[SD-User] V16.00 Released

[Paul O'Kane]

V16.00          1st September 2012

Free Options:
     SD is fully working and unrestricted (no key
     file needed) in all RSGB contests, including
     IOTA and BERU, and in certain other events.

     The full list of free options is shown at
     www.ei5di.com.

Registration:
     There is no need to register to use SD in
     any of the unrestricted contests, and no
     key file is needed.  Simply download SD
     and away you go.

     There are two options for enabling SD for
     use in other contests (if your present key
     file expires before 1st September).  The
     first is a "Once-off Registration".  Users
     get a key file giving unrestricted access
     to the current version (and earlier
     versions) of SD for a fee of 10 euros. The
     key file does not expire, and there is no
     need to ever register again unless you
     decide you want whatever features and bug
     fixes are provided in later versions of SD.

     The second option adds access to future
     versions released within 12 months of
     registration - the fee is 20 euros. Again,
     the key file never expires.

     In contests which are not free, or where
     the key file is out-of-date with regard
     to the version used, or is used with a
     non-matching callsign, SD remains in DEMO
     mode and logging is delayed after 10 QSOs
     - by 30 seconds for each new QSO.

Contest Name:
     The name of the contest, taken from the
     template file, is shown at the bottom of
     the logging screen.

     This helps to prevent user errors caused
     by selecting the wrong template when
     starting a new log, or the wrong log when
     restarting SD.  When SD is running in demo
     mode, the word DEMO appears after the
     contest name.  When DEMO is not shown,
     you know for certain that SD is not in
     demo mode, and will not slow down after
     10 QSOs.

Templates Updated:
     Many new parameters have been introduced
     to make it easier for SD to support new
     and updated contests without the need for
     hard-coding.

     All templates (more than 200) now include
     parameters for constructing Cabrillo QSO
     records directly, by mapping fields from
     the .ALL to the .LOG QSO records.
     Previously, many Cabrillo features were
     hard-coded and difficult to maintain.

     Please refer to the Templates secion in
     the manual SD.PDF for more information.

     Note:  The RSGB RoPoCo and Club Calls
     contests are exceptions - Cabrillo QSO
     records remain hard-coded.

     Cabrillo header records are now V3.0, the
     current standard.

Reloading Existing Logs:
     Warning:  Compatibility with contest logs
     created by earlier versions of SD is not
     guaranteed.  If this might be an issue
     for you, install V16 in a separate folder.

     When reloading, SD skips the screen
     showing your Name & Address and the
     contest parameters.  Startup is simpler
     and faster.

WAE - Worked All Europe.
     For DX entrants, outside Europe, the record
     of QSOs already sent as QTCs was lost when
     SD was restarted.  Fixed, thanks VK4TT.

WinKey:
     Winkey is now enabled immediately following
     a PORTS command and the WINKEY command.
     Previously, SD had to be restarted before
     WinKey was recognised.

WinKey & Rig Control:
     WinKey was disabled in mixed-mode events
     when using older rigs with no "Reverse-CW"
     option.  Fixed, thanks WA9AQN.

BUFFER Command:
     Toggles display of data received from the
     rig following a poll from the computer.
     The data is shown in character, ASCII and
     HEX formats.  This was used to investigate
     the WinKey/Rig Control problem.

UNLOAD Command:
     Removes any .LST file(s)  previously LOADed.
     This replaces the previous CLEAR command.

Editing QSOs:
     When the QSO being edited was selected by
     direct entry of the QSO number, followed
     by successive Down-Arrows to return to
     logging, SD froze.  Fixed, thanks VK4TT.

NEQP - New England QSO Party:
     New England Side - fixed some data entry
     issues related to logging stations already
     worked on other bands.  Thanks K1ESE.

CTY Files Updated:
     Note:  UK temporary special calls are not
     included. SD sees all GQ calls as England.

SDCHECK:
     The option to restore your log (.ALL) from
     the audit file (.AUD) was broken.  Fixed.
     This is useful when, for whatever reason,
     one or more QSOs in your .ALL file have
     become corrupted.

EXPAND Command:
     A reminder that the EXPAND command toggles
     the location of the Check Partial and Super
     Check Partial displays.

     SD's default is now unexpanded - where the
     partial calls display temporarily replaces
     the score window.  This is suitable for
     16x9 ratio screens, enabling SD's window
     to closely fit the screen.

     The alternative location is underneath the
     logging line - with SD's window expanded
     accordingly.  It displays the partial calls
     closer to the logging line, an advantage
     when running at high rates.

IOTA Contest:
     QSOS with EU prefixes were flagged as mults
     even though no IOTA reference was logged.
     Cabrillo logs were not affected.  Fixed,
     thanks GM4SID.

WIA Remembrance Day Contest.
     Same-mode QSOs with other stations are
     permitted after three hours - changed from
     two.

     Own-area QSOs now score on all bands.
     Thanks VK3NRW.

QSOPARTY - Template Parameter.
     When set to Y, no dupe checking is done
     on mobiles and rovers(/M and /R).  This
     applies mainly to North American QSO
     Parties.

Scoring for Special Calls.
     Was previously hard-coded for each contest.
     This is now controlled by the SPECIALCALL
     template parameter showing the points
     scored for QSOs with individual callsigns.

UBA DX Contest:
     Separate templates provided for ON and DX
     entrants.

NRAU-Baltic Contest.
     New template and multiplier file supplied.


V15.63          August 2012

WAE Contest:
     Fixed QTCs for non-EU entrants.

V15.62          July 2012

IOTA Contest
     Scoring corrected.

____________________________________________


If you find new bugs in V16.00, please post full
details to this mailing list.  Older versions are
not supported, so you should first confirm that the
problem exists in this version.

Please let me know what you would like to see
changed or added - whether features or contests.

73,
Paul EI5DI