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PC-HAM CONTEST.DOC Version 3.0 PAGE 1 PC-HAM Version 3.0 G3ZCZ AMATEUR RADIO CONTEST PACKAGE VERSION 3.0 (C) Copyright 1985, 1986 - All Rights Reserved By Joe Kasser G3ZCZ POB 3419, Silver Spring, Md., 20901, USA. PC-HAM is a set of DATA Processing Amateur Radio programs for the user of a microcomputer in Amateur Radio. The BASIC language programs may or may not be described in or be based on programs described in the book, SOFTWARE FOR AMATEUR RADIO written by Joe Kasser, G3ZCZ, published by TAB Books (Number 1560), Blue Ridge Summit, Pa., 17214. The DBASE2 programs perform database operations on logbook information. PC-HAM is written and supported by Joe Kasser, G3ZCZ. The program is distributed as a Shareware product. You may freely copy and share the product with your friends, associates and other radio hams. If you decide to use the product, you are asked to become a registered user by sending a QSL card and a cont- ribution to the author (suggested amount of $36.50 (ie. half of 73) or equivalent in foreign currency (See registration form below). The contribution covers the cost of distribution of the updated disk, and supports the continual development of "Software for Amateur Radio". Upon receipt of your contribution, you will receive one free update disk ), mail (electronic and regular) support, and notice of further releases. The update disk will contain any new versions of the software on this disk (converted programs from Northstar BASIC to IBM) plus new software, accom- panying the series of articles currently being written on the applications of data processing concepts of microcomputers to amateur radio. Under no circumstances may this product be sold or distributed with another product without the express written permission of Joe Kasser, G3ZCZ. Joe Kasser, G3ZCZ will only support unmodified copies of this software. Your comments and suggestions for changes are however welcome. If you are the first to suggest a change that is imp- lemented, you will be sent a complimentary copy of the disk with the change incorporated. PC-HAM CONTEST.DOC Version 3.0 PAGE 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.0 INTRODUCTION 2.0 DURING THE CONTEST 3.0 COMMANDS 3.1 QSL (Function Key 1) 3.2 Band (Function Key 2) 3.3 CALL (Function Key 3) 3.4 *QRT (Function Key 4) 3.5 RPT RX (Function Key 5) 3.6 Fudge (Function Key 6) 3.7 XMT RPT (Function Key 7) 3.8 /PX CHK (Function Key 8) 3.9 LOG (Function Key 9) 3.10 ?CLN (Function Key 10) 3.11 WATTS 3.12 MODE 4.0 AFTER THE CONTEST 5.0 SAMPLE DISK FILES 6.0 REVISION HISTORY PC-HAM CONTEST.DOC Version 3.0 PAGE 3 1.0 INTRODUCTION Contests are a natural application of computers in amateur radio. After all the purpose of a contest can be stated as gathering data (the calls and reports of stations worked) in such a way as to avoid duplicates. When working contests in a manual (non computer) mode, if you desire to avoid duplicates, you usually have to keep two sets of records for each contact. The log entry has to be made, and a duplicate sheet of some kind has to be kept to give real time notice of potential duplicate contacts. The use of a good contest logging program simplifies the paper work during and after a contest and allows the operator to concentrate on working stations. During the contest, the operator has only to perform the following tasks. * Enter the call sign of the station worked. * Enter the report received. * Tell the computer to log the contact. The computer takes care of the rest of the data handling. The computer thus performs the following tasks. * Keeps a check list in memory to notify the operator if a contact has been made on the same (duplicate) or an other band. * Updates date and time information automatically. * Stores the contact data in a floppy disk file. 2.0 DURING THE CONTEST The contest program on this disk maintains the check list for duplicates in memory, logs all contacts to disk and can if desired (and so it should be) print a running log of contacts and/all callsigns to the printer as the contest progresses. This print operation is desirable in case of a power failure, or operator error in which a contact was not logged by mistake. BEFORE YOU DO ANYTHING ELSE, SET THE CAPITALS KEY SO THAT ALL CHARACTERS ARE ENTERED IN CAPITAL LETTERS. The program is invoked by loading BASIC and then loading and executing the contest program in the usual manner for programs written in BASIC. PC-HAM CONTEST.DOC Version 3.0 PAGE 4 When the program begins, a sign on message such as that shown below will appear. G3ZCZ CONTEST LOGGING PROGRAM VERSION 3.0 IF TIME IS NOT SET TO UTC, STOP NOW AND SET THE CLOCK IN DOS At this time, if the clock has not been set to UTC before you loaded the program, break the sequence and return to DOS to set the date and time to the correct UTC values. You will then be requested to give the computer the name of the file you wish be the log. The computer checks the disk to see if the file exists. If it does, the computer will load the data in it into the check list, and display the calls worked as it goes along. If there is no such file on the disk, the computer will create one. You will then be asked about your running print requirements. You have the option of printing the logged contacts and/or just the calls (as you enter them) as you go along. Reply with the CAPITAL letters please as in the examples below. Enter name of lOG file (D:NAME) Log type .LOG Assumed ? FIELD85 Do you want a running log printed out (Y/N) ? Y Do you want CALL SIGNS printed out (Y/N) ? Y If the log file is new, the computer will prompt you to enter the Mode, Band and after a short pause, it will request you to enter the Transmitter Power information before getting down to the contest. If you are loading an existing file, after a break for example, the computer will load the check list from the log file and display the calls as it goes along. When the log is loaded, the computer will pause and wait for you to touch the 'ENTER' key before setting up the main screen. A typical example from the FIELD85 log is shown below. 166 G4NWG 54019 167 G4TSH 55024 168 G4OVF 57001 169 G4EKT/P 55592 170 DF0WB/P 53 Waiting,touch ENTER to continue ? You can see the entry number, followed by the call sign od the station worked and lastly the report received. The remaining data in the log file associated with each contact is there but is not displayed at this time. When the program begins a new contest log, you will be presented with the following screen. PC-HAM CONTEST.DOC Version 3.0 PAGE 5 G3ZCZ CONTEST LOGGING PROGRAM VERSION 2.60 DUMMY ------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------- CURRENT ENTRY 1 ? QRU ? The top line contains the version of the program and displays the name of the disk file you are using as the log. It is recommen- ded that the name be somewhat representative of the contest. Use names such as WPX87, ARRLDX86, FIELD85 and so on. The blank area following is where the last few contacts you made will be displayed. You thus have an ongoing display of the last contacts . It is very useful to see how you are doing and in the Worked All Europe contest you can use that data for the QTC information (if you are located outside Europe). The lower part of the screen contains the CURRENT ENTRY data. This is the data concerning the contact in progress. In this case the next contact is the first or number 1, and the call data is blank because nothing has been entered. As you work the contest you will pick up information from other stations. This information will consist of call signs and re- ports. In some contests (eg. The ARRL Sweepstakes) the report is relatively complex, in others it is simple. You do not know in which order you will get the data for each contact. This program thus lets you enter the data in any order. You tell the computer which piece of data is going to be entered by typing a single letter followed by the 'ENTER' key. In order to speed up that operation, the function keys have been set up with those commands, and are displayed during the contest for your convenience. 3.0 COMMANDS The contest logging program gives the operator the following choices. If you do not wish to use the function keys, you have to PC-HAM CONTEST.DOC Version 3.0 PAGE 6 type the first letter followed by the 'ENTER' key. 3.1 QSL (Function Key 1) Displays the log entry data on the screen . This command may be used for example to verify that the correct band data is set after changing bands. 3.2 Band (Function Key 2) Enters the band information for the checklist and log. Use the following designations for the different bands, 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10, and 2. NOTE, changing the band will clear the call and report data elements form the display. 3.3 CALL (Function Key 3) Enters the Call of the station to be or being worked. When the call is entered, the computer will perform a check to see if that call has already been worked and if so on what band. If the call has been worked on the band in use at that time it will also display the word DUPLICATE and BEEP an audible alarm. The beep is a must at 0330 hrs. local time. If you change your mind, type the 'ENTER' key and the call in the display will not be changed. 3.4 *QRT (Function Key 4) This command terminates the program. It saves the data associated with the last 12 contacts in a file with the ".CHK" extension so that when the program is restart- ed, the operator will not even notice that a break occur- red. The disk files are closed and any previous log file present from the start of the session is named as a backup file. Since you have the potential to lose a number of QSO's (while recovering) if you invoke this command by mistake, the computer will ask you to verify that you meant to do what you just asked for. You will be prompted to confirm your request with the following message. ARE YOU SURE ? At this time, type the letter Y for "YES" followed by the 'ENTER' key if you want to got QRT for a while, or if the contest is over. Any other key will abort the sequence. 3.5 RPT RX (Function Key 5) Enter the Report received into the log. PC-HAM CONTEST.DOC Version 3.0 PAGE 7 3.6 Fudge (Function Key 6) This command is used to flag an erroneous log entry. Since the log on disk is a sequential file, and the log data is not double buffered by the program, once an entry is written to the log, it is gone. This command deletes the call from the list checklist and puts a "/*" entry into the logbook. Since you have the potential to delete a QSO if you invoke this command by mistake, the computer will ask you to verify that you meant to do what you just asked for. You will be prompted to confirm your request with the following message. ARE YOU SURE ? At this time, type the letter Y for "YES" followed by the 'ENTER' key if you want to fudge the last contact. Any other key will abort the sequence. 3.7 XMT RPT (Function Key 7) Enter the signal report Xmitted to the other station into the log. 3.8 /PX CHK (Function Key 8) This command is used to scan the contents of the check list for prefixes. You use this when you are sure that you have worked a station but the computer tell you that you haven't. You may also use it to check if a prefix has been worked as a help in deciding if you want to get into a pile up or pass it by. NOTE however that the response is not instantaneous. It takes a good few seconds to scan the 4000 slots in the check list. The computer will prompt you to enter a prefix. If you want to look at all the calls in the check list, enter an asterisk (*) as the desired prefix and you will get a list of every call in the check list in the order in which they are hashed in the check list. 3.9 LOG (Function Key 9) Enter the QSO information into the Log book/check list. The data is written into the log file in ASCII format delimited with commas. This makes it easy to modify with a word processor and read into the program used by the second computer. You may also list the contents of the log file to the screen under DOS using the "TYPE" command. Logging a contact clears the call and time data. THE COMPUTER WILL NOT LET YOU LOG THE QSO UNTIL YOU HAVE ENTERED BOTH A CALL SIGN AND A REPORT. This traps one type of error that can be made in the heat of the moment. PC-HAM CONTEST.DOC Version 3.0 PAGE 8 3.10 ?CLN (Function Key 10) This command clears the screen dialog lines. It is normally used rarely, only in the event that the BASIC interpreter generates an error message in response to a user input. The typical one normally seen is "REDO FROM START" which results from an alphabetical response to the BAND interrogation, where BASIC is looking for a number, not a string. 3.11 WATTS Enter the Transmitter Power used in Watts into the log- book. 3.12 MODE Enter the Mode used in the contest in the log. You may enter anything, but the most commonly used ones are SSB and CW. 4.0 AFTER THE CONTEST When the contest ends, or you take a break, the computer will close out the log and 'CHK' files and ask you if the contest is over. The following messages will be displayed. SAVING LAST ENTRY STRINGS BEFORE CLOSING Is the contest over (Y/N) ? If you reply with the letter N for NO, the program will end. If the contest is over, and you reply with the letter Y, the program will proceed to process the contest log data. It will delete entries flagged for deletion and optionally will number the contacts in the comments column. The program prompts for inst- ructions as to the number option as follows. CONVERTING (CLEANING UP) CONTEST LOG TO STANDARD LOG Do you want the contacts numbered (Y/N) ? N The computer will put a dummy entry into the first position of the log identifying the contest. It will thus request you to give it the name of the contest. You must use a name that contains 10 or fewer characters. The questions is posed as follows. What is the name of the contest ? FIELD85 The program first generates a reference entry for the contest log. It then reads each line of log information, strips the report part from the comments and puts it into the report space and if it as been so instructed, adds the serial number of the contact into the comments space. When the program has done its job, the original log has been renamed with a ".RUN" file PC-HAM CONTEST.DOC Version 3.0 PAGE 9 extension while the converted log data file has the extension ".LOG". The computer generates a running display as the data processing job proceeds, a typical example of which is shown below. 85/09/08 -CONTEST SSB FIELD85 85/09/07 1646 G4ANT/P 20 59 59 SSB 200 - - 064 85/09/07 1647 DF0KD/P 20 59 59 SSB 200 - - 131 85/09/07 1648 G4AAX/P 20 59 59 SSB 200 - - 086 85/09/07 1649 YU4EXC/P 20 59 59 SSB 200 - - 198 85/09/07 1651 DF0SSB/P 20 59 59 SSB 200 - - 160 85/09/07 1659 G3WAS/P 20 59 59 SSB 200 - - 089 85/09/07 1703 YU4EZC/4 20 59 59 SSB 200 - - 219 ------- 85/09/08 1305 G4NWG 15 54 53 SSB 200 - - 019 85/09/08 1306 G4TSH 15 55 59 SSB 200 - - 024 85/09/08 1307 G4OVF 15 57 53 SSB 200 - - 001 85/09/08 1323 G4EKT/P 20 55 59 SSB 200 - - 592 85/09/08 1330 DF0WB/P 20 53 53 SSB 200 - - 10 Entries were corrected/deleted OK Note that the date is set to the date at the end of the contest, not the date at the start of the contest. When the job is over, you will be shown how many entries were corrected or deleted. You may examine the log with a word processor (non-document mode please), or better still APPEND it to the DBASE2 logging package for further processing. Since the logging package processes the data so well, a program in BASIC to display the log was deemed unnecessary. 5.0 SAMPLE DISK FILES The following sample files of an extract from the 1985 Field Day contest log are presented on the disk as an aid to understanding the operation of the CONTEST package. FIELD85.LOG Log (output of the CONTEST program), ready for con- version to .DBF format. FIELD85.CHK Last few entries in log. FIELD85.DBF Log, in DBASE2 data base format. FIELD85.NDX Index file for DBASE2 log database. 6.0 REVISION HISTORY This section documents changes and revisions. 3.0 Logbook format changed from dBASE2 to dBASE3 LOGBOOK compatibility. If you never used a an earlier release of the CONTEST program, or the dBASE LOGBOOK package with a Revision letter lower than 3.0, forget this.