Desktop logging software like Ham Radio Deluxe is great when you’re at one computer in one shack. Cloud-based logging solves a different problem: keeping your log accessible from your phone, your laptop, and the field, all synced to the same place. Here’s how the three most common options actually differ.
QRZ Logbook
QRZ Logbook is built into the QRZ.com ecosystem most hams already use to look up call signs, which makes it a low-friction starting point. It handles LoTW and eQSL syncing reasonably well and integrates with a lot of third-party logging software as an upload target. It’s less full-featured than dedicated logging platforms, but for casual logging it does the job without extra setup.
Club Log
Club Log is the standard for serious DXers and DXpeditions. It excels at DXCC tracking, matching your log against known DXpedition logs to flag “OQRS” confirmations, and providing detailed statistics on your progress toward various awards. If DXCC chasing is your main focus, Club Log’s award-tracking tools are noticeably more capable than the general-purpose alternatives.
HAMRS
HAMRS is built specifically around portable and field operating, POTA, SOTA, and Field Day style logging on a tablet or phone with a simple, fast interface designed for entering contacts quickly outdoors. It’s less about long-term award tracking and more about capturing accurate logs efficiently in the field, then exporting them for upload elsewhere.
Picking based on what you actually do
- Casual home operating, want it simple: QRZ Logbook
- Chasing DXCC and other awards seriously: Club Log
- POTA, SOTA, or Field Day style portable operating: HAMRS
Most serious operators end up using more than one, logging in the field with HAMRS, then uploading to Club Log and QRZ Logbook for award tracking and visibility. None of these replace LoTW or eQSL confirmations directly, they’re logging tools that typically feed into those confirmation systems, which I cover in QSLing and Awards 101.
For the fuller picture on building out your station’s software stack, see my Building Your First Ham Radio Station pillar page.