[Trlog] TRLog 6.85 band/mode change experiment

[Paul Kirley]

Recently there have been posts describing difficulties changing bands with Alt-B in version 6.85, leaving the log at the default of 160 meters.  Although I have not adopted any versions of TRLog since 6.79 because I have no computer-controllable radios, I detected an undercurrent that the problems lay with the difference between a logging program and a radio-control program.  

So I conducted an experiment (described below) and came to the following conclusions about version 6.85 when used on a computer NOT connected to any radio in any way:
(1)  Alt-B has no effect; Alt-V cannot be tested because there is no band below the default of 160 meters, from which 6.85 cannot be moved.
(2)  Alt-M has no effect for Field Day (one of the freebie events), although that may be because
(3)  Field Day is only CW--according to 6.85.
(4)  Additions to LOGCFG.DAT of the commands BAND = 40 and MODE = PHONE had no effect.

If version 6.85 is to be a logging program as well as a radio-control program, some repairs will be needed.

73, Paul W8TM

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Experiment description:
(A)  The computer used was an old laptop with no Windows, Linux, etc.  Only DOS 6.22 is on it, which I had to load myself because this $25 Dayton wonder-machine had only 4 files on its hard drive when purchased.
(B)  Both CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT were bypassed by pressing F5 at the beep while DOS started.
(C)  The resulting path appears as PATH=C:\DOS, so that other TRLog files won't be found accidentally.
(D)  TR.EXE and TR.OVR versions 6.85 were downloaded today (11/27/06) from http://www.kkn.net/~tree/TR685.ZIP (using a more capable computer), unzipped and put alone into a directory C:\PKTEMP on the experiment machine.  The directory name was chosen to reduce interaction potential even further.
(E)  In C:\PKTEMP the command TR was issued, which resulted in a non-start with the error message that no CTY.DAT could be found.  A copy of the current CTY.DAT was copied into that directory.
(F)  A second command of TR in C:\PKTEMP resulted in the program asking if I wanted to set up a contest.  I chose to set up Field Day, got through the configuration routine, but received a second error message saying that the program needed file ARRLSECT.DOM.  A copy of the current ARRLSECT.DOM was copied into that directory.
(G)  LOGCFG.DAT thus produced was:
MY CALL = W8TM
MY SECTION = OH
MY FD CLASS = 1E
CONTEST = FIELD DAY
DISPLAY MODE = COLOR
(H)  TR finally started, showing Field Day, but only CW (FD should show CW, phone and digi).  It also showed 160 meters.  Neither Alt-B nor Alt-M had any effect except to blank momentarily the time display.  However, the DOS speaker emitted CW and I was able to log fantasy QSOs on 160 CW.  I didn't bother with the simulator.
(I)  TR was shut down and the following commands were added via DOS EDIT to the LOGCFG.DAT file:
BAND = 40
MODE = PHONE
LOG.DAT,  LOG.TMP and RESTART.BIN were deleted and TR was restarted.  The added commands had no effect.