Hello, I just completed the ARRL Internation Digital Contest which was also my 1st contest. Of course, I logged it with WRL but my issue is when I upload my log to ARRL it gets rejected with this message for all my entries. " * QSO: 14082 PH 2025-06-07 2207 KJ5IRF +01 TX W9AKS -13 0
PH not a valid mode for this contest. Must be one of the following: DG.
sent exchange grid (+01) not valid
copied exchange grid (W9AKS) not valid". Like I said this is my 1st contest log and I don’t know how to fix it so and guidance would be appreciated.
2 Likes
I ended up exporting the adif file, importing into n3fjp logger and then exporting to a cabrillo file. It seems the contest part of WRL may not have been ready for prime time.
@KJ5IRF Ran into a similar issue yesterday, but I know the team has been looking into it
Now, if you have N3FJP, that works great to import your ADIF, and then export it as a Cabrillo file from there like @NO4D mentioned
If you’re like me, and not on a Windows machine, or just don’t own a copy of the N3FJP logger, theres a solution that worked for me that comes directly from the ARRL! You can click here to read it for yourself, but here is the quote directly from their site:
To convert your log into a Cabrillo formatted log for electronic submission, visit www.b4h.net/cabforms/ and select the event of interest. You can input your log data which will be converted to a Cabrillo formatted log for you (it will generate a log and return it to you), and then you can in turn submit your Cabrillo log online via the web app at contest-log-submission.arrl.org/.
Doing it this way worked perfectly for me to submit my log, with no errors.
Hope this works for you!
73!
Daniel W2DIY
1 Like
@KJ5IRF Hey Anthony!
Sorry your having some trouble. You’ll need to goto your contest log and then under the logbook fields there will now be a spot that says ‘Your Exchange Grid:’ click the edit icon and enter your 4 digit grid square. This will be exported in the correct place in the Cabrillo log when you export. (see screenshot).
Also each qso needs to have a mode and band set, ie FT8 20m. I see some of your QSO’s dont have a mode. which is most likely why its setting it to PH in your cabrillo instead of DG. I’ve pulled your log and manually modified it for you and attached it here. Can you confirm that your grid square (4 digits) is EL09 ? If not let me know what it should be and i’ll edit the log and send it back.
logfile: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Ro-8GxdBvGooeUVpBXBo84UG007UihhP/view?usp=sharing
Thanks & 73
Brad K4AZE
@KJ5IRF Also, i’ve went through and updated your qso’s for this contest to ft8 so now when you export (after you’ve updated your grid via the ‘Your Exchange Grid:’ field as per my previous message) your Cabrillo file you should be good to go now.
Sorry for the confusion. Some of this was on us as we didn’t have the exchange field exporting previously.
Let me know if you have any issues now.
Thanks & 73
Brad K4AZE
Hi Brad, as I said this was my 1st contest so I’m sure my issues are lack of knowledge. I am currently traveling cross county now on a RV trip and I participated in this contest from two state parks one in TX and the other in LA both parks are in grid square EL19 not EL09 which is my homebase of San Antonio, TX. So, if you can help me fix my log for submission that would be greatly appreciated.
This was fun and although I didn’t master the logging aspect yet I do love using WRL and watching it grows in capability.
Thanks for all the help and outstanding customer support,
Anthony - KJ5IRF
1 Like
@KJ5IRF Hey Anthony,
Its no problem at all. I’ve updated your log and contacts with the correct info and here is a link to the updated log for you: https://drive.google.com/file/d/19pIwUA9h9ACLAV_flPKomfThAajS4IIB/view?usp=sharing
Congratulations on participating in your first contest!!! That’s HUGE! To be honest most of the issues you were facing were on our end, the only exception was some of your QSO’s didn’t have the mode set which is why they were showing up as PH instead of DG. No big deal, going forward I would just double check each QSO as you log them to make sure they have a freq, mode, band and contest exchange (whatever that happens to be based on the contest) that will solve most issues.
Also another tip, once you enter/enroll in a contest and the contest logbook gets created go to the logbook settings (gear icon inside your logbook) and set all the fields in the contest settings section (and any others just to cover your bases). I’m guilty of all this myself so don’t feel bad at all!
Let me know if you have any issues getting it submitted or need a hand with anything else! Happy to help! Have a great trip, sounds FUN!
Thanks & 73
Brad K4AZE
Brad,
Sorry but I’m still a little confused on the Grids. I see “Your exchange grid” and “4-digit grid square” in the log so what is the difference? My home grid is EL09 but when I was participating in the contest my grid location was EL19vs (I was in a TX State Park). I know I jacked up something with the grids but I cant see what I’m missing.
When I upload the corrected log in ARRL I’m now getting the following.
- QSO: 14082 DG 2025-06-07 2207 KJ5IRF +01 EL19 W9AKS -13 EN52 0
sent exchange grid (+01) not valid
copied exchange grid (W9AKS) not valid
Sorry to be a pain but if we ever meet, I owe you a beverage or two of your choice for all the help, lol.
1 Like
So each contest will have different “contest exchange” in this case its just a grid square, but only 4 digits of the grid square. Some other contests use a serial number for the exchange (001, 002, 003, etc 001 would be your first contact, 002 your second and so on). Again it just depends on the contest what the required exchange is.
So for this particular contest you would enter the other parties 4 character grid square as the contest exchange and yours would always be EL19 (vs EL19vs).
I’m looking deeper at your log and everything seemed to be correct but i think i know what the problem is. Although the rules don’t mention that a signal report isn’t required or not supposed to be in the log it looks like based on the error your getting that its thinking the signal report of +01 is what you have for the grid square (this is due to the formatting of the log (ie the order of the data in the log)). I’ve removed the signal report (sent and received) from your log and saved it. Try uploading this one: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1CUeaw--OTBKUTjyo6V-8X4luzLM-C_kI/view?usp=sharing
SO SORRY about all this. I’m going to have the team update the cabrillo export to remove the signal report from the log when it exports. Normally in all contests there is a signal report required. I think this new log i just attached should work. please let me know if it doesn’t.
Thanks & 73
Brad K4AZE
Brad ARRL is still not accepting the log. I have attached pics of the loading of the log and the screen after with the error messages. I feel it’s something simple on my end but I’m just not seeing it. Thanks for the help and it may be time to just give up and call it a lesson learned.
1 Like
@KJ5IRF Hey Anthony,
Since you shared these screenshots and I had the information needed, I just submitted your log for you 
These are the steps I followed to be able to submit it properly:
-
Goto WRL and click ‘Log Contacts’ then on your logbooks list hover over the three dots on the right hand side of the screen and click ‘Export Cabrillo’.
-
When The Cabrillo header window pops up make sure to enter your information there if its not already added. Then scroll to the bottom of the page and click the ‘Export Cabrillo’ button. - Save this somewhere new that you’ll remember as to not get it mixed up with the old logs.
-
Goto https://contest-log-submission.arrl.org/ and enter all your information but instead of copying and pasting, click the ‘choose file’ button and then select the Cabrillo log you just exported from WRL.
-
Click the ‘Submit Log’ button at the bottom of the log submission webpage.
That should be all you need to do. Sorry you had such a hard time with your first contest, I promise it gets easier.
Thanks & 73
Brad K4AZE
Brad, thanks for everything and sorry for all the hassle. Hopefully, the next contest I do I will not have any issues.
Thanks again,
Anthony
1 Like
No worries at all!!! Happy to help!! Glad we got it sorted!!! If you have any issues with anything going forward don’t hesitate to reach out and let us know!!
Thanks & 73
Brad K4AZE