Excellent point, Jim.
Indeed it's all about "Horses for Courses".
And even though we may be on the same course, we still prefer different
horses!
For instance, Barry (a better contester than me) agreed on the knob point
but then went on to say for him it's all about the display. He wants to see
everything within the radio.
In a contest, I also think it's all about the display, but I don't need to
know what's going on in the radio. I know that; I set it up. I need all the
information I can get about what's going on in the contest.
My screen is so full of contest windows, I don't have any space to have a
window for radio control.
Here's the typical windows on my screen during a contest:
.1..The Log; (shows abt. 10 QSOs) - medium size window
.2..General Contest Statistics; (shows run rates and what part of the globe
I've been working, then stuff like how long it has been since my last QSO,
etc.). Occupies a large space, shows more than I need but I can't configure
it to show only what I want.
.3..SUMMARY; I suppose you don't absolutely need this but it shows how you
are doing in the contest, band by band, plus your total score. It helps me
recognize when I have not spent enough time on a particular band. It's only
a tiny window and I prefer to leave it running.
.4..The BandMap; (occupies a large space) and this is my primary way of
tuning the band. I do not use the VFO most of the time, I point and click
on specific call signs; the radio jumps to that frequency. When I do tune
the VFO on the radio, I watch the indicator on the BandMap, I don't watch
the radio. I rarely even look at the radio. The band map is of utmost
importance because it not only shows call signs, it shows me if I have
worked them or not, and if they are a single or double multiplier. This
information helps me decide whether to join the pile-up or skip over it. If
I skip over it, it's easy to come back to it later.
.5..Check Partials; is a window that suggests call signs matching the
incomplete call sign that you have entered. Don't need it often but needs
to always be showing in case I do need it. It can usually be kept fairly
small.
.6..Country; when I enter a call sign, it shows me what country it is and
also shows me which bands I have worked that country on. I need this
because there are so many special call signs these days that I often don't
recognize the countries. Once I know the country, I can decide if now is a
good time to work it or if propagation might be better later (so I leave it
and move on).
.7..Packet Spots; I don't use it so much since we added the BandMap but I
still keep an eye on it; helps determine when another band is opening.
.8..Grey Line Map; I only open this window when working the low bands.
Shows me when I can work the different parts of the globe.
All of the above is information management aiding in contest efficiency.
I don't run SO2R, I just run one radio. That's for the young kids like
Barry (hi). I don't use any special Macros to do tasks for me.
NOW HERE IS MY POINT:
Unless I use a second monitor, I have no place to put software controls for
my radio. I don't really want to turn off any of the Windows I monitor.
Therefore I still need a radio with knobs... or some kind of interface with
knobs. But I don't want 25 knobs, just the few I actually need for my type
of operation.
WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE:
It would be cool if a radio control window could be designed such that it is
normally the size of a postage stamp, but always on top of whatever window
you place it on. If you need to adjust something, you double-click it and
it expands to a usable/adjustable size. You make a quick adjustment of
whatever feature needs adjusting, then double-click it again and it shrinks
back to the size of the postage stamp.
Reading some of the comments I've seen on this thread, I get the feeling
some people are not yet familiar with radio control software. As Carl said,
all kinds of easy to use adjustments are available on sliders.
FOR INSTANCE: If I want to change the power level on my Eagle, I punch the
FUNC button, then I punch the PWR button, then I twist the MULTI knob which
has much too much bandspread for this purpose. Takes a long time to run
power up or down.
EASIER: Using a slider in a software window, you simply click the pointer
of the slider and run it up or down. Takes one second to adjust. Much
faster than using the radio's own procedure.
PROBLEM IS: I don't want to have the slider(s) showing all the time when I
don't need them. They need to be easily available "on demand", but they
must not occupy precious screen floor space when not in use.
This can be solved in software and perhaps it already has been, but I'm not
aware of it.
AND NOW MY FINAL POINT:
The fact that we all have our own special wants and likes, and can't agree
on how it should be, proves my point that the best solution would be a
choice of human interfaces (various number of knobs) purchased separate from
the radio engine, with programmable definitions for each knob and button on
the human interface.
That way we can all have our own favorite cake, and eat it too!
(Quick side note: in an SSB DX contest, we work a lot of split on 40m)
73 - Rick, DJ0IP
(Nr. Frankfurt am Main)
-----Original Message-----
From: TenTec [mailto:tentec-bounces@contesting.com] On Behalf Of Jim Allen
Sent: Sunday, November 02, 2014 10:49 PM
To: Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment
Subject: Re: [TenTec] New Radios in the Future
If all one did was contests, one style would be best. Working DX day to day
would make some other set up preferable. You seldom use split in
contesting, and seldom do without it these days working DX, for example.
I do like the red LED that lights up when the split button is selected.
Once you know what you are doing (nothing beats that!) it's a constant
reminded of the configuration you have selected, minimizing the opportunity
to mess up. A spotlight would be better but that would ruin the current
draw.
Now if you ragchew on 40M LSB, perhaps none of these features are very
important.
73 de W6OGC Jim Allen
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