[UK-CONTEST] Software Poll

Tue Nov 6 05:26:59 EST 2007

..... and the route we (MD4K) took to get to WinTest was roughly:

CT (for WW-like events)
TR (for IOTA)
(both using DOS and serial port networking of different types - nightmare!)
Writelog
(which is competent but very intolerant of network issues)

The candidates were then down to N1MM and Wintest - I'd used Wintest a
bit at G6PZ... we did a quick side-by-side comparison and WT won,
mostly because of its CT-like feel. We use a combination of wired
(Cat6) and wireless networking.

We've been with WT for a couple of years now, and have never had a bad
experience. The support from the authors is excellent, the networking
rock-solid. That latter point is, in my view, worth its weight in gold
- I'd choose network stability over fancy features in a M/M
environment any day.

The story for single and SO2R ops may well be different of course.

Peter G4MJS

On 06/11/2007, Bob Henderson <bob at 5b4agn.net> wrote:
> Surely we're all grown up enough to understand that "Best" only has value
> when qualified by "Purpose".
>
> We can take it for granted that any user fully satisfied with his logger
> will currently feel it the best for his purposes.  It's reading about the
> "how & why" folks feel a particular product to be the best that's useful and
> informative to others.  I would think this might help the unfamiliar guage
> the liklihood of a product meeting their particular requirements.
>
> I am one who openly admits to not knowing which is the "Best" contest
> logger.  At this point in time I don't even know which is the best for me.
> And that's after 40 years of contesting and around half that time using
> computer logging.
>
> The first commercial contest logger I purchased was Paul's SD.  I was
> delighted with it.  My rate improved overnight and I suddenly had no more
> paper logs to wade through and rewrite legibly for submission.  I was
> delighted with SD but outgrew it.  This was because I wanted to contest in a
> multi radio environment and SD lacked the necessary support.
>
> Next I moved to CT which filled the gap in SD capability but was also a DOS
> program.  CT was always excellent but when the rest of my world became
> heavily invested in Windows I found switching to DOS for contesting a
> nuisance.
>
> I moved over to Writelog which I have used for 8 years now and which has
> mostly been excellent but which now suffers from what I perceive as a lack
> of interest in on-going support & development by Wayne Wright, the owner.
> In particular, requests made over a long period for ESM to be extended to
> properly address S&P requirements have fallen upon deaf ears.  A further
> significant problem is that the computer networking required for multi radio
> use is very flakey.  Many users, myself included, experience network crashes
> with poor recovery for no identifiable reason.  It has become the norm to
> end a contest with every machine showing a different score.
>
> The MD4K gang came here for CQWW Phone last month and wanted to use
> Win-Test.  So we did.  What a refreshing change.  Everything about the
> product was rock solid.  Not a glitch in sight throughout the whole weekend
> and all machines ended with the same score.  Based upon this experience we
> will use Win-Test for our M2 effort in CQWW CW this month.  My only
> disappointment is that WT doesn't yet have ESM functionality.  I'll have to
> wait until next year for that but in the meantime we can live without it for
> the greater benefits of robustness & reliability.
>
> Bob, 5B4AGN, P3F
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Ian G3WVG" <g3wvg at btinternet.com>
> To: <uk-contest at contesting.com>
> Sent: Tuesday, November 06, 2007 9:30 AM
> Subject: Re: [UK-CONTEST] Software Poll
>
>
> > Hi Peter , Bob
> >
> > Well it was a bit tongue in cheek ..I suppose my point was that getting
> > objective advice on which is the best logger is like asking which is the
> > best rig or which is the best car ..
> >
> > The answer will be entirely predictable. "The best one is the one that I
> > currently use".  Then there will be a justification of that system
> > followed
> > by a mild denigration of what others prefer.  Possibly with a few ageist
> > comments thrown in. (Bob!)
> >
> > Hence my use of the word "futile".  But you are of course correct I don't
> > have to read the postings.
> >
> > 73 Ian
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: uk-contest-bounces at contesting.com
> > [mailto:uk-contest-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of Peter Bowyer
> > Sent: 06 November 2007 09:05
> > To: UK-Contest
> > Subject: Re: [UK-CONTEST] Software Poll
> >
> > Why do you consider it futile to discuss the capabilities of logging
> > software? Feel free not to read it if it doesn't interest you, but
> > this thread has brought up some points which are bound to be of
> > interest to someone looking to choose what has become almost as
> > important a tool for contesting as a radio and antenna...
> >
> > Peter G4MJS
> >
> > On 05/11/2007, Ian G3WVG <g3wvg at btinternet.com> wrote:
> >>
> >> Aaaaagh ...lets stop this futile thread ..please.
> >>
> >> Ian G3WVG
> >>
> >>
> >> _______________________________________________
> >> UK-Contest mailing list
> >> UK-Contest at contesting.com
> >> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/uk-contest
> >>
> >
> >
> > --
> > Peter Bowyer
> > Email: peter at bowyer.org
> > _______________________________________________
> > UK-Contest mailing list
> > UK-Contest at contesting.com
> > http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/uk-contest
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
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> > UK-Contest at contesting.com
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> >
>
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>

-- 
Peter Bowyer
Email: peter at bowyer.org