[SCCC] homebrew contest logger

[Phil Minch]

Sounds like it was fun to create.  I'm not a programming geek, but I am a
big time Excel user.  I have used custom spreadsheets for logging in the
past.  The formulas can do a lot for dupe checking and pointing out typing
errors.  I even used formulas to create cbr and adi files.  The downside is
that I didn't have a radio interface for things like band, mode and
frequency.

On Tue, Nov 10, 2020 at 7:47 AM Drew Arnett <arnett.drew at gmail.com> wrote:

> If logging SW isn't your nerd, skip this email.  If it is, get in
> touch, as I'd like to do a deeper dive into functionality and user
> experience design.  Lots of interesting stuff to think about.
>
> After CQP, I started to write a minimalist CW contest logger for SS
> CW.  Last weekend, I gave it a try and it worked without issues.
>
> The previous post about Raspberry Pi contest logger explained my
> preference for no mouse and a good keyboard.  Taking that further, I
> used a new to me TUI library.  It was surprisingly similar to writing
> against a GUI library.  (Spent the majority of my time learning that.)
>
> Total codebase was about 1000 lines of Python.  Python was designed
> for readability.  And it turns out, it offers the extreme portability
> Java tried to promise in 25 years ago.  So, this logger should run on
> PC, Mac, Pi, linux (say running on an FPGA or whatever) without
> recompiling.  With the TUI, it should run fine over SSH or telnet.  It
> would be amusing to run it over RS232/485.  The TUI library and if I
> do a GUI version with PySide2/Qt are also both extremely portable.
> Why write software not everybody can use?  C will always be my first,
> true love.  It's still great (C/C++) for systems programming, but I
> haven't found anything more productive than Python for systems
> programming.  I've been looking for something better for 20 years.
> (Let me know if you find something!)
>
> I reused my existing cwdaemon compatible pywinkeyerdaemon and the
> delightful rigctld from the hamlib project with sockets.  I grabbed a
> recent super partial file which was easy to use.  I also grabbed the
> (maybe not the latest) initials file.  That was interesting, as I
> found out during the contest some folks moved or changed the year they
> were first licensed.
>
> Functionality:
> * ESM for both RUN and S&P modes.  (c-o to change between S&P and RUN.)
> * Keyer speed adjustment (page-up, page-down).  It even worked during
> messages or autocq.
> * Autocq (c-a).
> * Escape to stop sending at any time.
> * Keyboard sending dialog (c-k).
> * Keyer macros (of course) on the function keys.
> * Tune (c-t).
> * Dupe check.
> * Highlighted PR and SEC when valid value entered.
> * Serial number handling logic.  (Setup from log file on start, auto
> increment and use for exchange.)
> * Auto filled initials (CK & SEC).
> * Wipe (c-w).
> * Log without sending.
> * Besides data entry, displayed partials, autocq if running, S&P or
> RUN, ESM1/ESM2, and all the QSO info.
> * Date/time and rig frequency read and handled automatically.
>
> It was a joy to use for SS.  And it will be a great base to explore
> lots of other ideas or to add more functionality to.
>
> Fun stuff.
>
> Drew
> n7da
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