DXCC - verified to grant from ARRL ADIF File

[KT5V]

I think the answer is "not yet", but is there a way to make use within Log4OM of the ADIF file downloadable from the ARRL? I'm trying to reconcile my Log4OM DXCC totals with ARRL's actual totals.

73 de David KT5V

[NN7D]

Hi David,

Hopefully this is something which will be added to Log4OM in the future. I had the same desire, so I wrote an import program which takes the ARRL Credit Granted ADIF file and imports it into the Log4OM database. I have provided that code to Daniele (author of Log4OM) so hopefully it will be included in a future version. In the meantime, if you would like to try my import program, just send me an email to svtdoug (at) gmail (dot) com and I can send it to you along with instructions. Its not perfect, in that the ARRL adif file does not include qso time, and in some cases does not include band or mode (old history). But with some judgement, it will get your Log4OM Awards and Statistics DXCC status to match with your ARRL DXCC records.

I hope this will help you.

Doug - W7DRM

[KT5V]

Thanks Doug. I'll an email your way.

73 de David KT5V

[NN7D]

Hi David,

Returned email with program and instructions.

For anyone else, I have a zipped package with instructions available for those wanting to update their Log4OM DXCC Credit Granted status to match their ARRL DXCC records.

Doug - W7DRM

[KT5V]

Hi Doug - thanks for the app - works smoothly. First pass had all my records either right on, or close. Still have to do a manual pass, particularly for the older records, but this is to be expected as the information in ARRL download is sometimes incomplete.

Thanks again for your help

73 de David KT5V

[NN7D]

David,

Thanks for the feedback! Glad it worked out for you.

Doug - W7DRM

[KT5V]

Doug, one observation now that I've dug deeper into my log. I followed your steps and checked the two boxes "missing insert" and "update record". In my case, my DXCC includes non-computerized record, so the "missing-insert" option pulled in a lot of new "qsos", but with only a prefix (no call) and a date of either 01/01/1945 or 01/01/1975. So the counts were right, but based on a number of bogus QSOs.

Someone more familiar with how ARRL handles DXCC would better comment, but as I think I understand it, the ADIF d/l appears to be a dog's breakfast of non-computer records, with little information, early computer records with basic information like call, date, band and now the more complete LOTW records. A better look at one's DXCC is the LOTW account records with "all credits" option. LOTW appears to fill in the non-computer records with more recent QSOs to get the totals to match up.

This list is rendered as a web page, so I don't see an easy way to use it.

I tried your app again (of course using another copy of my log - I made several for these experiments) but first I cleared the credit granted fields and did not check the two boxes - this appeared, as expected, to only add the more recent and complete records. Of course now my counts in Log4OM are short. Right now, marking these manually is only way get things to tally up and thats will about 150 QSOs or so.

It raises a question - what is my real DXCC record? Obviously the one that ARRL has, but for the non-computer records it doesn't match the actual cards submitted back when.

I can send you the files if you are interested, but I don't see this as problem with your program - just what information ARRL has.

73 de David KT5V

[NN7D]

Hi David,

Thanks for the feedback!

As suspected, you have encountered the issues in using the DXCC records to try to match up with your computerized log. Although, your experience with lack of full callsign is a new one for me. Had not encountered that one yet in our testing on other's logs.

In your case, as you have found, its likely the best approach is to not check the box to insert missing records, and then adjust those missing manually.

On the question of using instead the LotW records of credit granted, which is displayed as a webpage. There actually is a download facility available to developers and logging programs to extract adif files from the LotW system, with records very much like the DXCC download facility. The problem is that the LotW system only reflects credit granted by the LotW system. So it would work only for those who do not have any paper qsl confirmations. And if the DXCC paper QSL records were made available to the LotW system, we would still have the same issues of incomplete records.

Before I wrote the import program I had several email and phone conversations with several individuals from ARRL DXCC and LotW about the records and the issues we have discussed. I will forward these emails to you so you can see the details if you wish.

Basically, its these issues which has discouraged Daniele (and other logging program developers) from pursuing this credit granted import feature up until now. But hopefully, with the understanding of the shortcomings in the 75 year old DXCC data, this can be accomplished within Log4OM in the future.

Thanks much and 73!

Doug - W7DRM

[KT5V]

Hi Doug, thanks for sharing the information via email. I'll take a look and share some additional thoughts off-forum.

This is an example I think of where a stand-alone program like yours is a better solution than incorporating directly into Log4OM. Dealing with all these variables in the main program would defeat its obvious goal of simple and effective.

In any event, there is a pleasure in going through 30+ year old paper DXCC credit slips to sync up my log. Lots of memories in those QSOs

73 de David KT5V