This is a short article on using the QRZ.COM web site with LOGic's callbook interface.

LOGic is unique in that it can use web sites designed to be read by a human, capture the data, and insert it into your log. QRZ is the gold standard of international callbook data, and it is great to have this data available without retyping or copy-and-pasting it.

This is done using a technique known as "scraping". LOGic programmatically retrieves the web page, and parses the HTML to extract the relevant data. This process works well in most cases -- the FCC, University of Little Rock, and Radio Amateur Canada all use this technique. What makes it work well is a simple web page that is easy to parse, does not require login, and does not change a lot.

Interfacing to QRZ.COM is problematic. It changes a lot, requiring frequent changes to LOGic. The web page is quite complicated, making parsing difficult. It now requires login. It uses JavaScript, a programming language sent by the web server and executed on your browser. It can hang, and you can experience compatibility problems on different and older browsers. However, it is working, as of today at least!

Here are some tips on using QRZ.COM with LOGic.

• First of all, make sure you are logged into QRZ.COM. If you do a lookup in QRZ.COM and LOGic reports that the call is not found, you are probably not logged in. You may log in using the browser in Logic's callbook window, or in a different instance of Internet Explorer. Once logged in, it should stay logged in, even after you exit and restart LOGic.
  
  NOTE: On Windows 8.1, I had to log in using the browser in Logic's callbook window. However, once this was done, I could exit LOGic, restart, and still be logged in. (DH May/6/15).
  
  
• After logging a QSO and doing a lookup with QRZ.COM, the callbook window pops to the top. This is because QRZ.COM is supported by advertising. After looking at the ad, click the RETURN FROM AD button.
  
  
• Note that using QRZ.COM pops the callbook window up on top of everything else. This is to show the QRZ.COM advertising. Click the RETURN FROM AD button when this happens.
  
  
• Note that LOGic has an option to always show the station's QRZ.COM web page. This works independently from the QRZ Web Subscription or QRZ.COM interfaces. It may be used in conjunction with them, but also with any other callbook. If you do not want this feature, uncheck QRZ on LOGic's callbook form.
  

For the best speed and reliability of accessing QRZ's data, we recommend paying for the QRZ subscription. This eliminates the ads, and more importantly, is designed to be accessed programmatically.

After signing up for the subscription, be sure to disable QRZ.COM in LOGic's callbook setup, and enable QRZ SUBSCRIPTION. Merely signing for the subscription does not cause LOGic to automatically start using it instead of the QRZ.COM web site.

A free alternative is HAMQTH.COM. It also sends data in computer-readable XML format like the QRZ subscription, and has most international data. You have to sign up, but it is free.