[TRLog] LONG -- Reflections on first real use of TR LOG, and a few gripes

[Ed (G3SQX / N0ED)]

Hello TR LOG people,

I see that the posts on this reflector seem to come from TR LOG
enthusiasts.  I had hoped to become one of this august band, but it may
not be possible.  Am I am permitted to make a few observations about the
way that TR works?  I might even make a criticism or two.  If you can't
handle it, please press DELETE immediately!

My local club (Mile High DX Association) entered ARRL Field Day last
weekend, and TR was announced as the logging software of choice.  Since
I bought TR almost a year ago, but have been too busy (scared?) to try
it, I thought I would make a real effort.  I started re-reading the
manual, and got the software going on my computer.

The first thing I found was that the manual is virtually
incomprehensible.  Even though a fellow Brit is charged with making it
seem like a real "User's Guide", I suspect he has only reached page 22.
There is an inherent problem in writing documentation, because TR is not
an easy program to learn, and you have to explain about 20 concepts all
at once.  Still, there has to be a better way.  I consulted another TR
fan (let's call him "Dai"), and said I could make little sense of it.
He replied, "I believe this is because the manual is written in
Klingon."  Remember, this is from a guy who is a devotee.  May I also
suggest that the PDF format is an abomination, and almost any other
would work better (HTML is fine with me).

Having used most of the other contest logging software around, I soon
realized that there was a steep learning curve with TR.  Of course, I
suppose I was spoiled.  When I first started using CT, I carried around
a piece of paper with half a dozen keys listed, and their usage ("F1",
"+", etc.)  After a while, I didn't need it.  Even using TR with just
the serial port connected for keying (and nothing else), I found that
the key I was using most often was Alt-H.  Unfortunately, this was not
always helpful.

TR can do a lot of things.  A very large number of things!  Most of them
are things I don't want to do, and we didn't want to do them during
Field Day.  We had a very hard time finding out how to do the things we
really DID want to do.  I was pulled out of my tent at 6:30 am in a deep
slumber by one operator, who seemed to think I was the TR expert!  "How
do I program the F3 key to send a message?"  Actually, that was easy,
although we had to it twice (once for S&P and once for Run mode).  I
couldn't help thinking that the same function was implemented in most
other logging programs by doing Shift-F3, or whatever is the F key you
want to program.

I wanted to put a space before a CW message.  It took half an hour to
find that one out from the documentation (it's underline, not hyphen,
apparently).  We wanted to do a floppy disk backup.  Only five minutes
for that (v. good!), although the message telling us that the log had
been backed to floppy up was completely wrong (it's obvious to any
programmer that the floppy is "A:").   I guess I'm too old to memorize
the whole manual now, so it would be nice to have an on-line searchable
help document.

I suppose my main gripe is with TR's "user interface" -- in particular,
the use of the keyboard for carrying out the main program functions.
The screen is a mess, but it's difficult to do anything about this with
MSDOS (although SD has a very much nicer-looking logging screen).
However, almost everything about the allocation of keys to program
functions in TR is difficult to learn and confusing.  When I think back
to the days when I wrote MSDOS programs, I would never have dreamed of
putting out a program with TR's user interface.  I guess this sounds
pretty blunt, but I can only report what I have found over several days
with the manual, plus two days of actual usage.

My friend Dai says that I shouldn't let myself be overwhelmed by a mere
program, and adds, "After you had been licensed less than 3 months
[1964] did they shove you on the key in Field Day [yes], did you run a
pile-up on a straight key [yes], and wonder why all the old farts were
looking at you in amazement [it was great fun!]."  Yes to all of these
things, and it was hard.  I have no problem learning how to do difficult
things, but when there is a better way, we should use it.  I have no
sympathy with the attitude that says, " I managed to learn this, and it
took a lot of effort, so you should go through the same effort that I
did."

Because TR can do almost everything, there are going to be keys which
make it carry out all these myriad functions.  Letters and number are
already in use, but it makes sense to represent all the other functions
with single characters (or, at least, Ctrl and Alt characters).  Of
course, we won't remember the 60 or so possibilities in the middle of
the night, so there are two choices:  either have a comprehensive HELP
system that will remind you; or, (as some programs do) have an
alternative which accepts commands in the callsign field, where
English-like words do the same thing (e.g. SOUND, FASTDUMP, etc.)  Given
this is the method of choice in TR, shouldn't Alt-H tell you anything
you want to know?  I realize that TR is very sparing of memory (good),
but if you're desperate, you'll surely let TR scan slowly through a disk
file for you to find out how to do something?

Perhaps the main bone of contention I have is that TR is "NOT modeless."
This is computer-speak for "TR does different things when the same key
is depressed, depending on the circumstances."  Or, to put it another
way, "Unless you're paying REALLY close attention, TR will do something
you don't expect each time you press the same key."  Perhaps TR users
are paying close attention at all times (sorry, I don't fall into this
category).  If you're trying to find a place to call CQ, or tuning a
dead band for a multiplier, your mind will be otherwise engaged.  My
instinct is that you will then try to get your contest logging program
to do your will, almost certainly without benefit of the thought
process.  If the F1 key is somehow connected in your mind with "CQ" and
the F4 key with "send my callsign" you have a chance of doing the right
thing.  If you have to decide "switch to S&P" or "switch to Run mode"
then press Enter, you've used too many valuable neurons.  I suppose I'm
in a minority here.

I lost track in FD of the number of times I pressed ESC to stop CW
sending, but found I had pressed it one time too many.  Oh -- seem to
have deleted a QSO,  oops, now I've switched mode (I now know this can
be turned off).  Then Space appears to do several different things,
which do not seem to be switchable off.  I suppose I should have
expected TAB to do something weird.  Of course, Enter does almost
everything (but hardly ever the thing I wanted).  OK, I'm exaggerating.
MOST of the time TR did what I thought it would.  When it didn't I spent
time off the rig trying to remember what to do to get it back to where
it was.  I'm still trying to figure out the F-key programming conundrum.
By the way, I thought if I answered all the initial ("let's make a
LOGCFG") questions correctly, my exchange would be created
automatically -- not so, and (AFAICS) you have to exit TR and start
again to do it.

What am I saying?  Maybe it's this:  the interface devised by K1EA is
not great, but it's not THAT bad.  Progress would be made by taking it
and improving it.  K8CC did not do a very good job of this, but tried.
CT has an overwhelming advantage:  you can use it after a few minutes
learning, CW or phone.  It's impossible to say the same about TR, as our
club found out at the weekend.  Perhaps I should propose a new
LOGCFG.DAT command:
CT MODE SIMULATE = TRUE
It wouldn't be perfect, but it would be a start.

Well, I see I've unloaded a few grumbles.  What did I like about TR?
Several things:
(1)  It didn't crash or freeze.  This is a MAJOR advantage, and makes me
want to continue studying TR in the hope of mastering the way it works.
(2)  It does everything.  No question about it.  When I feel strong
enough to join a multi-multi team again, I KNOW the best choice will be
TR.  For a single-operator, single-radio station, it's doubtful.
(3)  It sends good CW.  I can change speed instantly.  Great!
(4)  The support is unparalleled.  Bugs seem to be fixed instantly.  And
the author/bug-fixer is a contester.  Excellent!

Nonetheless, the bottom line is that I'm somewhat disappointed with TR.
For no very good reason, it takes simple functions and makes them
complicated.  Additional functionality (beyond what you can learn in ten
minutes) requires a major investment in reading and experimenting, and
quite a bit of knowledge of MSDOS (surely a rare commodity these days).
I've heard it said that "anything worthwhile takes a bit of effort."
True -- but I want my effort to go into improving my rig and putting up
new antennas.

I hope you'll accept my comments in the spirit in which they're
intended -- that is, the experience of a newbie, who REALLY wanted to
find that TR was wonderful.  I'm still in two minds as to which program
to use for the IOTA contest, so please try to convince me ..........

73,

Ed, N0ED / G3SQX



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