[VHFcontesting] Contest logging program

Steve Tripp (K1IIG) stephen.tripp at snet.net
Mon Oct 15 17:54:15 EDT 2012 

Marshall,

Thanks for the in depth response to Ken and it solved one of my interests in 
trying it out. I tried it years ago and found it to be more than what I 
wanted to deal with and gave up yet many use it on HF/VHF. I ended up with 
the W3KM very simple logger being an SOP. I can not imagine chasing 
databases over a network unless you have network experience. Right now I 
think I will stay with VHF logger by W3KM which focuses on VHF contesting. I 
do have a purchased copy of N3FJP and will see if it now has more of the VHF 
contests. Hope Tom, N1MM a local, doesn't subscribe to this reflector..hihi

Hope to catch you again on the 6m sprint, big signal in CT when band opens.

73's
Steve
Hf-3ghz



> 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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>
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