Logbook of the World – History
On the 19th of December 2018, a significant milestone was reached. At 2332Z one billion QSO records had been uploaded to Logbook of the World.
Many hams began using the Internet during the early nineties. Dave Leeson, W6NL (W6QHS) talked about the Internet at Visalia in 1994 or 1995. It was a new concept for many of us. In mid-1995, I signed up to the VE7TCP DX reflector, using the only service I could find in Jackson, Wyoming: dialup accessible MCI Mail.
In just a few years as the Internet began to be widely used, DXers began suggesting that it might be time to utilize electronic mail to exchange QSL information that would be accepted by ARRL for award purposes. But how?
In April, 1998 Lew Jenkins, N6VV was present at the International DX Convention in Visalia, California. Lew was/is an expert in encryption. To an inquiring Rusty Epps, W6OAT, Lew confirmed that it would be possible to create an Internet-based QSLing system that would produce confirmations acceptable to the ARRL for award purposes.
Rusty summoned a number of key individuals to his fourth floor room in the Holiday Inn. Among them – in addition to N6VV – were members of the Yasme Foundation board of directors, the ARRL board and representatives from the RSGB. To this group, Lew presented what he called Encryption 101.
What Jenkins proposed was an electronic QSLing system utilizing Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) that could replace mailed paper cards with rapid electronic transmission and exceptional security. The proposed system would involve individual electronic records containing three parts: 1) A data component containing QSO data, funds transfer, and possible visual representations. At least the first two would be protected by digital signatures.
The message was carried away from Visalia by those present. In July, 1998, at the Second Meeting of the ARRL Board, the following motion was made:
19. On motion of Mr. Roderick, seconded by Mr. Kanode, it was unanimously VOTED that the Executive Vice President direct the study, development and implementation of electronic QSL submissions for ARRL awards.
Along these lines, ARRL moved to study, develop and implement such a system. By the time [I] arrived in Newington in May, 2000 as manager of the Membership Services Department, the nature of a system had been formulated. However, rather than a three part “QSL” equivalent, it had been proposed that a “central clearing house” concept would be developed. Using this method, rather that all records being sent to individuals, as is the case with conventional paper QSL cards, QSO records would be electronically sent to a common data processing center. Each record received would be compared with the existing, already submitted records. Where matches occurred, a virtual QSL would result. These matched records could then be used directly for ARRL awards applications. Records that would be used for non-ARRL awards would need to be transferred in some way to other awards issuing organizations. (In practice, while this has worked out well for ARRL, it has hampered electronic QSLing for non-ARRL awards.)
Upon “going public” in 2003, a total of 100 Million records was quickly received by “Logbook of the World” as it quickly became known. After 15 years, there are more than 110 thousand users. There are over 163,000 “certificates” (different callsigns) in use, and there are more than 163 million QSL records stored in the system.
And now, after 15 years, the total number of QSO records has passed one billion.
— N7NG