20 March 2005 PVRC Contest Seminar Contest Logging Software Mark Bailey KD4D.
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Transcript of 20 March 2005 PVRC Contest Seminar Contest Logging Software Mark Bailey KD4D.
20 March 2005
PVRC Contest Seminar
Contest Logging Software
Mark Bailey
KD4D
20 March 2005
My Biases...
• I’m an HF Contester– My experience is with CW and SSB– I don’t have any RTTY or VHF Contest
experience
• I use TR-Log for my single-operator contests– I also use CT and Writelog for multi-ops– I like TR, so I am biased
20 March 2005
Some of the available programs…
CT by K1EA
N3FJP
NA by K8CC
Win-EQF
20 March 2005
Why use logging software?
• Have more fun!– See how we are doing during the contest
• Rate meters show how fast we are making contacts
• Programs calculate our score during the contest
– Make contacts with less work• Automatically generated CW• Voice keyers for CQ’s, callsigns, exchanges, etc.
– Prepare logs for submission in a few minutes
20 March 2005
Why use logging software?
• Increase our scores– Automation gives us a bit of free time for
strategy or a second radio– Computer logging tells us whether we need a
multiplier or QSO on other bands– Submitting a log is easy…so we enter more
contests and PVRC gets more points!
20 March 2005
What does the software do?
• “Super Check Partial”• Last 10/Last 100 Rates• Multipliers/QSO’s needed by band• Transceiver Interface• Packet Interface• SSB Voice Keyer• CW Keying• SO2R Switching• Multi-operator networking
20 March 2005
Integration with the station
• Transceiver Control– Modern transceivers use “Serial Ports” to interface
with computers– Windows computers can use USB to serial converters
to provide more serial ports– DOS desktop computers can use PCI interfaces from
www.byterunner.com with DOS drivers– DOS computers use serial ports for TNC’s or packet
interfaces– Some programs can use serial ports for CW keying –
N1NM uses an external box called a “WinKey” which uses a serial port
20 March 2005
Integration with the station
• Parallel Ports– CW Keying – requires relay or transistor
interface– DVK (Digital Voice Keyer) control– PTT (Push-To-Talk) – requires relay or
transistor interface– CW paddle input– Band decoder outputs– Radio 1/Radio 2 select – requires external
SO2R switching
20 March 2005
Integration with the station
• Soundcards– Primarily useful for Windows these days– SSB and digital modes– Require isolation transformer to interface to Radio
inputs
• USB ports– Some SO2R and station controllers are going to USB
interfaces
• Note: some new computers no longer have “Legacy” serial and parallel ports
20 March 2005
What Packages do PVRC Members Use?
• I conducted an informal poll of PVRC members on the PVRC reflector– I asked about what logging program(s) people
use and what they liked or disliked about the programs
• I decided to do a quick overview of the top four– CT, N1MM, TR-Log, and Writelog– NA and N3FJP were tied for fifth place
20 March 2005
CT
20 March 2005
CT
• Best Features– “Point and Shoot” packet Window – K3DI– Good support for Multi-Multi – N3OC– CT is simple and always works – K4FJ– Free!
• Worst Features– DOS Program – everybody– Problems initializing LPT ports for some DVK’s –
KD4D– Very limited sound card support for SSB – KD4D
20 March 2005
N1MM
20 March 2005
N1MM
• Best Features– Great Band Maps – W3PP– Outstanding developer support and the most active e-
mail reflector – numerous– Ease of exporting contest logs – numerous– Soundcard support for SSB voice keyer– Free!
• Worst Features– CW can be choppy – W3PP (Note: solved with
external “WinKey” keyer– Can’t record SSB messages “on the fly”
20 March 2005
TR-Log
20 March 2005
TR-Log
• Best Features– Fast and intuitive SO2R Capabilities – K4QPL– Everything goes in one window and you can type in a callsign
correction without changing fields – K4QPL– Separate run and S&P Modes – W3CB– Exchange info can be “jumbled” and is entered in a single field -
N8II• WPA 36 Q 735 A 234 STX 76 B becomes 234 B K5RAT 76 STX
• Worst Features– DOS only – Everybody– Can only edit the last five QSO’s – K4QPL– No ethernet networking of computers – KD4D– Very limited sound card support for SSB – KD4D
20 March 2005
Writelog
20 March 2005
Writelog
• Best Features– Fully integrated logs in a multi transmitter environment
(synchronizing multiple computers) – N4GG– Very nice CW and voice keyer – W3YY– It does not crash – N3UM– Built-in CW and RTTY Decoders – W3DQ
• Worst Features– Some windows can’t be moved everywhere on the screen –
N3AM– Setup difficult until one goes through the learning curve – W3YY– Windows XP keying may be an issue – W4KAZ and others
20 March 2005
DOS or Windows?
• Windows is clearly easier to deal with• DOS vs. Windows
– New computers will run DOS, but configuration is painful
• Limited sound card support – laptops are especially problematic
• No support for USB to serial port converters• Limited ethernet networking support – DOS drivers are hard
to find• FreeDOS works well and is available free from
www.freedos.org
• All of my computers are set up to dual-boot Windows XP or DOS, but this is tricky to set up
20 March 2005
PVRC Statistics
0 5 10 15 20 25
Number of Users
Writelog
N1MM
TR
CT
NA
N3FJP
Win-EQF
VHF Logger
KMRover
Pac
kag
e
PVRC Contest Logging Survey
Series1
20 March 2005
“Free Advice”
• Remember, free advice is worth what you pay for it! – If you are just starting out, try N1MM. It’s free, has very active
support, and lots of features. You need a fast computer and may need to buy a “WinKey”
– If you are just starting out or have old, slow computers or a good bit of DOS experience, try CT. It’s free, and lots of people know how to use it
– If you love Linux, try TLF
• If you want the ultimate in SO2R CW programs, try TR-Log
• If you’re setting up a multi-op station, you probably don’t need my advice! :-) Consider CT or Writelog
20 March 2005
More “Free Advice”
• Allow some time before the contest to configure a program and learn how to use it– CW and SSB keying interfaces– Transceiver control– Packet interfaces
• http://www.eham.net/reviews - Ham Software - Logging has links and reviews of most of these packages
• Remember: Have fun and submit those scores for PVRC!
20 March 2005
For more information
• www.k1ea.com (CT)• www.writelog.com• www.n1mm.com• www.trlog.com• www.k1ea.com/cty (CTY Country Files)• www.k5zd.com/scp (Super Check Partial Files)• www.contesting.com – TRLog, CT, and Writelog
e-mail reflector archives• www.n1mm.com – Select “Yahoo Discussion
Group” (e-mail reflector archives)