Modes & Such

[WI0R@aol.com]

Bert, Tree, Ward, etc.

    I have not entered the Sprint contest for various reasons, but one of
them, aside from the cumberson rules, is the cumberson process of
keystrokes required in the logging program.  Ward, N0AX, seems to
be pointing maybe in the right direction.  What I would like to see would
be the following:

    1.   A MODELESS MODE,  where the program doesn't try to do 
everything for you, but a separate keystroke for each function is handled
by the operator, such as one key for calling CQ, one key for sending the
exchange, one key for logging the exchange received, etc.. This would be a
"competitor's mode" that newcomers could use at first to get the feel of the 
program and gradually move into more advanced activities.  Granted, the
Sprint is a special case and a very difficult contest to program for, but
maybe the least is the best in some cases, and this may be a good choice for
some in any contest.

    2.  For the Sprint, a fully AUTOMATIC MODE, that makes all the proper
changes
between S&P and CQ and  QSY's at the proper time, etc.  Here nothing is left
to the operator except entering the exchange received and the option to use
an escape key to get out of the automatic sequence if something demands it..
This is the mode that if implemented might encourage me to enter the Sprint
next time.
Yeah, I know, I'm lazy.

    3.  I like Ward's idea of locking to S&P Mode, or CQ Mode, for contests
in
general, but I would prefer the change to be do-able by a two sequence key
stroke, rather than changing the logcfg.dat or going thru the control-J
routine.  When you
lock into something, you presumably want to stay there, so getting out of it
or
into it should require more than hitting the space bar but less than the
control-J
routine.  

     4.  And speaking of locks, I would like to be able to do an entire
contest with
manual CW keying (CW  LOCK  ON = FALSE), so that the program sends nothing,
but does all the proper logging. The current system of killing CW is fine, 
and really comes in handy, but I would like the option at least of killing it
altogether and not have to worry about accidentally turning it on again, for
some contests.  
Yes, there are other ways to do this, but I would like a nice clean way to do
it
the same way the Simulator does it -- turn the signal going to the Radio OFF.
         
Of course, even if none of the above is done, TR is still, for me, the best
program to use in any contest.  So, proceed with caution.  Don't fix it if it
ain't broke.  Don't
rush into making a lot of changes that we will all later regret.

73
Troy WI0R