[VHFcontesting] Software Questions

[Kenneth E. Harker]

On Mon, Jul 23, 2001 at 04:23:53PM -0500, Donald M. Ross wrote:

> The ideal software package (in our minds) would be able to get frequency and
> mode data from the radio (like Log Windows does) allowing us to type in
> callsigns and grids only to speed up the exchanges.  The software should
> dupe check and keep a running score for a particular contest (like VHF-DX).

What radios are you using on each band?  The interfacing capability
of radios varies widely.
 
> And we want to do this from four concurrent operating stations (one for each
> band) while LANed together and retaining the ability to do instant
> banner-type messages to pass stations between bands.  Use of a dedicated
> server with printer and backup capability is a capability that we do have.

If you have a separate station for each band, you really do not need the 
logging software to be able to read the radio's frequency.  TR Log and
most other contest logging programs don't require you to enter a band or 
frequency at each contact (i.e. once you're set to 2SSB, it will log all 
subsequent contacts on two meters, mode SSB - until you manually change it.)  
Contest sponsors only need the band and mode - not exact frequency.

I've used TR Log (http://www.qth.com/tr/) like before in many single-op and 
multi-op contests.  TR can be networked, you just type call and grid 
to work each station, nothing more, and you can send "talk" messages to 
individual stations in the network, or to everyone.  TR has real-time
scoring and dupe checking, and a real-time color-coded grid map, letting 
you see which grids you've worked.  In TR, you can also type in a grid (up 
to six digits) and it will give you forward and reverse beam headings 
from your (up to six digits) grid.  It understands rovers logged as
call/R, and scores/dupes them correctly.  It will interface with a whole 
slew of radios.  You can even use it as your CW memory keyer, which means 
youcan eliminate the need for four keyers at your multi.

I believe NA has many similar features, but I'm not familiar with the NA 
program.  CT also has many similar features.  Plus, all three logging 
programs also support a wide variety of HF contests, too.

> The current thought process involves logging to paper sheets at each station
> with a central computer operator entering data into VHF-DX as the sheets
> become full.
> 
> Do we have the wrong concept?
> 
> Does such a software package already exist?
> 
> What have you done to accomplish similar things?
> 
> The EM04 gang.
> 
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> VHFcontesting at contesting.com
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-- 
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Kenneth E. Harker      "Vox Clamantis in Deserto"      kharker at cs.utexas.edu
University of Texas at Austin                   Amateur Radio Callsign: WM5R
Department of the Computer Sciences         President, UT Amateur Radio Club
Taylor Hall TAY 2.124                         Maintainer of Linux on Laptops
Austin, TX 78712-1188 USA            http://www.cs.utexas.edu/users/kharker/
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