[VHFcontesting] Contest logging program

Mon Oct 15 17:02:17 EDT 2012

Hello All....we used the N1MM logging program for our DXpedition to 
DL88.  Worked fine as we were a single user on a single computer. The 
window for the packet cluster was very nice.  HOWEVER, I have seen 
someone spend hours trying to get the Multi-User thing working right.  
If you can get the setup right and the thing actually works, DON'T EVER 
CHANGE ANYTHING.

In my opinion, it is a very poor Multi-User program.  In an IP network, 
all the computers(nodes) must have a unique IP address.  It would seem 
that fact should be enough, but it is not.  It does not seem to know 
much of anything in a network.  You have to assign it names for all the 
computers.  Heaven help you if you later change them or give the same 
name to another computer.  The names that you assign to each computer do 
not seem to be related at all to the name that you must assign each 
computer when you load Windows.  I may be wrong here, but I think that 
you can have a computer with the name BIGBOX1 in N1MM and a completely 
different computer assigned the name BIGBOX1 as its Windows 
name.....AAAAAAaaaaaaRGH.  I am not sure what other information you have 
to provide.

I also have issues with how N1MM handles its databases.  Note I said 
databases, since it seems to keep one on each computer.  Somehow, it 
supposedly synchronizes all of this mess together.  I have seen the 
results when one computer in a network goes down for a while. Sometimes, 
it can be re-synchronized....sometimes not.

When there is something wrong, N1MM will spend (almost) all its time 
putting error messages on the remaining computers.  You can have a good 
run going and you start getting these incessant error messages.  Of 
course, when one of the error message comes up, it "breaks right in" and 
what you were typing is suspended.  So you get WA7 typed into the data 
entry area and then you have to deal with a stupid error message.  Well, 
by the time that you deal with the error and get back to doing data 
entry in the window, you have lost a lot of time.  Just about the time 
that you get the contact typed in properly and are ready to hit ENTER, 
the silly error message comes back again!!!

I used to be a Database Programmer in another life and another galaxy 
far, far away.  I wrote multi-user database management programs 
consisting of literally hundreds of menus, programs, and modules that 
all worked perfectly in a Novell network.  The unbreakable rule of 
database management was that you should have ONE copy of every database 
and everyone should read and write to that one copy.  This prevented 
having several copies of a database, scattered all around, and all 
different with no way to get them straight.  Immediately, some database 
guru is going to jump up and say that the above is "old hat" and that no 
one does it that way anymore.  OK, Fine!

On the other side of the coin, N1MM is used in the Multi-Multi network 
version in a lot of places.  It must be a basically workable system, 
after you get the setup right.  So it can be made to work.

I use the N3FJP Network version for all my VHF contest logging.  You 
only have to tell that program where the database is located(using the 
Microsoft notation) and everything immediately works.  I would bet that 
you could Map a drive letter(say V:) to the location of the data base 
and then tell all the other computers that the database was located at 
V:{database name} and the program would work.  I have not tried this, 
but I do believe it would work.  Since I don't do HF contesting, I have 
no experience with the HF programs available in the N3FJP suite.

Contest logging programs seem to be like cars.  Some love the Prius, 
some hate it.  Some like Corvettes others can't get into the cockpit.  
You pays your money and you takes your chances(and yes, I know N1MM is 
free).  Your mileage may vary.....whatever.....

73 Marshall K5QE

On 10/15/2012 11:09 AM, Chet S wrote:
> Ken,
>
> Yes, I've used it here for years for all contests including multiops, HF and
> VHF. No problems, really like it. Don't let the huge amount of features
> scare you off, you don't have to use them all and there are some nice quick
> start guides available for it. Just give yourself some time well before the
> contest to get familiar with setup and use. Subscribe to the Yahoo group and
> you will usually get a quick answer to questions.
>
> 73
> Chet, N8RA
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: VHFcontesting [mailto:vhfcontesting-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf
> Of KA2LIM Ken Kent
> Sent: Monday, October 15, 2012 11:47 AM
> To: Packrats at mailman. qth. net; VHF Contesting
> Subject: [VHFcontesting] Contest logging program
>
> Are any of you using N1MM logging in a Multi environment for VHF Contesting?
> If so, do you like it, why or why not, ie: ease of setup, use, networking,
> and would you recommend it?
>
> The current program we are using has a glitch and the developer just keeps
> putting me off on a correction until sometime next year.
>
> Please answer to me direct. Thank you,
>
>   
>
> Ken
>
> KA2LIM
>
>   
>
> Patriotism: Supporting your Country ALL THE TIME; and, your government when
> it deserves it.
>
> An armed citizen is a free person,
>
> an unarmed citizen is a slave
>
>   
>
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