[WriteLog] comparison with the competition. Bandmap spots

[Eric Scace K3NA]

   This requires use of the mouse during the contest.  Some of us prefer to minimize the amount of time we spend fidgeting with the
mouse -- especially in the very fast-paced SO2R format.

   Here is another approach which can be used together with the mouse-hover:  when the radio is tuned to the frequency of a spot,
the callsign switches to boldface... and the details of age (nr of minutes since spot was announced), source, and QSX appear in the
status line of the bandmap window (the bottom window border).  This approach does not require a mouse movement and does not obscure
other data around the spot frequency.

   Of course, sometimes one will want to know these details of the spot before grabbing it.  A single left mouse click on the spot
entry in the bandmap could boldface the spot and display the additional data in the status bar for a time period limited by the
sooner of (a) 30 seconds or (b) another spot became highlighted by radio tuning or mouse click.

   For those who are wondering why a SO2R station cares about bandmaps and spots:  There are no "spots" per se -- but the bandmap
can be populated by stations whose calls have been entered by the SO2R operator as he tunes across the band.  Obviously in this case
the only useful data are spot age and QSX (if any).

   And here are two other bandmap improvements that I would be happy to see:

1) When approaching the defined band edge (e.g., 14000 in a CW contest), let the arrow indicating current frequency move towards the
upper/lower edge of the bandmap window.  At present the arrow is locked into the middle of the window.  If one is operating on 14005
kHz, for example, the window may extend from 13970 to 14030.  The window space occupied by the 13970-14000 is wasted.  If the arrow
was allowed to move, the bandmap could should more in-band information (e.g., 14000-14060 in this example).

2) When one is running, the stations that one logs are added as spots on the running frequency.  Eventually there is a little
starburst of useless data.  One approach would be to remove a call from the bandmap on one's own frequency if the QSO containing
that callsign was logged with a keypress that triggered the TU QRZ message (e.g., "+" or Enter under the appropriate conditions).

   -- Eric K3NA

-----Original Message-----
From: writelog-admin@contesting.com
[mailto:writelog-admin@contesting.com]On Behalf Of Barry N1EU
Sent: 2003 January 14 Tue 09:04
To: writelog@contesting.com
Subject: [WriteLog] comparison with the competition. input requested


Another nice feature of N1MM Logger bandmap - if you hover the mouse over a
spot, it shows you the details of the spot - how old it is, who spotted it,
qsx freq, etc.

73,
Barry N1EU




_________________________________________________________________
MSN 8 helps eliminate e-mail viruses. Get 2 months FREE*
http://join.msn.com/?page=features/virus

_______________________________________________
WriteLog mailing list
WriteLog@contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/writelog