AC2OY
Member
I agree 100% Robert! We need more people using LOTW this will drive them away.
LoTW Problem
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KE0GXN
Member
I don't know what the solution is, but most of the operators in the forum said although they were not happy if they had to pay, they understood the ARRL's dilemma.
He did empathize that it was the "power" users that were driving the costs of maintaining LoTW....whatever that means.
He did empathize that it was the "power" users that were driving the costs of maintaining LoTW....whatever that means.
The "power users" are probably contesters. It's not unusual for a contester to upload thousands of contacts to LotW. Multiply that by several contesters after a after a major contest. Multiply that by the number of major contests each year. If you watch the LotW queue status, you can see the slowdowns that occur after a contest weekend. It's like watching a snake eat a mouse. It just takes awhile for the backlog to work through the system.
The number of QSOs stored in LotW's database is steadily increasing. If you build a database system that can handle a million QSOs, what happens when you find you have 700 million QSOs in the database? That's about what LotW has right now and the number will just keep increasing. I don't think the original designers anticipated the growth in LotW and the ARRL ignored the problem for several years. Now, they are actively trying to fix the inadequacies of the original design and that costs money.
The number of QSOs stored in LotW's database is steadily increasing. If you build a database system that can handle a million QSOs, what happens when you find you have 700 million QSOs in the database? That's about what LotW has right now and the number will just keep increasing. I don't think the original designers anticipated the growth in LotW and the ARRL ignored the problem for several years. Now, they are actively trying to fix the inadequacies of the original design and that costs money.
KE0GXN
Member
Yep, that makes sense, I never looked at it that way. I could only imagine the number of contacts contesters have submitted through the years. Also you got NPOTA going on all year, which I am sure has added thousands of contacts this year into the system alone.
Like I said, he offered no fee numbers, but he was admit it needs to happen, if LoTW was going to continue to be a viable entity for us to use. Most people said they would pay, but would not be happy about it....
I figure a lot of folks who are members would feel they should not have to pay. I use it and I am an ARRL member, but I wonder if with the current dues if it would even be enough to support it for our use.
I also have no idea if charging non-members would work because how would we know if they would even continue to participate in LoTW if they were charged a fee to use it?
Back to the power user issue, he did put an emphases on that group and if I read between the lines correctly, I got the impression they may be looking at maybe devising a method to charge a fee by user rate if possible.
The thing I am most confused about is he put this all out there at the forum , but every email letter and QST article I have read makes no mention of this. You would think they would be gradually putting it out there to the entire membership and preparing all of us for this.
Like I said, he offered no fee numbers, but he was admit it needs to happen, if LoTW was going to continue to be a viable entity for us to use. Most people said they would pay, but would not be happy about it....
I figure a lot of folks who are members would feel they should not have to pay. I use it and I am an ARRL member, but I wonder if with the current dues if it would even be enough to support it for our use.
I also have no idea if charging non-members would work because how would we know if they would even continue to participate in LoTW if they were charged a fee to use it?
Back to the power user issue, he did put an emphases on that group and if I read between the lines correctly, I got the impression they may be looking at maybe devising a method to charge a fee by user rate if possible.
The thing I am most confused about is he put this all out there at the forum , but every email letter and QST article I have read makes no mention of this. You would think they would be gradually putting it out there to the entire membership and preparing all of us for this.
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I want to see the math to get to that amount. You might get to that $$$ amount by stacking up several awards, but you will get more than one piece of paper. Not to mention eliminating the cost of postage.
Mike
And, you would still pay some of those fees if you applied for the award using QSL cards. In fact, you might pay more.
You might end up having to send a few SASEs or "green stamps" just to get a QSL card that you need for an award.
If you have to send your QSL cards to the ARRL for checking, you'll have to pay for that postage and you'll risk losing your QSL cards in the mail.
If you have to travel to a club meeting or hamfest to take your cards to a card checker, you'll have to pay for that travel.
All of these costs are avoided by using LotW.
You might end up having to send a few SASEs or "green stamps" just to get a QSL card that you need for an award.
If you have to send your QSL cards to the ARRL for checking, you'll have to pay for that postage and you'll risk losing your QSL cards in the mail.
If you have to travel to a club meeting or hamfest to take your cards to a card checker, you'll have to pay for that travel.
All of these costs are avoided by using LotW.
AC2OY
Member
You know Robert you do bring up some good points. I love doing the QSL card thing but it does get expensive.
N0IU
Member
Sent the following email to DXCCAdmin:
"Greetings!
There are many rumors floating around stating that at some time in the (near?) future, LoTW will no longer be free to use. Of course I know that there is (and always has been) a fee for actually becoming a DXCC member and for the various WAS awards, but I am referring to is a fee to use the LoTW system. I have a few DXCC and WAS awards all earned through the LoTW system and am very concerned over the prospect that I will have to dig even deeper into my bank account for future awards.
Can you confirm or deny these rumors?
73,
de Scott N0IU"
Why rely on rumors when we can get it from the source?
"Greetings!
There are many rumors floating around stating that at some time in the (near?) future, LoTW will no longer be free to use. Of course I know that there is (and always has been) a fee for actually becoming a DXCC member and for the various WAS awards, but I am referring to is a fee to use the LoTW system. I have a few DXCC and WAS awards all earned through the LoTW system and am very concerned over the prospect that I will have to dig even deeper into my bank account for future awards.
Can you confirm or deny these rumors?
73,
de Scott N0IU"
Why rely on rumors when we can get it from the source?
KE0GXN
Member
Sounds good. I hope they don't throw me under the bus and deny it. I stand by what I heard and was told by West Gulf's Division Director's (David Woolweaver-K5RAV). I was not the only ham in the room either.
RR member N5TWB-Bart can verify I was at said hamfest as we introduced ourselves when he recognized my call from this site. However, I do not believe he was present at the forum as he had other duties at the hamfest he was attending to.
N0IU
Member
And here is their response:
KE0GXN
Member
Well, somebody at headquarters needs to let Mr. Woolweaver know, because he obviously did not get the memo....
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