Trusted QSLs FAQ Page

# Trusted QSL Home

Work in progress.

## Our Mission

The mission of the TrustedQSL Group is to keep QSL and E-QSL open and free activities for amateur radio operators by promoting Digital Signature Algorithm (DSA).

## Our Goal

Our goal is to set the standards and create computer API libraries and the tools required to implement the Trusted DSA model. The standards and source codes will be licensed using the Lessor GNU Public License.

Currently there are two ways to handle E-QSL:
1.The Central Logbook model which grants you access to a central logbook server via a trusted process.
2. DSA. In this case a trusted third party signs you a unique public key that becomes a certificate. This allows the prinacpal to sign other messages with his private key that can only be validated with the signed certificate. Just like a notary public does care or try to validate what you signed just that it was indeed you that signed it. Certificates perform the same functions.

The Trusted QSL Group supports the DSA process. We don't think that a central logbook server is in keeping with the sprit of amateur radio because it requires a large trusted central staff to maintain it. Also in the words of "Highlander" there can only be one. If there were more than one QSL processing server, then an amateur would have to join them all to insure that their contacts received credit. If there is only one then there could be no competition for the service. We feel that this is a very BAD thing.

Using an open standard with open sources for a PKDS provides a model which no single entity can become the end all of trusted QSL. Any group wishing to become a Certification Authority (CA) can do so. The trust of that CA lies in the award sponsor. Award sponsors may have requirements for the CA to meet before they become trusted. This is as it should be. We envision a very large number of CAs being formed to meet the needs of the Amateurs.

This means that you can use it for how every you wish as long as you do not attempt to prevent others from doing the same. This doesn't prevent log book authors from using the libraries and then make money off of them. The only sources that they would be required to release on demand would the sources to the libraries. This could be done by pointing them to our web site.

Our mission is to set the standards and create computer API libraries and tools require to implement the Trusted PKDS model. The standard and source code will be licensed using the Lessor GNU Public License. Which simply means that you can use it for how every you wish as long as you do not attempt to prevent others from doing the same. This doesn't prevent log book authors from using the libraries and then make money off of them. The only sources that they would be required to release on demand would the sources to the Trusted QSL libraries. This could be done by pointing them to our web site.

## Directory

FAQ

Mailing List (reflector)

OpenSSL Project Without their great open source product this project wouldn't have been where it is today.

Downloads TrustedQSL project site at www.sourceForge.net

Documentation (WIP)

Copyright 2001 - Trusted QSL Group.