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Re: [NA-User] Slow F4 and INS type ahead

To: "David A. Pruett" <k8cc@comcast.net>, NA-User@contesting.com
Subject: Re: [NA-User] Slow F4 and INS type ahead
From: Dan Zeitlin <k2ywe@yahoo.com>
Date: Mon, 12 Jan 2004 08:24:06 -0800 (PST)
List-post: <mailto:na-user@contesting.com>
Thanks for the fast response Dave.
I understand.  I will install SMARTDRV.  I should have
thought of that (or read the manual) myself.
WRT the CAT light, I could live with the faster blink.
 Perhaps the next time you are modifying code, you can
think about a command line switch to increase the
blink rate.
73,
Dan

--- "David A. Pruett" <k8cc@comcast.net> wrote:
> At 02:47 PM 1/11/04 -0800, Dan Zeitlin wrote:
> >I noticed a disturbing NA behaviour this weekend
> that someone may be able 
> >to shed light on.  I run CT more often than NA, so
> it is possible that 
> >this condition existed in the past without notice,
> but I don't think so.
> >The first two problems below only occur when I have
> Autocheck enabled, 
> >independent of which callsign database is used.  I
> tired them all from SS 
> >through All.
> >
> >1.  There is a significant delay (>1 sec) from when
> I hit F4 my call is 
> >sent.  I think this condition got worse as the QSO
> count increased.  I 
> >only made about 650 Q's.
> 
> At the K8CC multi-op station, we used to have a room
> full of 486 computers, 
> from 486DLC-40s, 486DX2-66s and even some
> 486DX4-100s, all running DOS 
> 6.22.  We did a number of multi-ops where we put
> several thousand QSOs in 
> the logs.  While the response time does slow down a
> little with a very 
> large log, we had no complaints from our ops.
> 
> The secret is having disk cache software enabled. 
> Disk cache is a software 
> program with a big blob of memory which buffers the
> hard disk so that data 
> stays in memory (which is very fast) and does not
> have to be retrieved from 
> the drive (which is not so fast).
> 
> DOS 6.22 comes with a disk cache called SMARTDRV. 
> It can be implemented by 
> adding the following line to your AUTOEXEC.BAT file:
> 
>          C:\DOS\smartdrv.exe /x
> 
> This assumes your DOS files are in a subdirectory
> called DOS.
> 
> SMARTDRV needs to have enough memory to hold your
> log, plus the MASTER.DTA 
> file so it's not swapping the contents in and out as
> you CheckPartial, then 
> log a QSO, CheckPartial, log a QSO, etc.  With 256MB
> of memory as you 
> describe, just enable SMARTDRV and you should be in
> good shape..
> 
> All of this is covered in the NA manual in Section 6
> under "Callsign 
> Database Checking", so you can find this same info
> there.
> 
> >2.  When RUNning, if I hit INSERT with an
> incomplete call and fill in the 
> >remainder on the fly, always staying ahead of NA's
> actual sending of the 
> >call, the "on the fly" part of the call is not
> sent.  I noticed this right 
> >away, early in the contest.
> 
> This is related to #1 above.  The master call
> database checking updates 
> with each keystroke and has to finish the previous
> key before reacting to 
> the INSERT.  Implement the suggestions given to fix
> the checking speed and 
> this problem will disappear.
> 
> >3.  The update rate of the CAT interface is a bit
> slower than I would like 
> >for updating the bandmap.  This one appears
> independent of Autocheck.
> 
> The update rate on Yaesu radios is every three
> seconds while others are 
> every one second.  Yaesu radios is deliberately set
> slower because of the 
> @#%&@%#&% blinking "CAT System" lamp.  When I got my
> FT-1000D in 1995, I 
> found that the slower update rate bothered me a
> whole lot less than having 
> "CAT System" blink in your face every second.
> 
> 
> Dave Pruett, K8CC
> DATOM Engineering
> 
> datom@contesting.com
> http://www.datomonline.com
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
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> NA on the web:  http://www.datomonline.com/


=====
Dan Zeitlin
Annapolis, Maryland
http://members.tripod.com/~danzee/index.htm

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