Dick,
Good luck getting your first audio wav files created. Most of the tricks
and tips just involve thinking ahead about what you want to do with the
voice files. Here are a few ideas for your consideration. Don't worry
about doing all of them right away - you can grow into other areas as you
gain experience.
1. Create multiple folders of wav files tailored for various contests. That
way you don't have to constantly record new messages before a each SSB
contest that has a slightly different exchange format. This also serves as
a good back up should you accidently wipe out a wav file in the middle of a
contest and need to get it back in a hurry - see #4 below.
2. Make two wav files called "question.wav" and "slash.wav". In
"question.wav" record the word "Again?". In "slash.wav" record the word
"Stroke". Program one F key with the macro "%C" - I use the F5 key. That
sends whatever is in the Call field. If you are running and only get a part
of the call enter what you catch and then press F5. For example you get
"WD2" and miss the rest. Press F5 and WL sends "Whiskey Delta Two" to ask
for the fill. Or type "WD2?" in the Call field and press F5. If you have
created the "question.wav" file WL sends "Whiskey Delta Two Again?". If you
get a call operating portable and have the "slash.wav" recorded entering the
call K4ABC/7 in the Call field will send "Kilo Four Alpha Bravo Charlie
Stroke Seven". Be careful of Mobiles or Maritime Mobiles however. Entering
"/M" at the end of a call sends "Stroke Mike", not "Stroke Mobile".
3. You can chain wave files together on a single F key. That way a single
wav file can be played on multiple F keys. For example F9 could be set to
play <msg9.wav><msg12.wav><msg15.wav>. You can also create wav files
numbered higher than any F key. A file named "msg35.wav" cannot be played
directly by pressing an F key unless it is programmed into a macro on an F
key or on a Keyboard Shortcut key.
4. Be careful of WL's "Record On The Fly" ability. This feature allows you
to rerecord an F key in the middle of a contest by pressing SHIFT+Fn. This
puts WL into record mode and what you say into the mike OVERWRITES the wav
file in Fn with the new message! This is often useful when running split
and you wish to announce your split listening frequency. However, many
times in the heat of battle I've wanted to send the message in one of the
Shifted SSB memory bank locations and in haste hit SHIFT+Fn. That doesn't
send the Shifted SSB message, but wipes out the normal Fn wav file! That's
why having a different wav file folder with this contests messages saved is
handy. In this case it is easy to copy the original wav file back into the
contest wav file location.
5. You can play wav files by using the mouse to click on the "buttons" in
the Entry window. These buttons are preset to play messages from the
Shifted SSB memory bank locations. The Call button always plays
"msg12.wav". The next button plays "msg13.wav", the one after that plays
"msg14.wav", etc. Be aware of this because if you've recorded a message in
the Shifted SSB bank and then accidently click one of the buttons in the
Entry window you may send an unintended message.
6. If you record wav files for the Shifted SSB memory bank locations the
only way to play them directly from the keyboard is to setup Keyboard
Shortcuts. I have created shortcuts for the number keys on my keyboard by
using ALT+1 thru ALT+0. In Tools/Keyboard Shortcuts you need to use the
assign the "MessageShiftPhnn" instructions to unused keys get these wav
files to play on command. The tricky one is "MessageShiftPh11" that should
actually be assigned to the number 1 key.
That should keep you busy for a few days Dick! Good luck!
73,
Gary AL9A
----- Original Message -----
From: "Dick Flanagan" <dick@k7vc.com>
To: "Writelog Reflector" <writelog@contesting.com>
Sent: October 20, 2010 12:13 AM
Subject: Re: [WriteLog] Phone Contesting with WL
> At 12:05 AM 10/20/2010, Gary AL9A wrote:
> >There are many tricks and tips to using wav files in a SSB contest
>
> Thanks, Gary (and you, too, Trent). I will get the sound card,
> alphabet and number wav files built and playing together and perhaps
> you or some of the other folks could pass along some of those "tricks
> and tips" on how to use them effectively.
>
> I shall return... :)
>
> Dick
> --
> Dick Flanagan K7VC
> dick@k7vc.com
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