Hello everyone. I am new to HF despite having been licensed for three years. I would like advice and guidance on keeping an HF log. Here is what I have to work with.

Kenwood TS120S from 1980
No computer
Use iOS device such as iPhone and iPad
House WiFi does not reach ham shack

What are my logging options? Paper logging or iOS app perhaps?

What information goes into the log?

Remember there is no computer, no SDR, no touchscreen, and no internet in the ham shack, and no W1nd0w$ OS. No computer due to space, cost, etc. the ham shack is a 12x12 room which is shared with automotive tool chest, stereo, etc. Thank you all for the help and advice.

Paul
KN4CHK

+ AA6YQ comments below

Hi Paul, welcome to HF!
I would use paper. It's easy, it's cheap, you've probably got some lying around. You can use notebook paper, print some from https://m0ukd.com/other-stuff/printable-amateur-radio-logbooks/, or get fancy with one of the ARRL Logs (normal size (but out of stock <http://www.arrl.org/shop/Amateur-Radio-Logbook/> ), minilog <http://www.arrl.org/shop/MINILOG/> , waterproof minilog <http://www.arrl.org/shop/All-Weather-Amateur-Radio-Minilog/> ).

If you want to import those into an .adi file later, I STRONGLY recommend FLE (Fast Log Entry), which is for Windows but runs great in Linux with Wine - https://www.df3cb.com/fle/

If you want to go straight into a software logging, considering you have no computer/internet/etc in the shack but did mention iOS, HamLog is the defacto standard there. However, I find it sort of a pain to actually log with it on an iPhone without any sort of external keyboard (very easy to goof up a callsign), but it's a lot better with an iPad especially with a keyboard. https://apps.apple.com/us/app/hamlog/id308437400

It's $0.99, which is worth it if not only for the logging, but also for the LONG list of convenient tools and lookups for the radio ham.

If you watch YouTube, HamRadio2.0 <https://www.youtube.com/hamradio20> will be coming out with a video of the ham radio YouTube Bunch discussing logging software. It's a never-ending question that - fortunately, without a computer in the shack - you're exempt from! (that's a good thing)

+ The advantages of logging QSOs with a computer are these:

1. When you make contact with an op over the air, you'll immediately be able to see whether you've had previous QSOs with that op, and if so any notes you took during those QSOs. Your QSOs will be much more friendly and meaningful if each QSO with a particular station feels like the continuation of a conversation. Unless you have a great memory, QSOs can become perfunctory, with a standard exchange of QTH, weather, and equipment, followed by 73.

2. You can use LoTW and eQSL to quickly and efficiently confirm your QSOs, with no paperwork and at no cost. Having to spend your free time filling out QSL cards from a paper log, addressing envelopes, and affixing postage is not fun.

+ While I agree that FLE is a fine application for rapidly entering information from a paper log to an electronic log, it performs little-to-no error checking. As QSOs accumulate in your paper log, the task of entering them in FLE looms larger and larger.

+ Thus I strongly advice using your iPad to log QSOs in real time. After several months of operation, the logging actions will become automatic.

73,

Dave, AA6YQ