patrickrb · patrickrb · May 12, 2026
diff --git a/src/app/api/lotw/upload-contact/route.ts b/src/app/api/lotw/upload-contact/route.ts
@@ -3,7 +3,13 @@
 import { NextRequest, NextResponse } from 'next/server';
 import { verifyToken } from '@/lib/auth';
 import { query } from '@/lib/db';
-import { buildSignedTq8, normalizeCallsign, decryptString } from '@/lib/lotw';
+import {
+  buildSignedTq8,
+  normalizeCallsign,
+  decryptString,
+  readCertMetadata,
+  isQsoWithinCertDateRange,
+} from '@/lib/lotw';
 import { ContactWithLoTW, LotwQso, LotwStationProfile } from '@/types/lotw';
 
 const LOTW_UNSUPPORTED_PROP_MODES = new Set(['INTERNET', 'RPT']);
@@ -102,6 +108,37 @@ export async function POST(request: NextRequest) {
       try { p12Password = decryptString(certificate.p12_password); } catch {}
     }
 
+    // Reject the upload up front if the QSO date isn't covered by this cert's
+    // ARRL qso_first_date / qso_end_date extensions. LoTW would otherwise
+    // queue the file, then silently drop the QSO server-side.
+    try {
+      const meta = readCertMetadata(certificate.p12_cert, p12Password);
+      if (
+        !isQsoWithinCertDateRange(
+          new Date(contact.datetime),
+          meta.qsoStartDate,
+          meta.qsoEndDate
+        )
+      ) {
+        const s = meta.qsoStartDate?.toISOString().slice(0, 10) ?? '−∞';
+        const e = meta.qsoEndDate?.toISOString().slice(0, 10) ?? '+∞';
+        return NextResponse.json(
+          {
+            success: false,
+            error: `QSO date ${new Date(contact.datetime)
+              .toISOString()
+              .slice(0, 10)} is outside this cert's QSO date range (${s} to ${e}). Renew the LoTW certificate or use one whose range covers this date.`,
+          },
+          { status: 400 }
+        );
+      }
+    } catch (metaError) {
+      console.error('[LoTW Upload-Contact] Failed to read cert metadata:', metaError);
+      // Fall through — if we can't read the cert window we let the upload
+      // proceed and rely on LoTW to reject (rare; cert was already validated
+      // by parseP12 on upload).
+    }
+
     const stationProfile: LotwStationProfile = {
       callsign: normalizeCallsign(contact.station_callsign),
       dxcc: contact.dxcc_entity_code,

diff --git a/src/app/api/lotw/upload/route.ts b/src/app/api/lotw/upload/route.ts
@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@ import {
   generateAdifHash,
   normalizeCallsign,
   decryptString,
+  readCertMetadata,
+  isQsoWithinCertDateRange,
 } from '@/lib/lotw';
 import {
   LotwUploadRequest,
@@ -156,17 +158,46 @@ export async function POST(request: NextRequest) {
       const contactsResult = await query(contactQuery, queryParams);
       const allContacts: ContactWithLoTW[] = contactsResult.rows;
 
+      // Read the cert's qso_start_date / qso_end_date up front so we can filter
+      // out-of-range QSOs without having to ingest a parse failure mid-signing.
+      // LoTW silently discards QSOs whose date is outside the cert's window
+      // (these are the rejection emails that say "QSO date is outside the
+      // QSL'able date range for this certificate"), so this filter prevents the
+      // upload from "succeeding" while LoTW drops the file on its end.
+      let certMetadata: ReturnType<typeof readCertMetadata> | undefined;
+      try {
+        certMetadata = readCertMetadata(certificate.p12_cert, p12Password);
+      } catch (metaError) {
+        console.error('[LoTW Upload] Failed to read cert metadata:', metaError);
+      }
+      const certWindow = certMetadata
+        ? { start: certMetadata.qsoStartDate, end: certMetadata.qsoEndDate }
+        : { start: undefined, end: undefined };
+
       // Filter out QSOs whose prop_mode LoTW doesn't accept; flag them as 'I' so
-      // they don't keep cycling through future upload passes.
+      // they don't keep cycling through future upload passes. Also filter out
+      // QSOs outside the cert's allowed QSO date window — those would be
+      // silently dropped by LoTW even though our .tq8 is otherwise valid.
       const skipped: ContactWithLoTW[] = [];
+      const outOfRange: ContactWithLoTW[] = [];
       const contacts: ContactWithLoTW[] = [];
       for (const c of allContacts) {
         const propMode = (c.prop_mode || '').toUpperCase();
         if (propMode && LOTW_UNSUPPORTED_PROP_MODES.has(propMode)) {
           skipped.push(c);
-        } else {
-          contacts.push(c);
+          continue;
         }
+        if (
+          !isQsoWithinCertDateRange(
+            new Date(c.datetime),
+            certWindow.start,
+            certWindow.end
+          )
+        ) {
+          outOfRange.push(c);
+          continue;
+        }
+        contacts.push(c);
       }
       if (skipped.length > 0) {
         await query(
@@ -176,22 +207,42 @@ export async function POST(request: NextRequest) {
         );
       }
 
+      const formatCertWindow = () => {
+        if (!certWindow.start && !certWindow.end) return 'unknown';
+        const s = certWindow.start
+          ? certWindow.start.toISOString().slice(0, 10)
+          : '−∞';
+        const e = certWindow.end
+          ? certWindow.end.toISOString().slice(0, 10)
+          : '+∞';
+        return `${s} to ${e}`;
+      };
+
       if (contacts.length === 0) {
+        const parts: string[] = [];
+        if (skipped.length > 0)
+          parts.push(`${skipped.length} unsupported prop_mode`);
+        if (outOfRange.length > 0)
+          parts.push(
+            `${outOfRange.length} outside cert's QSO date range (${formatCertWindow()})`
+          );
+        const reason = parts.length
+          ? `No upload-eligible contacts (skipped ${parts.join(', ')})`
+          : 'No contacts found for upload';
+
         await query(
           `UPDATE lotw_upload_logs
            SET status = 'completed', completed_at = NOW(), qso_count = 0,
                error_message = $1
            WHERE id = $2`,
-          [skipped.length > 0
-            ? `No upload-eligible contacts (skipped ${skipped.length} unsupported prop_mode QSOs)`
-            : 'No contacts found for upload', uploadLogId]
+          [reason, uploadLogId]
         );
 
         const response: LotwUploadResponse = {
           success: true,
           upload_log_id: uploadLogId,
           qso_count: 0,
-          error_message: 'No contacts found for upload'
+          error_message: reason,
         };
 
         return NextResponse.json(response);
@@ -326,26 +377,36 @@ export async function POST(request: NextRequest) {
       // Mark contacts as uploaded to LoTW
       const contactIds = contacts.map(c => c.id);
       await query(
-        `UPDATE contacts 
-         SET lotw_qsl_sent = 'Y', updated_at = NOW() 
+        `UPDATE contacts
+         SET lotw_qsl_sent = 'Y', updated_at = NOW()
          WHERE id = ANY($1)`,
         [contactIds]
       );
 
+      // Surface the out-of-range count alongside the success log so it's
+      // visible on the /lotw upload log table — those QSOs aren't on LoTW
+      // and the operator needs to know either to renew the cert or to fix
+      // the QSO dates.
+      const partialNotice = outOfRange.length
+        ? `Skipped ${outOfRange.length} QSO${outOfRange.length === 1 ? '' : 's'} outside cert's QSO date range (${formatCertWindow()})`
+        : null;
+
       // Update upload log as completed
       await query(
-        `UPDATE lotw_upload_logs 
-         SET status = 'completed', completed_at = NOW(), 
-             success_count = $1, lotw_response = $2 
-         WHERE id = $3`,
-        [contacts.length, lotwResponse, uploadLogId]
+        `UPDATE lotw_upload_logs
+         SET status = 'completed', completed_at = NOW(),
+             success_count = $1, lotw_response = $2,
+             error_message = $3
+         WHERE id = $4`,
+        [contacts.length, lotwResponse, partialNotice, uploadLogId]
       );
 
       const response: LotwUploadResponse = {
         success: true,
         upload_log_id: uploadLogId,
         qso_count: contacts.length,
-        lotw_response: lotwResponse
+        lotw_response: lotwResponse,
+        ...(partialNotice ? { error_message: partialNotice } : {}),
       };
 
       return NextResponse.json(response);

diff --git a/src/lib/lotw.ts b/src/lib/lotw.ts
@@ -263,6 +263,10 @@ function parseLoTWDateTime(qsoDate: string, timeOn: string): Date {
 // =====================================================================
 
 const TQSL_IDENT = 'TQSL V2.8.2 Lib: V2.6 Config: V11.34 AllowDupes: false';
+// ARRL's private X.509 extensions in a LoTW certificate.
+// Reference: https://oidref.com/1.3.6.1.4.1.12348.1
+const ARRL_QSO_FIRST_DATE_OID = '1.3.6.1.4.1.12348.1.2';
+const ARRL_QSO_END_DATE_OID = '1.3.6.1.4.1.12348.1.3';
 const ARRL_DXCC_OID = '1.3.6.1.4.1.12348.1.4';
 
 // Internal: the parsed P12 we feed to signing.
@@ -271,8 +275,48 @@ interface ParsedP12 {
   certPem: string;
   certPemBody: string;     // BEGIN/END stripped, internal newlines preserved
   certSerial: string;       // hex, lowercased; for CRL queries
-  certDxcc?: number;        // from ARRL OID 1.3.6.1.4.1.12348.1.4
+  certDxcc?: number;        // from ARRL OID .4
   certNotAfter?: Date;
+  // QSO date range encoded in ARRL OIDs .2 / .3 — LoTW silently rejects any
+  // QSO whose date falls outside this window, even if the cert itself is
+  // within its X.509 validity. Mirrors wavelog's preflight filter.
+  qsoStartDate?: Date;
+  qsoEndDate?: Date;
+}
+
+// Read a PrintableString value out of an ARRL private extension. The forge
+// `value` field for unknown extensions is a binary string holding the raw
+// DER-encoded ASN.1 value; we parse it and pull the inner string.
+function readArrlPrintableExt(
+  certBag: forge.pki.Certificate,
+  oid: string
+): string | undefined {
+  try {
+    type ForgeExtension = { id: string; value?: unknown };
+    const certExts =
+      (certBag as unknown as { extensions?: ForgeExtension[] }).extensions ??
+      [];
+    const ext = certExts.find(e => e?.id === oid);
+    if (!ext || typeof ext.value !== 'string') return undefined;
+    const inner = forge.asn1.fromDer(ext.value);
+    const innerValue = (inner as { value: unknown }).value;
+    return typeof innerValue === 'string' ? innerValue : undefined;
+  } catch {
+    return undefined;
+  }
+}
+
+// ARRL stores the QSO-date-range bounds as compact strings — historically
+// "YYYYMMDD" but newer certs may use "YYYY-MM-DD". Accept both, return a
+// UTC midnight Date. End-of-day handling (i.e. inclusive end date) lives
+// at the call site, not here.
+function parseArrlDateString(raw: string | undefined): Date | undefined {
+  if (!raw) return undefined;
+  const m = raw.match(/^(\d{4})-?(\d{2})-?(\d{2})/);
+  if (!m) return undefined;
+  const [, y, mm, dd] = m;
+  const d = new Date(Date.UTC(parseInt(y, 10), parseInt(mm, 10) - 1, parseInt(dd, 10)));
+  return Number.isNaN(d.getTime()) ? undefined : d;
 }
 
 function parseP12(buf: Buffer, password: string): ParsedP12 {
@@ -319,24 +363,21 @@ function parseP12(buf: Buffer, password: string): ParsedP12 {
   // forge's getExtension types accept `id: number` only, but X.509 extension
   // OIDs are dotted strings — search the .extensions array directly instead.
   let certDxcc: number | undefined;
-  try {
-    type ForgeExtension = { id: string; value?: unknown };
-    const certExts = (certBag.cert as unknown as { extensions?: ForgeExtension[] }).extensions ?? [];
-    const ext = certExts.find(e => e?.id === ARRL_DXCC_OID);
-    if (ext && typeof ext.value === 'string') {
-      // The extension value is DER-encoded; parse to extract the printable string.
-      const inner = forge.asn1.fromDer(ext.value);
-      const innerValue = (inner as { value: unknown }).value;
-      if (typeof innerValue === 'string') {
-        const n = parseInt(innerValue, 10);
-        if (!Number.isNaN(n)) certDxcc = n;
-      }
-    }
-  } catch {
-    // Best-effort — if we can't read DXCC from the cert, the caller's station
-    // profile DXCC is used. Do not fail the upload over this.
+  const dxccRaw = readArrlPrintableExt(certBag.cert, ARRL_DXCC_OID);
+  if (dxccRaw) {
+    const n = parseInt(dxccRaw, 10);
+    if (!Number.isNaN(n)) certDxcc = n;
   }
 
+  // QSO-date-range bounds from the same ARRL extension family. LoTW silently
+  // discards any QSO whose date is outside [qsoStartDate, qsoEndDate].
+  const qsoStartDate = parseArrlDateString(
+    readArrlPrintableExt(certBag.cert, ARRL_QSO_FIRST_DATE_OID)
+  );
+  const qsoEndDate = parseArrlDateString(
+    readArrlPrintableExt(certBag.cert, ARRL_QSO_END_DATE_OID)
+  );
+
   // Serial as hex (lowercase, no leading zeros) — matches wavelog's CRL format.
   const certSerial = (certBag.cert.serialNumber || '').toLowerCase();
 
@@ -348,7 +389,16 @@ function parseP12(buf: Buffer, password: string): ParsedP12 {
     certNotAfter = validity.notAfter;
   }
 
-  return { privateKeyPem, certPem, certPemBody, certSerial, certDxcc, certNotAfter };
+  return {
+    privateKeyPem,
+    certPem,
+    certPemBody,
+    certSerial,
+    certDxcc,
+    certNotAfter,
+    qsoStartDate,
+    qsoEndDate,
+  };
 }
 
 // Format a frequency in MHz the way TQSL does — trim trailing zeros,
@@ -624,9 +674,36 @@ export function readCertMetadata(p12: Buffer, password: string): {
   serial: string;
   notAfter?: Date;
   dxcc?: number;
+  qsoStartDate?: Date;
+  qsoEndDate?: Date;
 } {
   const parsed = parseP12(p12, password);
-  return { serial: parsed.certSerial, notAfter: parsed.certNotAfter, dxcc: parsed.certDxcc };
+  return {
+    serial: parsed.certSerial,
+    notAfter: parsed.certNotAfter,
+    dxcc: parsed.certDxcc,
+    qsoStartDate: parsed.qsoStartDate,
+    qsoEndDate: parsed.qsoEndDate,
+  };
+}
+
+// Check whether a QSO datetime falls within the cert's allowed QSO date range.
+// LoTW silently discards out-of-range QSOs server-side, so we filter them
+// before signing and report them back to the caller. End is inclusive through
+// 23:59:59.999 UTC of qsoEndDate (mirroring wavelog's `qso_end_date . ' 23:59:59'`).
+export function isQsoWithinCertDateRange(
+  qsoDatetime: Date,
+  qsoStartDate: Date | undefined,
+  qsoEndDate: Date | undefined
+): boolean {
+  const t = qsoDatetime.getTime();
+  if (qsoStartDate && t < qsoStartDate.getTime()) return false;
+  if (qsoEndDate) {
+    // Inclusive end-of-day in UTC.
+    const endOfDay = qsoEndDate.getTime() + 24 * 60 * 60 * 1000 - 1;
+    if (t > endOfDay) return false;
+  }
+  return true;
 }
 
 // Generate SHA-256 hash of ADIF content for tracking