On Wed, 2008-10-08 at 14:15 -0400, george wrote:
> John;
> Best suggestion I could make. Start computer logging. If you don't already!
> There are so many good free logging programs out there for you to choose
> from.
Yah, dat's nice, until the computer croaks. My 53 year old paper logs
are still as readable as they day they were made. My 30 year old
computer media (8" floppy disks) probably isn't readable though I do
have drives that may work to try them. Many floppies that are younger
can't be read anymore and the media in the 8" ones wasn't very sturdy,
some wore out rapidly. And I have a bucket full of hard drives that have
failed since the first one I bought that held a grand 5 MB died in 29
days of operation.
Besides, after all day programming at the computer or building custom
computer hardware, using a computer in the hamshack is not all that much
fun, neither is listening to the computer and monitor hash on various
bands. I live way out in the country to get AWAY from such noises and I
won't put up with them from my computers, so when I get on, my computers
(except when working digital modes) get turned OFF which makes them poor
at logging.
> It boggles my mind why you would still want to pen each qso. Logging
> programs do much more than just logging a QSO such as QSL mailed, QSLs
> received, and on and on.
Paper works there too, in reasonable quantities though it would be a
bigger bother doing QSLs by the thousand. But the box of 1000 QSLs that
I bought in 1977 still has cards in it though the post office has moved
me several times. A file folder label is just right to change the
address lines. I don't think my laser printer will pass card stock
happily, though I've not tried it. Having the cards already cut is handy
too, though I could cut them with my paper shear if I had to.
During contests like FD I get along faster with manual logging than
those using computers. Used to be when I called a station on Sunday they
could know to come back instantly from the old paper dupe sheet, but now
it takes seconds, up to 5 or ten for their computer to tell them its not
a dupe. That slows things down to make it hard to do 120 contacts an
hour!
> I live around the corner from you if you need help. I'd be glad to lend a
> hand.
> George W2YJ
>
I'll still with paper, thank you.
73, Jerry, K0CQ
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