[Dx4win] Vanity Callsign Change... How To?

[Dick Flanagan]

Hi, Roy.

At 07:51 AM 5/26/2007, N6CKS wrote:
 >I recently completed a vanity call change and have been in the process of
 >changing all the software associated with my old call.  How do I change
 >DX4Win to my new call?  Does it take a new license?  I am also wondering,
 >should I continue to add QSOs to my old callsign database or start a new
 >one?  Some advice from one of you that has already been through this would
 >help a lot!
 >Rory "Roy" Bowers, K6CKS

I went through this a few years ago and it actually is a relatively 
painless procedure.  As you probably know your d4w log file is 
<callsign>.DXL in your save/ directory.

My suggestion would be to open d4w, open the "old" log file you have been 
using all along and do a "File->Save as" to create a new log file under 
your <newcallsign>.  Put this new log file in the same save/ directory as 
your old one.  Then File->Close your old log file and File->Open your new one.

The only trick remaining is how to mark your new log entries from your old 
ones.  What I did was use the Group feature.  Before I changed my call, I 
used the Group feature to mark various contests and events I participated 
in.  Group 00 was my default "Any QSO" group and then groups up to about 26 
or so were my various event groups.

I changed my File->Preferences->QSO to indicate a new default Group of 
30.  This became my new "Any QSO" group and I started numbering my new 
event Groups from there:  31, 32, 33 and so on.  So any group less than 30 
was under my old call, any group 30 or higher was under my new call.

By keeping both your old and new log entries in the same log file, you 
don't lose any of your award tracking and you can easily search your entire 
log history under both calls.

Now d4w will still show your old call sign at the top of the d4w 
window.  This is from your <callsign>.key file in your d4w directory.  It 
shouldn't affect your creating and using new log files, but it will always 
greet you at the top of your d4w window.  This can be easily fixed, 
however, by requesting a new key file from the good d4w folks under your 
new call sign.

I suggest you keep your old call sign log file in case you ever need to 
access your old records by themselves (this would make LOTW entries easier) 
and in case Murphy plays with your new log file.

Best of luck.  Lots of folks have done this and we're still here.  :)

73, Dick
--
Dick Flanagan K7VC NV SM
k7vc at arrl.org