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When do you decide (when NOT in a contest) to log an "incomplete" FT8 QSO? For example, something like this:

CQ HIMHIM EM00
HIMHIM MEMEME FN00
MEMEME HIMHIM -07
HIMHIM MEMEME R-09
HIMHIM MEMEME R-09
HIMHIM MEMEME R-09

(and then both sides apparently walk away)

Now technically that's a 2-way contact because we both definitively copied an identifiable message from the other side.

But I have not been (initially) logging them because of the lack of a RRR or a RR73.

However, for some of these I see the QSO show up in eQSL. When it does I will confirm it if the signal report for himself in the eQSL entry matches the report I sent him in the QSO (figuring that he must have gotten it even if he never responded to it with RRR or RR73 or I didn't receive the RRR/RR73 he sent).

Once I do that I will upload the QSO to LOTW and upon doing so will often see a confirmation there as well.

So is this legit by both of us? On the one hand, the FT8 QSO didn't go to completion. On the other hand, we did both definitely copy each other at least once.

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Since it is "technically" a complete QSO I log it (in DXKeeper) but don't upload to e-qsl or LotW unless the other party does. If he does, I'll upload: if he doesn't I assume he has it as incomplete. I think this saves a lot of time later, looking up the QSO details in the .txt log!

Some folks simply don't bother with "73".

73 Dave - K1DJE

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    $\begingroup$ You can't check what others upload to LoTW. $\endgroup$
    – henryflower
    Commented Oct 24, 2021 at 18:29
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Using that logic, just exchanging call signs would make a complete QSO. Sorry, but I'm not buying it. If it were me, I wouldn't log the QSO if I didn't get an acknowledgement of my signal report. Checking if the other station logged the QSO is cheating, and is not the proper way to discern if there was a complete contact.

The protocol that a complete FT8 QSO includes verification of the signal reports by both stations seems well-established.

In your example, it's possible that the other station sent an acknowledgement that you weren't able to copy, and moved on without waiting to see if you requested a repeat. If so, that's rude.

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