[Elecraft] Logging software advice

[Joel Black]

Phil,

You have a few options when it comes to logging software for Mac:

1. RUMlog - the one I use and really like. Cost is _free_. Excellent 
support for the K3. Has a K3 interface window; uses the K3 keyer; 
interfaces great with cocoaModem; has a DXCluster function; gray-line 
map; and that's just the stuff I have on the screen right now.
2. Aether - I bought this program and stopped receiving support. I 
absolutely do *not* recommend this program. Cost _$45_. It supposedly 
interfaces with Fldigi via script, but I could never get that to work.
3. MacLoggerDX - Has a shareware version you can try. I forget the 
limitations. Cost is _~$100_. I have not used the program. People love 
it or hate it.

The author of RUMlog also writes RUMped for contests. I have used it and 
it works well too.

I tried using an iPad to log. I didn't like it. It does not have true 
multi-tasking. Sure, it will do stuff in the background, but I don't 
like how it does that for amateur radio. To me, the iPad is an easy way 
to read email and/or browse the web, get RSS feeds, read electronic 
magazines, and get SOTA notifications ;). Not much else. Although the 
keyboard is larger than an iPhone, it still doesn't compare to a real 
keyboard when entering calls and other information.

I have tried both the Piglet and its predecessor. They both work very 
well. However, after experimenting with them a while, I wound up selling 
them and now have neither. It will allow you to set up an ad-hoc network 
and allow you to talk to both your WAN and the iPad simultaneously for 
call look ups.

If you truly want to go small with the computer, if it were me, I'd 
probably go with either a Macbook Pro *or* the Macbook Air. It depends 
on what else you want to do with the computer (i.e. video / photo 
editing, games, etc). I use an iMac and my wife has a MBP. To me, the 
13" screen on the MBP is a little small to have everything on the screen 
I like to see. On the other hand, the iMac's screen is so large I have 
to crane my neck to see the top of the screen with bifocals.

Good luck with your decision.

73,
Joel - W4JBB

On 6/30/14, 7:21 PM, Phil Shepard wrote:
> For logging, I have been running Logic 9 on an HP Windows 7 laptop.  A few days ago the four year old laptop died (hard disk failure).  I was using an Elecraft RS232 to USB adapter cable for the computer to K3 link.
>
> So, I am looking for a new setup for the K3 (and maybe KX3 too).  I have run out of interest in Windows PCs and have been converting to Apple devices over the last year and a half.  I’d like to use an iPAD for the logging and perhaps rig control computer.  I have downloaded both RumLog and HamLog to play with.  I used HamLog’s Field Day log this past weekend and liked it.
>
> My questions are around the computer/rig interface.  Is there any reasonable way to use the RS232/USB cable with the iPad?  It looks like both RumLog and HamLog work with the Pignology Piglet to network between the computer and rig.  Reading the Piglet manual shows a way to use a Piglet generated network to talk to the rig.  Can this setup also connect simultaneously to my home WiFi for other internet based functions?  Is there any other issue that I should be concerned about with this setup?
>
> Thanks in advance,
>
> 73,
> Phil, NS7P
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