The Introduction into DARC Contest Logbook

How to apply for the WORK ALL EUROPE Award in thirty minutes using your LOTW data

A Brief introduction into DARC Community Logbook (DCL)

by Michael Höding, DL6MHW with the support of Jerry Keller, K3BZ

DCL, implemented first in 2002, is a web based system for award application. It starts with the verified data of the DARC Contest and the WAE Award. Today DCL supports more awards based on contest QSOs, such as those from CQWW and CQWPX, and also from LOTW and eQSL. DCL now includes more than 43 million verified contacts. If you are a certified member of LOTW and an active DXer you may apply for the WAE in only a few minutes.

Step 1: Go to

Go to https://dcl.darc.de/ and check the Union Jack flag for the English interface.

(Ignore the information in German)

Step 2: Your Account

Create Your DCL Account

Click in the left Navigation Menu on New Registration, which takes you to the DCL registration form:

For LOTW members there is an automated verification process. Fill in your Callsign, check for LOTW-Account and fill in your LOTW Password, which is sent to the LOTW server at ARRL. When your LOTW Account and Password are accepted the DCL system sends you an E-Mail with your DCL password. If something is wrong you get this

We do not send DCL passwords to E-Mail addresses which are not verified. There is no way that anyone can access QSO data other than their own. The E-Mail looks like this:

Dear Fellow Contester, We cordially welcome you to DCL. Please take into account that the system is still under construction. Nevertheless you can already apply for some awards, for instance the WAE Award. We do appreciate comments and suggestions sent direct to dcl@dxhf.darc.de Have a lot of fun with testing. Please note that there is still some German language in DCL, as the work to provide instructions in English is ongoing. Please go to https://www.darc.de/referate/dx Your account: (your callsign) Your password: 12345 E-mail address: (VERY IMPORTANT SO AWARD MANAGER CAN CONTACT YOU) QSOs in DCL: 1149 Please update your profile, esp. the e-mail. 73 and cuagn The DARC Committee DX and HF-Contesting dcl@dxhf.darc.de)

Step 3: Log in and update your Profile

Your profile is just basic information. We do not ask for your phone number or your web site. We need your name recorded as you would want it to show on Awards. We ask for your address to send you a letter with the award. (If you are applying for an award for your Club Station, be sure to give the Club Station’s address information.)

YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESS IS VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE THIS IS HOW THE AWARD MANAGER AND THE SYSTEM WILL CONTACT YOU. PLEASE BE SURE IT IS CURRENT AND ACCURATE.

Step 4: Import QSO from LOTW

The import of your verified LOTW data into DCL can be quite easy. In the Menu, click LOTW-Import to go to the import interface. Then you get the interface for the import. (The form has not yet been translated)

Fill in your LOTW password and wait…

The import may take a few minutes, depending on the number of verified LOTW QSOs and the status of the system. The "system" has quite a wide focus: it includes

• the LOTW server at the ARRL site;
• the DCL server at the DCL site;
• and your computer’s browser and network.

The import time can vary: Some examples:

• 1500 Qs in 61 seconds;
• 1500 in 225 seconds;
• 329 Qs in 156 seconds;
• 10773 in 1516 seconds (i.e. 25 Minutes);
• 580 in 620 seconds (10 minutes);
• 12249 in 363 seconds (6 minutes);
• and so forth.

If the import does not finish after some minutes with a QSO number of about 1000 or less (or one hour with QSO number more than 10,000) you should restart import.

Step 5: Start your Application

Go to the WAE Application: Click WAE-Award in the Navigation menu at left. This will give you an overview of the WAE Award Rules and more information about points, classes, and fees.

Next, come back to this page and click on the My Points button to get the application form.

The application form should show your confirmed LOTW QSOs imported earlier, if any. Corrections can be made, and profile data updated, manually (some parameters are active and can be modified; some… such as Class… are not.

• Datum is the calendar date of the QSO.
• Punkte are the points you’ve earned (the first number is the number of the unique callsign you worked; the second number is the cumulative total points).
• Bemerkung is for Comments, e.g. the name of the contest you worked it in.

When complete, click the button in the upper right.

More Remarks:

• The DCL does not check to see that you have enough CONFIRMED points to earn an award. This is your responsibility. You may already have enough points to qualify for one of the WAE award levels, or even some of the other awards that use the DCL…. READ THE RULES for each award to see if you qualify.
• Some of your points may be based on confirmations other than LOTW, or that pre-date electronic confirmations. You can add these….see Additional QSLs, below.
• The decision of the Award manager in all matters is final.

Step 6: Submit the Application

After clicking on the Submit Application button, there will be some checkboxes indicating that you have read and complied with all the Rules, are aware of the Award fees, and that you have met the requirements for the WAE-Award. Please be aware that it is your responsibility to ensure that the QSOs you’ve listed in the form are CONFIRMED and satisfy the Award requirements…. the DCL does not do this for you automatically. (The Award manager’s time and effort to review the application are wasted if the requirements haven’t been met, or you don’t have enough points, etc. Please read the Award Rules carefully) Next is another Submit Application button…Click on it to send your application to the award manager.

This text in German means:The application is submitted. The award manager will review this application. He will contact you if there are questions. Do not forget additional QSLs and money.

However, do not submit any QSL cards or payment unless/until requested by the Award manager. Award fees are not payable until you are advised by the Award manager that your application has been reviewed and accepted… at that time options for payment will be discussed. After submitting your application, please be patient during the review process. Award managers are volunteers, the reviews take time, and there may be other applications in the queue ahead of yours.

Final Steps …

To check the status of your application during the review, go back to the Navigation menu and click on My Applications.

A submitted application has the status “In Processing”. Clicking on the circled number in the Action column opens a Read Only view of your application. You can, however, submit responses to Award manager queries here. The example shows the kind of exchanges that might be needed as the application review continues. Eventually, when the review is complete, you will hopefully receive congratulations from the Award manager and some information about submitting the required award fee. When appropriate payment is complete, the application status becomes final and the Award certificate will be sent to you.

Additional QSLs

If you are an active Contester or DX with many LOTW QSLs, you may have earned WAE Levels III or even II solely based on LOTW credits. However, you may have traditional QSL cards that will add to your list so that you may have earned a higher level, even the WAE Top Plaque. Such QSOs are added by clicking T-QSL in the Navigation menu.

T-QSL means "Traditional QSL" in DCL terms. The checking of these QSLs by award managers is often done by scans and e-mail. A checked QSL also counts for other awards in DCL, i.e. EUDX or WDXS.

Summary

With DCL you can use your confirmed LOTW QSOs for additional awards, including:

• Worked All Europe- WAE (60 years tradition): Work European countries on different bands
• EUDX-Award: work Europe and DX yearly (similar to CQ Magazine’s DX Marathon).
• WDXS: work a high number of different DX stations
• European Prefix Award: collect European prefixes
• Regional awards

73 de Michael, DL6MHW