[CQ-Contest] Logging software and WRTC

[Kenneth E. Harker]

On Thu, Aug 31, 2006 at 11:00:16AM -0700, Kenneth E. Harker wrote:
>      http://www.wrtc2006.com/WRTC_radioSW.htm lists the logging software used
> by each station in WRTC 2006.  Only six different logging programs were 
> used by the 46 teams.  The following breaks down the usage overall
> and by the continental area of the team captain:
> 
>          Overall  AF  AS  EU  NA  OC  SA
>          -------  --  --  --  --  --  --
> WriteLog:  14          1   6   4   1   2
> WinTest:   12             12
> N1MM:       9      1       5   1       2
> CT-Win:     8                  8
> TR Log:     2              2
> Zlog4Win:   1          1 
> 
> Observations:
> 
> * WinTest was used exclusively by teams from Europe, and it was the most 
>   popular logging program amongst the European teams.  Any ideas why it's 
>   not more popular outside Europe? 
> 
> * TR Log is the only DOS-based logger still being used by top competitors, 
>   with CT, NA, and SD all absent from the competition this time around.

SD (another logging program that seems to be predominantly used by 
Europeans) I have been informed is both (a) Windows based nowadays, but (b)
only suited to single-operator use, and therefore not really appropriate
for the WRTC team.
 
> * Over 80% of the WRTC teams still use commercial logging software rather 
>   than freeware.  On the other hand, freeware is now the choice of 20% of 
>   the teams at WRTC.

As several have reminded me, CT-Win is also freeware, so the percentage of
teams using freeware loggers in 2006 was really more like 37%.  This is 
a much higher percentage than four years ago.

-- 
Kenneth E. Harker WM5R
kenharker at kenharker.com
http://www.kenharker.com/