For more years than I care to remember I've always used
qrz.com to look up calls I've worked or heard on the bands. Recently I've noticed that the site wants me to log in every time I try to access the details of a call. Perhaps my memory is faulty, but I'm sure that you didn't used to have to log in to see the basic details, and the site remembered your login for at least a week. Now it seems you have to log in every day if you aren't a subscriber. This isn't very convenient, even though I understand the reason for it (presumably to encourage more people to subscribe.) I now hardly ever visit qrz.com.
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| The G4ILO page at QRZCQ.com |
Using Google to search for a call I found that one of the first results returned was from a site called
qrzcq.com. I didn't at first notice the different URL. QRZCQ has a callsign lookup similar to QRZ.com - it even uses the same URL format - but doesn't require a login to access the details. The site's database already holds
quite a bit of information about me - all of it already in the public domain but I won't ask where it came from! I have just registered with the site so as to edit and add to the information shown on the G4ILO page.
I don't know who is behind the new site but they seem to have done a good job on it. The pages look a lot more attractive than qrz.com and they aren't stuffed with ads - though it is early days yet and I suppose the desire to "monetize" the site will come eventually. But right now qrzcq.com looks like a venture that is well worth supporting, visiting and updating your own page.
I was given an 'invite' to put my details on it and duly did without really thinking. Like you I used qrz.com to automatically fill in information in a log. That function has been defunct now for some time so have used it for casual look up now.
ReplyDeleteIf you're as bad as me at remembering login details (my work requires a minimum of 4 different logins and thats hard enough to remember) then I can recommend lastpass that is a browser add on. Now all I need it one password and all the rest are remembered for me.
Hi Alex.
ReplyDeleteI wrote my own password safe app several years ago when I needed one that worked on both Windows and Linux using the same data file. Unfortunately it doesn't work on Android.
I have also observed the same QRZ.com log-in requirement. Really a pain. Don't like the site for a number of reasons and will try this new one you have mentioned.
ReplyDeleteIt's the first I've heard of it and just checked it out and looks great. Im going to register this evening. Thanks for the link.
ReplyDeleteFrom what I’ve read QRZCQ seems to have obtained QRZ data inappropriately. They probably obtained data from other sources, but they also took QRZ data without permission.
ReplyDeleteI am a paid subscriber to QRZ and appreciate what the site offers and the amount of effort and cost to keep it up and running. I won’t use QRZCQ because of their inappropriate means of obtaining some or all of their data.
73,
K2DSL
So QRZ.COM has some competition ?
ReplyDeleteAwwww what a shame ;-)
I've e-mailed my resignation to QRZ.com. The right-wing crowd is welcome to it.
ReplyDeleteMy photo with the attenuator next to me, is the photo that I made for QRZ. 73, Bert
ReplyDeleteqrz.com instigated the need to login to lookup a call a few years ago. This was to prevent robots gathering addresses etc by just being able to enter "www.qrz.com/g4ilo" etc
ReplyDeleteDave
g4fre
Thanks for the heads up re: qrzcq.com, I'll be sure and check it out.
ReplyDeleteI use KeepPass for remembering passwords. There are apps for both linux and android that can open the 1.x format database (no idea about mac).
Malcolm VE2DDZ
Thanks for sharing this info. I agree with G4FRE above, the info may have been taken before QRZ stopped access. They have both my callsigns and QTH info. I assume it was taken from QRZ or HamCall.
ReplyDeleteOn HamSphere we only show the call sign and country in the user lists to protect operators.
Kelly 5B4AIT