Why DxQSO?
August 26, 2024
Why are we developing DxQSO? Our intent is to provide hams worldwide with a new technology platform that will improve the operating experience.
This project started as an LoTW prototype to demonstrate to the ARRL how a modern, high performance and scalable system could match QSOs in realtime and do it in a cost effective manner. Of course, like many other things I have done, we built more and more functionality in and eventually productized it.
After proving that we could process realtime QSOs in a serverless cloud based architecture at scale, I then decided to build in the first phase of my previous plan (as the former ARRL IT Director) for improvements to the TQSL application. (TQSL is the ARRL/LoTW provided application that connects your logbook application to the back end LoTW server to submit QSOs)
So we built an improved TQSL application (calling it DX-TQSL) which backs up it’s configuration information to the cloud. (My first planned LoTW upgrade module) This allows users to restore their environment from the cloud and for users too able to install it on a new PC or Mac with simply their DxQSO login and password.
We also had DX-TQSL submit its data to not only LoTW but also DxQSO. So now logbook data flows to both. The difference is that DxQSO stores all of the logbook data. A true and complete logbook backup system.
We then built an integration between LoTW and DxQSO allowing all QSLs to be regularly imported from LoTW. We also improved DX-TQSL to automatically backup and restore it’s configuration data.
We also added a universal translator which allows users to download logbooks into specific logbook application formats and an LoTW submission module (My second planned LoTW upgrade module) which submits QSOs to LoTW. We are now building mobile applications for Android, IPhone, tablets and IPads to view, upload and download logbooks to DxQSO. This means mobile apps will now be able to submit QSOs to LoTW and utilize a cloud based logbook storage system.
My goal is to provide a true realtime logbook sync (We call it Ham Logbook SyncTM). Imagine saving your POTA log in an IPad and then going to your primary logbook and having your entire logbook entry appear in your logbook. How about operating a contest with N1MM or Skookumlogger and when your are finished having those QSOs also appear in your primary logging application?
Our next major development will be focused on teams and clubs. We would like to encourage both small teams and groups to compete together with realtime contest scoring and the ability to see how you and your team are doing in the contest. Even individual contesters would be able to see their score from within their current logbook application.
Our focus is to provide communications and collaboration tools to all of the logbook applications. We do not plan to build or compete with these applications that already do a great job. We want to empower these applications and clubs to provide more features and functionality and grow the excitement and fun of this hobby!
Our initial prioduct includes:
Improving Logbook of The World (LoTW)
Backup your TQSL environment and all of your QSOs and QSLs from LoTW.
Get email and push alerts to your phone on new QSLs, DXCC, Gridsquare and WAS.
Provide universal logging
DxQSO works with ALL logging application output formats. We believe that you should not lose data when exporting data from your contest/mobile/POTA/remote log into your primary logging application. All your data should be saved, and you should be able to import that data into any other logging application without losing those extra fields.
You should be able to upload and download your logbooks whether for a specific contest or POTA activation through a simple mechanism. Why get lost with managing multiple ADIF files form different logging applications?
Provide integrated, real-time cloud logging
We are building an open API for all logging applications to directly access your complete logbook and allow you to make real time changes from within different logging applications simultaneously.
When you work a contest using a contest logger, you should be able to open your primary logging application and see all those contest contacts in your log. You should not have to hassle with exporting and importing and losing data in the process.
When you are mobile, your mobile logging app should have all of your logbook history, so you know if you have worked a station or country or county before.
When working remote, you should not have to hassle with exporting/importing and keeping all of your logbooks in sync.
That’s why we are building a real-time API so that your logging applications can immediately receive any new data found in your cloud logbook as well as allowing them to update the cloud logbook with any changes that you make locally.
Every logging application that you access should have direct and complete access to all your QSOs from any application whether entered on a mobile, PC or Mac application.
One cloud logfile with universal and real-time access.
Access from your mobile
We also think that you should be able to view your cloud logbook in real-time from any mobile device with native Android and IOS applications.
You should receive alerts on new achievements in real-time. You should be able to upload new POTA logs from any mobile device and eventually have those apps do it for you. You should immediately see changes in your logbook whether it is from a QSL received from another ham across the world or when you enter a new QSO into your primary logging app.
