them and upload back to eQSL.

That is exactly how it works, have you entered the correct information in the Options/External logs tab?

[NR3E]

Hi Terry,

Thanks for the reply. Yes, I have entered the options in the Settings/External Log tab. The only application I use is eQSL; I have entered my User ID, Password, and QTH Nickname. Log4OM does retrieve and upload records so I believe that part is working fine.

I reviewed the YouTube video about this topic and it was helpful. I am going to let a few cards pile up in my Inbox at eQSL and try again to in the next few days. Hopefully I am simply missing something simple, but what has happened so far is that when I download eQSLs, it is giving me not only new ones, but archived ones also if they fit the date criteria.

I'll let you know in a few days.

Thanks,
Ron, KI4TN

[NR3E]

Hi Terry,

I checked my eQSL box and having three new cards, I tried again. I was able to do what I want but it did take a bit of making sure all the Log4OM searches were activated and correct buttons were pushed. Here is what I did (I apologize for being lengthy).

1. I opened the Log4OM Management tool.
2. I chose to download my eQSLs since my last download. That worked fine.
3. When the download was finished, the Management tool showed all my records, all 2923 of them.
4. I clicked Search (right above "Update"), then chose the dropdown "Yes" at eQSL Received and chose the dropdown "No" for eQSL sent.
5. I then clicked the Search button (Alt-S).
6. I was then able to see only the ones that I just downloaded and it showed me that I had not responded to them.
7. I then clicked Update (right below "Search") and checked "Disable refresh on save". If found that if you don't disable the refresh, any save will cause the tool to display all the records in my database, and that makes it a bit difficult to find the ones I just worked on.

8. Next I selected my records and chose "Yes" for eQSL sent, selected today's date, and clicked the Save (floppy disk icon).
8. Finally, I made sure my new records were still selected and then I uploaded them back to eQSL.

All this worked, but I was wondering if there was an easier way. I was thinking that when you download new records from eQSL, the QSL Management tool should show those new records and those records only.

Even at that, it is still much quicker than going onto eQSL and doing them manually one at a time. But it is going to take me several downloads before it becomes intuitive.

Thanks for everything,
Ron, KI4TN

[G4POP]

I just automatically upload every QSO to eQSL in real time when the QSO is logged, those that use it will respond and those that don't will not!

It doesn't matter to me if EQSL have some unconfirmed QSL's and it can be that the guy you have the QSO with uploads/joins EQSL at a later date and gets the benefit of your confirmations immediately because you already confirmed?

If everyone just responded to eQSL's that they received then there would be no confirmations either way

However if you want to do it by just responding to those people that send you an EQSL then I would do it this way.

I would be interested to know why you choose not to upload all QSO's to eQSL?

1. I open the Log4OM QSL Manager.
2. Download your eQSLs since my last download.
3. Using the 'Search parameters facility set up a search and save it as in the screen shot below - You will only need to set this up once as it is saved for future recall.

Untitled.jpg (52.77 KiB) Viewed 7629 times

4. Search using the search parameter that you have set up
5. Click the title at the top of the eQSL received column to arrange the dates in descending order
6. Highlight those QSO's for the date of those last downloaded (Clearly my screenshot shows all of my QSO's have already been uploaded)

Capture.JPG (149.06 KiB) Viewed 7629 times

7. Click the 'UPLOAD' arrow - Those eQSL's will be uploaded and also updated to sent in your logbook

This process reduces your required actions somewhat.

[N6VH]

I agree with Terry. Why not just upload all your QSO's? It makes things a lot easier, and doesn't cost anything.
73,

Jim N6VH

[NR3E]

Terry and Jim, you brought up something interesting. You both asked why I do not automatically upload all my eQSLs. Actually, that goes back a ways for me. I had been away from the hobby for many years due to work, but got interested again once I retired. My past experience with QSL cards involved the mail service.

Right after I retired I started keeping my log in an Excel spreadsheet and created an eQSL account. It was quite a pain to go to eQSL, open each card one at a time, find it in the spreadsheet, then confirm it. I do mostly SOTA activity so I was getting a lot of repeats and after a while I began ignoring the calls that I had already confirmed because I didn't want to spend the time confirming for the same person over and over.

In the past several months I discovered Log4OM and love it. I have learned several neat things about the program that cuts down the amount of time I spend logging. I really like being able to highlight a SOTA spot and Log4OM fill in in the blanks for me. But I have been struggling with confirming contacts through eQSL that I have in Log4OM.

Not being a big chaser of QSL cards, I didn't think it necessary to request eQSLs unless it was a special contact. I did, however, want to respond to every one that I received.

But your comments about automatically uploading after each contact got me thinking. I didn't realize by doing so that it would drastically cut down on the amount of work of confirming contacts through eQSL. I was originally opposed to it because I didn't think I needed so many cards from the same operators. But if it pretty much automates the process, then I am going to check that little box and give it a try.

Terry, I have some saved searches and will add the eQSL "no/yes" search that you showed me. But the auto-upload process may make it not so necessary.

Thanks for everything,
Ron, KI4TN

[G4POP]

Terry, I have some saved searches and will add the eQSL "no/yes" search that you showed me. But the auto-upload process may make it not so necessary.

Exactly!

Just set auto upload then once in a while go to the QSL manager and do a download from eQSL

All QSO's that have been acknowledged will be updated automatically and if you check the box to download the cards the appropriate incoming card will be associated with the QSO ready for you to print if you want to!

We tried to make the process simple for the user for processing physical cards, eQSL and LOTW plus upload to many other on line logs like Clublog and QRZ

There should be another saying similar to 'If it aint broke don't fix it' something like 'if there is an easy route provided why make the job difficult!'

[NR3E]

OK, guys, now I am really impressed. I have done a few more SOTA activations and in Log4OM I checked the box to auto-upload my eQSLs. I was reluctant to do that in the past because I thought it would be an undue burden on my SOTA friends to have to deal with all those eQSLs. But just the opposite is true. For anybody who electronically logs, it cuts the work down to nearly nothing. And when I go to eQSL to check my Inbox, all my contacts are already confirmed. I am really liking this!

Thanks, Terry, for a great program and thanks for taking the time to answer my questions.

73 from Ron, KI4TN

[G4POP]

Its not just me there is a whole team and our leader and programmer is Lele IW3HMH plus Chuck K7PT in Phoenix AZ and a whole team of beta testers.

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