Aether Help
Index

# Creating a Custom LoTW Mode Mapping File for Aether

The ARRL's Logbook of The World system only accepts certain operating modes as valid. The ARRL's LoTW FAQ page lists the currently supported modes. Sometimes, you may log QSOs with a mode not supported by LoTW. For example, "FM" is a supported LoTW mode, but "FM-W" (FM Wide) is not. Normally, QSOs logged with a mode of "FM-W" will not be accepted by the LoTW server. Aether can be set up to convert a particular logged mode into a mode that LoTW supports before uploading a QSO to LoTW. To enable this functionality, you must create a custom "LoTW mode mapping file". This page describes how to do that.

### Note: By default, Aether will automatically convert USB and LSB to SSB before uploading to LoTW, as these are very common logged modes.

To create a custom LoTW mode mapping file:

1. Using a text editor (such as TextEdit, included with Mac OS X), create a plain text file.
2. Add mode mappings to the file. Each mode mapping consists of a single line with the format Logged_Mode = LoTW_Mode. See the example screenshot below.
3. Save the file to your Desktop with the name "modes.map". The name must be exactly "modes.map" for Aether to recognize the file.

- To install the mode mapping file:

1. Drag the "modes.map" file (created above) from the Desktop onto Aether's icon in the Dock. Alternatively, you can select it from within Aether using File->Open.
2. Aether will prompt you to install the file.
3. Click Install to install the file.
4. Aether will report success if the file was installed, or an error message will appear if installation was unsuccessful.
5. From now on, Aether will use the modes map file to convert logged modes to LoTW modes before uploading to the LoTW server.

Note that Aether installs the mode mapping file in the folder /Users/yourusername/Application Support/Aether, and it can also be manually installed by placing it there and restarting Aether.

## See also

Logbook of The World Topics
Online QSL Topics