PVRC Contest Seminar

1. PVRC Contest Seminar Contest Logging Software Mark Bailey KD4D

2. 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

3. Some of the available programs… N3FJP Win-EQF CT by K1EA NA by K8CC

4. 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

5. 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!

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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

11. CT

12. 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

13. N1MM

14. 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”

15. TR-Log

16. 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

17. Writelog

18. 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

19. 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. PVRC Statistics

21. “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

22. 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!

23. 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)