[SADXA] LOTW progress

Fri Feb 27 21:29:15 EST 2009

I like Ham Radio Deluxe, but Wes is right, it can be somewhat complicated.
I guess the "free" price makes it worth it for me though.
But I don't use it for contesting, the log really is not designed for quick
entries.  For contesting I've been using the N3FJP software, although very
recently I've switched to N1MM.  After the contests, I just save an .adif
file of the contest log, then import it into Ham Radio Deluxe.
Some things I like about HRD (which probably exist in other programs as
well) are the ability to control the rig, the DX cluster listing, and the
interface to DM780 which is the software that comes with the HRD package for
digital modes.
Keith KR7RK

----------------------------------------------------
73 de KR7RK
keith at kr7rk.com
Website/Blog at http://www.kr7rk.com
----------------------------------------------------

-----Original Message-----
From: sadxa-bounces at mailman.qth.net [mailto:sadxa-bounces at mailman.qth.net]
On Behalf Of Wes Stewart
Sent: Friday, February 27, 2009 10:12 AM
To: Southern AZ DX Association E-Mail Reflector
Subject: Re: [SADXA] LOTW progress

I've been using LoTW since July 2006.  The biggest problem I had was when I
tried to do a "mixed" DXCC submission using some LoTW credits and
field-checked QSLs.  What a mess.  The details are foggy, best forgotten I
suppose, but eventually straightened out.

They may have it fixed, but now I just bite the bullet and pay the extra
submission fee and do them separately.

The nice thing is that you can see from their data exactly what you have
DXCC credit for.  I've used it to find their mistakes and an email has
always gotten it fixed.

For a logging program I use DXBase, which is a very powerful program but way
too expensive (~$100).  They seem to have annual "upgrades" which cost $40
or so.  I quit upgrading with v2005, which like automobiles came out in
2004.  I think the newer versions have more automatic LoTW features, but I
just use the "Selection Wizard" to find QSOs that haven't been submitted to
ARRL and to make the .adi file. (DXBase is a shell that uses an older
version of MS Access as the underlying database.)

After submitting, I download the report file from LoTW and import it to
DXBase and it then shows the new "confirmed" QSOs.

DXBase has a contest mode, but it's not a good contest program.  About all
it does is check for dupes.  I think the newer version supports spotting,
point-n-click QSY, brewing coffee and all of the stuff that I don't use.

As to computers, I have an older Toshiba Tecra 8100 running WinXP that has
real serial and parallel ports and a non-widescreen display that does an
adequate job as a logging machine.  I actually prefer it for this purpose
over the new whiz-band T400 Lenovo laptop that I recently bought.  These
higher resolution wide screens need to be run at max resolution or the
display actually gets fuzzy.  At max resolution they are amazingly sharp but
everything is so small it's difficult to see at any distance.

Plus,the new machines don't have serial ports, which most radios need if you
are going to read frequency into your log program.  You will need a USB to
Serial adapter and then hope it works.

Ham Radio Deluxe (free) has a logging program in its suite of stuff, but if
you think LoTW is too complicated, welcome to HRD.  (I know I'll hear about
this from Keith)

N3FJB makes a family of logging programs at modest cost.  I have used his
Field Day program for several years in that event and I like it very much.
If the "Amateur Contact Log" works as well, it would be well worth the $19
registration fee.  There is a 45-day fully functional trial period.  I would
recommend trying it out.

73,

Wes N7WS

--- On Fri, 2/27/09, N7wb at aol.com <N7wb at aol.com> wrote:

> From: N7wb at aol.com <N7wb at aol.com>
> Subject: Re: [SADXA] LOTW progress
> To: sadxa at mailman.qth.net
> Date: Friday, February 27, 2009, 7:29 AM
> In a message dated 2/26/2009 6:14:21 P.M. US Mountain
> Standard Time,  
> jdwothe at cox.net writes:
> 
> Well  today I got my password for LOTW. Now we will see how
> we do with the 
> next  steps. That may take a while before I jump  in.
> 
> Jerry
> W6XI
> 
> 
> 
> I'm thinking of doing it also - I need to get a new
> computer first I think  
> or put the stuff on our laptop - key problem there is
> "our"....
>  
> What logging program do you folks recommend?
>  
> Thanks John n7wb

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