OscarWatch Logbook

OscarWatch includes a lightweight local OscarWatch Logbook for satellite contacts. It is separate from Cloudlog integration (under Settings → Integrations; frequencies and checks rove grids online). Use the logbook when you want quick field logging tied to the satellite you are tracking, then export ADIF for your main logging program.

Opening the logbook

Go to Tools → OscarWatch Logbook. Only one logbook window is open at a time; choosing the menu again brings the existing window to the front. The window opens with the callsign field ready for fast entry. Keep it open beside the main map during a pass.

Before you log

• My callsign and grid — each logbook stores its own station identity for ADIF export (STATION_CALLSIGN and MY_GRIDSQUARE). Set these when you create a logbook or edit them by creating a new logbook for a different activation. They are not taken from Settings → Station (that tab is for pass prediction position and display labels only).
• Focus a satellite — click the spacecraft on the map or in the pass list. The logbook’s Station control panel shows satellite name, mode, and uplink/downlink frequencies from OscarWatch tracking. These are stored automatically when you add a QSO.

Logbooks

Contacts are grouped into named logbooks (for example “Portable activation” or a contest name). Use the Logbook menu to switch between them — the current logbook name is shown at the top of the menu, with a radio list of all logbooks below.

• New logbook — opens a dialogue where you enter a name, your callsign, and your grid for that activation. If a logbook is already selected, its callsign and grid are offered as a starting point.
• Edit logbook — opens the same dialogue to change the name, callsign, or grid for the selected logbook. Existing QSO records keep their original data; only ADIF station fields for future exports change.
• Delete logbook — asks for confirmation, then removes the selected logbook and all QSOs in it (there is no undo).

The first time you open the logbook, or the first time OscarWatch FT4 saves a contact and none exists, OscarWatch creates a default Main logbook using your Maidenhead grid from Settings → Station. Use Logbook → Edit logbook to set your callsign and correct the name or grid.

UTC logging

Every QSO is timestamped in UTC when you press Add. The live QSO time (UTC) clock shows the time that will be recorded, formatted using your regional date order and your 12- or 24-hour clock preference from Settings. History columns and ADIF export use UTC (QSO_DATE / TIME_ON). The date/time format in the grid follows the same display preferences.

Fast entry

• Type the worked callsign, RST sent/received, grid, optional name and comment. Callsign and gridsquare entries are uppercased as you type.
• Press Add, or press Enter in any entry field — the QSO is saved and focus returns to the callsign box for the next contact. Add is disabled until the callsign is filled in and any gridsquare entry is valid (empty grid is allowed).
• RST defaults to 59 on FM and packet, and 599 on SSB and CW. On FT4 and FT8 the list is signal-to-noise reports such as +05 and -12, and the boxes start at +00. You can also type a report, including a roger report such as R+05, which is stored as +05.
• When you type a callsign of three or more characters, OscarWatch resolves the DXCC entity from the country file (cty.dat). A badge under the entry row shows the country name with New or Worked for that entity in the current logbook (green for new, red for worked). The callsign box border uses the same colours. A hint may also show a previous grid for that call.
• If QRZ or HamQTH lookup is enabled (Logbook → Settings, or Settings → Integrations), OscarWatch asks the callbook for the operator’s first name or on-air nickname and their locator. Last names and postal names are not used. QRZ is tried first when both are on; HamQTH fills gaps. On a new contact, name and locator are taken from the latest QSO for that call in this logbook, then from the callbook for anything still missing. They are cleared when the callsign is cleared, or when neither source has them. While you are editing an existing QSO, a name or locator already saved on that contact is left unchanged. The comment is never filled or cleared by a lookup. Failed lookups stay silent so you can keep logging.
• Typing three or more characters in the callsign box filters the recent QSO list to matching calls (cleared when you finish logging or clear the field).
• Alt+W clears the entry fields (and cancels an edit in progress), then returns focus to the callsign box, similar to contest loggers such as N1MM.

Keyboard shortcuts are listed in Keyboard shortcuts (Alt+W to clear fields, Enter to add or save).

Grid squares on a line

For a station on a Maidenhead grid boundary, enter multiple squares separated by commas (for example IO77,IO87). This applies to the worked Gridsquare field and to My grid when you create a logbook. Values are normalised to uppercase. The gridsquare border turns green when the entry is valid and red while it is incomplete or invalid.

Recent QSOs

The history grid lists contacts for the selected logbook (newest first). Columns include date/time, call, grid, satellite, mode, RST sent, RST received, Cloudlog upload status (when automatic upload is enabled), and comment. Click a row to select it, or right-click a row for Edit QSO and Delete QSO. Drag column borders to change widths, and resize or move the window — OscarWatch remembers your layout when you close the logbook.

• Edit → Edit QSO — loads the selected contact into the entry fields so you can correct it and press Save.
• Edit → Delete QSO — asks for confirmation, then removes the selected contact.

The status bar shows the current logbook name and total QSO count (for example Main logbook — 12 QSOs), then action messages and station tracking status. The Cloudlog column shows Pending, Sent, or Failed when automatic upload is enabled for that logbook; it updates when uploads complete.

Logbook settings — Cloudlog upload

Choose Settings from the logbook menu to open per-logbook options. The first tab is Cloudlog:

• Enable automatic QSO upload — posts each new contact to Cloudlog after you add it.
• Station location — pick a Cloudlog station profile (loaded from the station_info API). Press Refresh to reload the list.
• Retry failed uploads — re-queues contacts that could not be uploaded.

Cloudlog URL and API key come from the main application Settings → Integrations; you do not enter them again in the logbook. If an upload fails (network error, API rejection, etc.), the QSO stays in the local database with a failed status and OscarWatch retries later when the logbook opens or when you press Retry failed uploads.

Logbook settings: QRZ lookup

The QRZ tab stores your QRZ username and password for callbook lookup while logging. Tick Enable QRZ callbook lookup in OscarWatch Logbook, enter the same credentials you use on qrz.com, and press Test connection. XML Data access needs a QRZ subscription; without it, names will not fill.

These fields are shared with Settings → Integrations → QRZ. Saving logbook settings writes both the Cloudlog upload options for this logbook and the QRZ credentials used by all logbooks.

Logbook settings: HamQTH lookup

The HamQTH tab is a fallback when QRZ is off, misses a call, or is not configured. A free HamQTH account is enough. Tick Enable HamQTH callbook lookup in OscarWatch Logbook, enter the same credentials you use on hamqth.com, and press Test connection. These fields are shared with Settings → Integrations → HamQTH.

Export ADIF

Choose Export → Export ADIF to save QSOs as a .adi file. The export dialogue lets you include all QSOs in the logbook or restrict to a UTC date range (for example one pass or one field day). A preview shows how many records will be written before you save.

Use Update country file on the logbook menu to download the latest Big CTY cty.dat from country-files.com into %AppData%\OscarWatch\cty.dat. OscarWatch ships with a bundled copy for offline use.

You can also choose whether the file is for Logbook of the World (LoTW). When enabled, satellite names are remapped to the identifiers LoTW expects (for example ISS → ARISS). Leave the option unchecked for Cloudlog, Log4OM, and other loggers that use common satellite names.

Records include satellite name, ADIF mode and submode (for example LSB as MODE=SSB with SUBMODE=LSB), bands, frequencies, propagation mode SAT, DXCC entity code (DXCC) and country name (COUNTRY) when resolved, your station callsign and grid from the logbook, and comma-separated grids when used. When uplink and downlink modes differ, the downlink mode is noted in COMMENT (for example RX mode USB) rather than a non-standard field. Special characters in comments are escaped for safe ADIF import. Import the file into Cloudlog, Log4OM, or any ADIF-capable logger.

Where data is stored

Logbooks and QSOs are kept locally in:

%AppData%\OscarWatch\qso_logbook.db

Window size, position, and history column widths are saved in %AppData%\OscarWatch\settings.json when you close the logbook window.

Back up the database file if you rely on OscarWatch as your only copy of a field log. ADIF export is the recommended way to merge contacts into your main logging program.

Satellite link

If Satellite link is enabled, each QSO you add, edit, or delete is broadcast to connected WebSocket clients as a qsoLogged, qsoUpdated, or qsoDeleted message. Logged and updated events include both structured JSON and a ready-to-import ADIF record. External logging tools can mirror your OscarWatch log in real time. See the developer API for the full schema.