K7RPM's Ham Radio Blog

E!4KF (Ireland)
DK6WL (Germany)
SN2B (Poland)

All around 20:00Z

SFI:145
SN: 165
A:13
K:1

As I logged my contact with EI4KF and reached for a QSL card to send him, I realized that I have not ordered SQL cards with my new call!

I created my QSL card using photoshop. and have OvernightPrints.com print them.  I personally think that by using a custom SQL card I get a better chance of a reply.  It also gives me the chance to become more than just a callsign.

SInce your login username is your callsign, when you change your callsign you’ll probably want to change your LotW login username.

This web page has an online request form to do so:

http://www.arrl.org/username-change

I need to tell LotW about my new call. Unfortunately the LotW FAQ is short and cryptic on this topic:

You can continue to access your old data records with your existing password. When you request a certificate for the new call, make sure to sign the request with the certificate for your previous call so that all your records will continue to be tied together.

Here are the steps (I’m on a Mac so the steps for your platform may be different):

1. Go to http://www.arrl.org/tqsl-download and download TQSL.
2. Start TQSL
3. Select Callsign Certificate -> Request New Callsign Certificate
4. Enter your new callsign and DXCC entity
5. For QSO begindate I entered the date my new call was issued
6. Click the Next button
7. The next dialog box has fields for name and address.  For me they contained data from my previous certificate.
8. Click the Next button
9. Enter your email address if it is not already filled in
10. Click the Next button
11. Enter a password if desired.  Since I’m the only one who uses my computer I left it blank.
12. Click the Next button
13. Click the Signed radiobutton and select your old certificate.
14. Click the FInish button

TQSL will then display:

Attempting to upload Certificate Request

Certificate Request uploaded with result “Started processing your Additional Certificate Request.

For call sign: K7RPM

For DXCC Entity: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA (291)

For QSOs not before: 2014-08-19 00:00:00

For QSOs not after: <none>

Your additional certificate request is accepted and awaiting further processing.

You will receive the certificate after it has beencreated.

Your certificate request processing is completed.”!

As expected, the new certificate arrived via email the next day:

1. Drag the certificate attachment out of the email into a file folder.
2. Start TQSL
3. Click on the Callsign Certificates tab
4. Click on Load a callsign Certificate
5. The file/open dialog box will appear. Select the certificate file you saved in Step 1.

That’s it.  You can also request ARRL to change your login username from your old call to your new one.

WB7OBG Becomes K7RPM

I’ve started thinking about chasing some DX and decided that my old call sign (WB7OBG) was a mouthful and does not seem to come through well on the air. I decided to look for something memorable and catchy.

I’ve always wanted to be ‘Kilowatt Seven’ so that settled the first part. A quick check at RadioQTH.net reveals there were no 1×2 calls available, and I don’t like 2×2 or 2×1 calls.  So that left 1×3 calls.  Fortunately there are lots of them available.

I was looking for something that would roll off the tongue easily. When I saw that K7RPM was available, I knew ‘Radio Papa MIke’ was it.

I applied for it online July 31 and it was granted August 20.

Now I have to run around and take care of all the housecleaning:

• Change callsign in radios and computer programs (done)
• LotW (done)
• Inform my friends
• New website domain name (done)
• QSL cards
• New ham radio club badge