[UK-CONTEST] Contest software development

[Paul O'Kane]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Clive Whelan" <clive.whelan at btinternet.com>

I read Clive's post with interest.  Many contesters know
that SD has progressed since its DOS days.  However, 
anyone who has not tried it for a while will not know,
or believe, this.

Setup is simple - you just select the appropriate contest
template.  There are 132 of them.  ESM is supported in both
Run and S&P modes - I think it's an elegant and simple
implementation, but I'm prepared to be corrected if anyone
says otherwise.

There's no Ins or +, just Enter after every field - with
callsign type-ahead, or auto-start of the exchange after a
selected number of callsign characters - and full integration
with WinKey, of course.

In any case, if anyone can suggest a better way - I'll do
something about it.

SO2R is supported.  Packet is not supported.  SD requires
no function keys or multiple keystrokes.  No Alt-This or
Ctrl-That is needed for logging or editing.  Ctrl, on its
own, toggles between logging and keyboard modes.  Alt-K
still works, if you insist.

> Tree/N6TR, although a super operator and a skilled Pascal
> programmer, apparently has no expertise in the field of
> Windows programming. With the advent of Win XP in 2001, and
> its inability to run pure DOS progs.

I was lucky! SD is written in PowerBASIC, and they
offered a Windows console-mode compiler.  Learning
some of the Windows quirks was painful and time-
consuming.  Nevertheless, about 90% of my DOS code
was unchanged - and "Windows" is no longer an issue.
SD has rig-control via USB or serial ports, and keying
via serial, parallel or USB.

In effect, all the DOS restrictions are gone, and SD
has limitless memory at its disposal.

> In about 2003, I urgently needed to update my computer which
> would then run XP.

SD runs perfectly on XP, and I'm assured it's the same
on Vista - though I've yet to try it myself.

> .. In the meanwhile, progs like SD, CT, and now I believe
> TRlog had gone the freeware route, largely I believe as a
> result of the competition from the free N1MM logger.

The difference is that SD is the only one of the (former)
DOS loggers that is being actively enhanced and updated.
CT, TRLog (and NA) are dead in the water - you only have
to look at the respective mailing-list archives at
www.contesting.com to see this for yourself.

The main reason that SD is free (and it may not always be
free) is that I'm trying to break through in the States -
the way the Beatles did but Cliff never managed!  That's
why SD now supports the QSO Parties, ARRL Field Day and
will soon support SS.

> .. the N1MM approach, but the ESM approach will leave others
> cold. Another group will favour SD because of its unrivalled
> support for UK based contests.

There's a little more to SD than its support for UK contests.
If you don't try it, you may not know this.  You can get it,
and be up and running in less than 2 minutes, from
www.ei5di.com/sd/sdsetup.exe

Yes, it's a "proper" Windows installation procedure.

I'd ask anyone interested to try two things.

1.  Try a RoPoCo test file - let me know if there's anything
    else needed.

2.  Try a CQWW test file.  Type G in the callsign field on
    the logging line - and observe what mult indicators and
    analysis windows appear.  Type W and look again.
    Complete the QSO and look again.  You'll see a few things
    that NO other contest logger does without having to hit
    additional keys.

> .. but the original point is crucial, viz that we, as
> UK contesters are insufficiently vociferous in promoting
> what we want/need from our software.

Tell me what extra you want/need (apart from packet and
networking!) and I'll do it.  I have an unrivalled track
record in supporting SD for more than 15 years, and I'm
an active contester and CW enthusiast - I understand the
issues.  Unlike some of the younger contest-logger authors,
incluing K1EA and N6TR, I'm in this for the long haul.  

SD is just a tool, as are all other loggers. I have more
than one hammer at home.  It's a matter of using the right
one for the job.  You'll never get a single hammer that's
right all the time.

Time for a commercial!  SDI is the only hammer designed
for the IOTA contest.  That's the way it has always been
since 1993.

73,
Paul EI5DI