Logging Contacts and QSL Cards
A good log helps you remember contacts, track DX achievements and share accurate records.
What to log
Useful fields include date, UTC time, frequency, mode, station identifier, received report, your transmitted report, location if shared and notes about propagation.
Use UTC consistently
UTC makes records easier to compare across time zones. State clearly if a paper log uses local time instead.
Paper and digital logs
A notebook is fine to start. Digital logging can search, sort and export records. Keep backups and check that exports preserve the fields you need.
QSL cards and confirmations
A QSL card is a confirmation or memento of a contact. Digital confirmation services have their own rules; a log entry alone does not mean the other station independently confirmed it.
Privacy and accuracy
Share only information you are comfortable making public. Check identifiers carefully and mark uncertain details rather than guessing.
Further reading
Always check current rules for the country and radio service you are using. A community convention or software feature is not proof that a transmission is authorised.
This guide is educational and may need updating as regulations, software and community information change. Check linked primary sources before relying on technical or regulatory details.