I agree that a user should be entitled to know if the log was successfully uploaded and in the queue.  LoTW does that – it acknowledge receipt of the log and that it is queued for processing.  It doesn’t allow you to confirm that your log is still pending in the queue.  That wasn’t a problem until the bug causing logs to be lost was discovered.  Thankfully, through K1MK’s skillful detective work, that bug was fixed. 

The Logbook Queue Status hourly reports on the Web do show the date and time of logs that LoTW is currently processing.  And LotW does confirm in “Your Activity” when your log is processed.  >From those reports, a user can easily tell how close his or her log is to being processed.  And if the Queue Status shows a logs being processed date that is later than the user’s upload, and the user doesn’t have a confirmation that his log was processed in “Your Activity” then it is apparent there must have been a problem.

It seems to me that LoTW provides the same information to users as DXCC does to those who submit paper logs.  On paper submissions, the Web page shows the user’s call sign when the log was received and shows the date on which logs received are currently being processed.  

If there is a way that the C++ programmers who are helping the IT folks can give more information about the status of uploads as still pending in the queue for processing, that would be great.  But I do think that the recent additions of more information about the queue status enables a user to know whether the log should have been processed and thus determine whether there is a problem.

Cliff K0CA

From: gpwidin1@gmail.com [mailto:gpwidin1@gmail.com] On Behalf Of G Widin
Sent: Saturday, January 05, 2013 12:05 PM
To: jfenster@pacifier.com
Cc: k5ur@aol.com; cliff.ahrens@gmail.com; dale.wms1@frontier.com; arrl-odv@reflector.arrl.org
Subject: Re: [arrl-odv:21393] Re: LoTW

From a user standpoint, I think the problem is not that the processing isn't instantaneous, the problem is that once you "upload" a log, you have no idea whether it is securely in the queue or not.  When processing is virtually instantaneous, that feedback isn't needed.  Once there is a lag time, users need to know that their uploaded material has been received and that they needn't upload a "safety" copy.  I'm presuming that the folks working on updating the UI on LotW are well aware of this, but perhaps someone can confirm this. 

It's important to note that an acknowledgement of receipt involves absolutely no processing, other than confirming receipt was successful at the time of uploading.  The acknowledgement should make that clear--no Qs have been checked, just that the file has been successfully received and will be put in the queue.

In that regard, and in that regard only, I do think it is fair for LotW users to expect "instantaneous" feedback.
--
73,

Greg, K0GW