5.89 Network in SS

[Al Gritzmacher]

Tree and the group,

I did a not very serious SS this weekend (about 300 Q's)with two computers
running TR networked. I had no real reason to do so, except that I know Tree
has been working on it and it was supposed to be "improved." 

I've used TR networked before only for Field Day and the biggest problem has
been duplication of QSO numbers because two stations would use the next
number at the same time and the network messages cross paths. It doesn't
matter because FD doesn't use serial numbers, but I was always concerned
about it.

I ran my logging computer as normal under DOS and it ran all weekend without
a hitch. Not a single reboot and not one problem. The second computer, which
I have the monitor and keyboard on a swingarm so I can move it over near the
operating position, ran Windows for Workgroups 3.11, with TR running in a
DOS window and Geoclock along with it. (Just to see if I could.) It ran fine
too. I could have used it to log a QSO say if the other computer crashed.
Everything worked fine and the network is noticably faster in response than
it was in the past. 

I played around while I was setting it up with the simulator mode. It was
impressive, but some duplicate numbers would still occur (at 99 wpm) Under
normal speeds, there was much less problem with double numbers issued, but I
can still see no way to prevent it if both stations work someone at the same
exact time. 

Maybe, under networked conditions, each computer needs to be given a number
and that number be left there. For instance, a computer starts with 1, the
next computer comes on line and it shows 2. If the first computer works a
station, it jumps to the next available number, 3. It would make for some
more traffic on the network, maybe even designating a computer as a "number
server" and the question of what happens when the network gets disconnected
then comes up. 

I don't know how other logging programs (which shall remain unnamed) handle
this, or if they handle it any better or not. I can't see where a contest
where QSO numbers are critical could be done this way. In fact, I can't
think of a contest that uses serial numbers that allows multiple
transmitters off the top of my head, so maybe it's not a big problem.
Perhaps all that is needed is to set the computer ID parameter and settle
for duplicates with different IDs... 101A, 101B etc.

Other than that, it worked nicely. Granted, I was only making entries on the
one computer, but they appeared almost instantaneously on the other screen.
I entered several QSOs on the main computer (while playing around) before
starting up the second, and they all came through after a short delay. I was
most amazed that it worked, network and all, running under plain old
windoze, not even Win95. That's something I had never tried before.

Tree, I think you're on the right track with the network. Perhaps some
tweaking can improve it more, or even user-adjustable retry delays. But I
was impressed. Even my 9 year-old son was amazed when he saw me enter a QSO
on one computer and it appeared on the other. He's gonna want to try a kids
contest now!

73,

Al AE2T

BTW - The input field parsing was flawless. I could not stump it once with
corrected calls, checks or sections that were different from the database,
or order of entry!