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1997-02-01
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Super-Duper V7.08
The HF Contest Logging Program by EI5DI
_____________________________________
ARRL DX Contest - For both DX
and W/VE Sides.
CQ WW Contest.
CQ WPX Contest.
CQ 160m Contest.
Helvetia Contest.
IARU HF Championship - including mixed-mode.
King of Spain Contest.
PACC Contest.
ARI Contest.
RSGB HF Contests with County Codes,
for both UK and DX Sides.
RSGB and IARU Region 1 CW Field Day.
RSGB and IARU Region 1 SSB Field Day.
RSGB RoPoCo and AFS Contests,
(General Purpose option).
Edit your own multiplier files for
many other contests.
1 Contests with multipliers that can be
identified by Callsign.
For example, RSGB 7MHz from UK,
Scandinavian Activity Contest.
2 Contests with multiplier information
received as area codes.
For example, PACC, Helvetia, RSGB
for DX entrants.
3 Contests with country (callsign) and
area multipliers, but not both in one
QSO.
For example, RSGB 1.8MHz Contest for
UK entrants, ARRL 10m Contest.
_____________________________________
Main Features:
* Sets the standard for fast, simple logging
and editing.
* Single keystrokes for all logging, editing
and keyer playback functions.
* Instantly rescores complete log after
each QSO or Edit - unique to SD.
* Instant duping on any PC, whether 3 or
3000 QSOs logged.
* Generates Check Lists, Multiplier Lists
and Summary Sheets.
* Partial Callsign enquiry by prefix or
suffix.
* Permits any combination of on-line
(during the contest) or off-line logging.
* Built-in memory keyer.
* Log is 100% ASCII - edit with any text
editor.
* Supported now by Shacklog, TurboLog
and WJ2O.
* Optional printed audit trail of QSOs and
Edits.
* Updates log file after every QSO or Edit.
Super-Duper(SD) Copyright 1990-95 Paul O'Kane EI5DI, All Rights Reserved
__________________________________________________________________________
Super-Duper (SD) is different! Since it's so easy to get
started, new users can be contesting and having fun within
two minutes of loading the program. It's also professional -
serious contesters will find all the main features needed for
a winning entry.
Please read this document fully before using SD for real,
as otherwise you're likely to miss some of the features
that make it so fast and efficient during contests. Users
sometimes skip the manual and then, months later, realise
what they've missed. Also, you should read the
HISTORY.DOC file to review recent additions and changes
to the program. I have assumed that you are familiar with
MS-DOS. If not, please take some time to get to know it
before using the program in a contest.
I developed SD originally for the DX side of the ARRL
Contest (used for the first time in 1990), because I felt
that other logging programs for this contest were either
inadequate or were too complex for newcomers to real-time
contest logging. Now I've extended it to cover the major
international contests and most RSGB contests, and I hope
you'll agree that SD is faster and simpler.
Although SD doesn't have all the bells and whistles you see
in some other programs, and doesn't offer DX Cluster
connection, you'll soon find it's more efficient at logging
and editing, and at helping you take decisions about your
operating strategy. In the 1991 ARRL 10 Metre Contest, I
used it to gain world first place in the DX mixed mode, low
power (150w) section, and second place in the 1992 event.
I've introduced a few innovations with SD. However, since
the others use non-standard data entry methods, I prefer to
call them essentials. In particular, you press Enter after
every field. If preferred, you may use Space as an
alternative to Enter. In either case, the QSO will be logged
as soon as you've entered enough data. SD knows when the
QSO is complete, and lets you concentrate on keeping your
QSO rate up. In addition, I've done away with multiple
keystrokes. All logging and editing functions (and the CW
keyer) use single keys. You'll see for yourself why SD sets
the standard for ease of data entry and editing.
CAPACITY.
SD uses conventional memory, the lower 640k. With MS-DOS
Version 5 or later, there is typically room for 3800 QSOs
in the ARRL DX contest and 3100 QSOs in other contests -
the exact number depends on the parameters in your
AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONFIG.SYS files and the number of entries
in the .CTY file. With earlier versions of MS-DOS, typical
figures are 3300 and 2600. With 512k of memory, you can
expect 2100 QSOs in the ARRL contest and 1400 in the others.
The program lets you know when the memory is nearly full,
and you should then start a new contest file to log further
QSOs.
You don't need a hard disk for SD, and you can even use a
PC with a single 720k 3.5" drive. Duping is instantaneous,
even with 3000 QSOs on an 8088 or 8086 machine running at
4.8 MHz, because that's been a priority in the program
design. No matter how slow your drive may be, logging will
not be delayed even if you're working them at 200 per hour.
REGISTRATION.
Version 7.08 of SD is shareware, but it is NOT free. If you
find it useful, in particular if you use it for any contest
for which you submit an entry, you are obliged to pay the
registration fee.
A group or club registration does not entitle individuals
in the group to use the program under their own callsigns.
Please refer to REGISTER.DOC for full information.
You are registered only if your callsign is shown on the
opening screen following the words "Licensed to". When
you register you will receive a copy of the latest version
of the program identified with your callsign, together with
a printed manual, and you'll be entitled to support for 12
months. During this time you can have updates on request
(on receipt of a blank formatted 3.5" disk together with 2
IRCs for return postage, or 4 IRCs outside the European
Union), and a return addressed envelope. 5.25" disks are
not supported.
You'll see, from the HISTORY.DOC file, that there has been
a history of constant improvements and bug fixes. To
benefit from these, you should request updates every three
or four months.
At present, there is no copy protection on the program and
registered users may make copies for backup purposes only.
When registered, you may use SD with any callsign for
which you, and you alone, hold the licence. You may not
use SD with another call for which you personally do not
hold the licence.
I know and you know that I'm taking a risk by releasing SD
without copy protection. I've spent hundreds of hours
developing and testing this program and I don't like being
ripped off. So, if any group or individual asks you for a
copy of the program other than one licensed to "DEMO",
please realise that he or she is asking you to steal. Give
them my name and address so that they can order a copy for
themselves.
SD is a bargain at the price!
Send your registration fee to
Paul O'Kane EI5DI
36 Coolkill
Sandyford
Dublin 18
Ireland e-mail address okanep@iol.ie
Telephone: (01) 295 3668
From UK. 01 0353 1295 3668
Elsewhere +353 1295 3668
You can use the form included in the file REGISTER.DOC. The
program is supplied only on 3.5" diskettes. The registration
fee is £25.00 (Sterling or Irish pounds). Please add £3.00
for airmail postage outside the UK and Ireland. After twelve
months, you will have the option of renewing your registration
at a cost of 60% of whatever initial fee applies at that time.
You are not obliged to re-register, but will not otherwise be
entitled to support or updates. Without continuity of
registration, you may re-register by paying the initial
registration fee.
STARTING SUPER-DUPER.
The following commands assume your distribution disk is
loaded in Drive A and your hard disk is Drive C. I have
also assumed that you have included the command PROMPT $P$G
in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file.
All the relevant files for SD are contained in the file
SD708.ZIP
The files for the IOTA contest are in SDI708.ZIP
For VHF, the files for SDV are in SDV708.ZIP
I've assumed you have a copy of PKUNZIP.EXE which is
accessible from the directory in which you propose to
store the files.
Here's what you should do.
1. Load the distribution diskette in Drive A:
2. C:\>MD SD (You type MD SD)
Makes a directory SD on your hard disk.
You can skip this if you alreay have
an SD directory.
3. C:\>CD SD (You type CD SD)
Change to directory SD on your hard disk.
4. C:\SD>PKUNZIP -O A:SD708 (You type PKUNZIP -O A:SD708)
That's the letter O, not Zero.
Unpacks all the HF Program files.
5. C:\SD>PKUNZIP -O A:SDV708 (You type PKUNZIP -O A:SDV708)
Unpacks all the VHF Program files.
6. C:\SD>PKUNZIP -O A:SDI708 (You type PKUNZIP -O A:SDI708)
Unpacks all the IOTA Program files.
Now you're ready to try the programs.
Type SD or SDV followed by any name, up to 8 characters, to
see the options. The characters used in the name may be any
combination of alphabetic or numeric, up to a total of eight.
Other characters will be ignored.
For example: SD ARRLCW96 will open, or will create, a
contest file called ARRLCW96, which will have an extension
.ALL. If you're using a monochrome monitor, the display
may be more legible if you type SD - (that's SD followed by
space followed by minus). You may include the contest file
name immediately after the minus sign.
SD -ARRLCW96 opens contest file ARRLCW96.ALL for a
monochrome monitor. The first screen records cover sheet
information such as Callsign, Name and Address. Many of
these fields are optional, but the program will insist on
getting the mode, SSB or CW, and other information as
appropriate for each contest. If you record your name and
address, it will appear in the Summary Sheet.
For RSGB (and other Type 4 or Type 10) contests you enter
the points per QSO and the bonus points per new County.
If the contest has multipliers, then you should set the
Bonus Points to zero. You also indicate whether you're
single or multi-op. To exit from this screen, press the
TAB key rather than the Enter key when you have finished
editing.
EXPERT and NOVICE MODES.
In the second screen you enter the Band, in metres. The
program loads any previous QSOs for this contest and then
requests the Operator callsign if you selected multi-op
earlier.
The next choice you make is to the question "RST always
599", and which defaults to Y if you press Enter. This
determines whether you will be logging and editing in
"expert" mode or in "novice" mode.
In some ways these descriptions are misnomers, and a better
choice might be "urgent" and "casual", since they are
intended to reflect the type of contest and your approach to
it, rather than your contesting experience.
The main difference between them lies in whether or not
you are happy to always send 59(9). Should you prefer to
vary your reports, you can do so by answering N to this
question. If you change your mind, you can switch modes
instantly by typing "RST" in the callsign field.
In urgent mode, once you have entered the callsign you are
taken directly to the Serial or Area field. In this case you
don't have to think about the RST received unless it's
anything other than 59(9).
In casual mode you are taken in sequence between Callsign,
RST Sent, RST Received, Serial and Area. The RSTs are
preset at 59(9) and the cursor is positioned on the second
digit ready to amend the signal strength if needed. If no
change is required, then press Enter to access the next field
in the QSO.
The final question on the second screen refers to on-line
logging. You answer Y to take the QSO times from the
computer clock - remember to set the time to GMT, and the
date to correspond. If you answer N to this question, it is
assumed you will be entering QSOs off-line that were
worked earlier.
LOGGING QSOs.
The main thing I've tried to do with SD is to keep logging
as simple and as fast as possible, but without taking any
shortcuts that might be questionable. It's not enough to
just type a callsign and press Enter to log a QSO.
The urgent and casual modes provide separate no-compromise
approaches to each operating style. Whichever mode you're
using, press Enter after every field unless you need to delay
logging the QSO for some reason.
In most cases, particularly in urgent mode, you need to
record only the Callsign and Area or Serial received. When
logging or editing a serial, there's no need to enter leading
zeros - the program will take care of them for you. A
received report of 59(9) is assumed, but can be easily
changed if necessary.
By pressing TAB you can move between fields without logging
the QSO. You should not use TAB just because that's what
other programs require. If you do, you'll miss instant
warnings of dupes and indications of multipliers needed.
Use TAB only when another field must be amended or completed
before logging a QSO.
In contests with serials, SD takes you directly to the serial
field after entering the callsign. If you need to edit the RST
received, simply press Enter in the empty Serial field to get
back to the RST field. When you've edited the RST, a further
Enter returns you to the Serial field. You'll see that,
simply by pressing Enter, SD takes you round all the fields
in the correct sequence even when you need to edit the RST
Received!
The QSO will be logged only after an Enter or Space, and only
if all fields are valid (and non-blank). In contests with
serial numbers, enter 0 (zero) if no serial was received.
This will appear as blank, or spaces, in the final log.
To summarise, press Enter after each field, and use TAB
only to amend or complete earlier fields. The QSO will be
logged following an Enter, but not following a Tab.
If you miss one or more characters in the Callsign, you may
replace them with asterisks or question marks. These are
known as wildcard characters and should be corrected
before submitting your entry.
HELP.
You'll get a summary of most commands or edit functions
by typing HELP, followed by Enter, in the Callsign field.
You should refer to the command summary at the end of
this document. It's worth trying them all.
Some commands relate to specific contests and not to
others. For example, F4, F5 and F6 have no relevance in
the ARRL DX Contest for non-W/VE entrants.
EDITING FIELDS - Call, RST, Serial.
I've provided versatile editing functions for data entry as
summarised below - you should take time to get used to
them before the contest, so that you'll know, without having
to stop and think, the appropriate commands or keystrokes
when it matters. I've tried to keep things simple by
eliminating the need for multiple keystrokes that are all
very well for computer enthusiasts but are not so convenient
when you're new to keyboards.
Esc Deletes or clears a field,
a second Esc will restore it.
Minus Abandons QSO Entry or Edit - returns to QSO
Entry mode. (Think of this as "take away" - it's
useful if you get into trouble during an edit or if
making corrections to a new QSO would take too
long - it lets you start again from the beginning.)
Remember: Esc and Minus update the Quick Memo Table.
Home or [ Moves to the start of a field.
End or ] Moves to the end of a field.
Delete Deletes the character under the cursor.
Backspace Deletes the character to the left of the cursor.
Use the arrow keys to move right and left.
CALLSIGN ENTRY MODES.
There are two modes of entry for Callsign fields - Overwrite
and Insert. The default is Overwrite, as shown by OVR
under the Callsign field. You can switch to Insert mode,
shown as INS, by pressing the Insert key. (Note: OVR is
the only mode for fields other than the Callsign)
In Overwrite mode, anything you type replaces what's
under the cursor. In Insert mode, whatever you type is
inserted (added) before existing characters, if any, in the
callsign.
Insert mode is useful when you have missed the prefix in a
callsign and need to complete it after recording the
remaining QSO information. In this mode, when you
return to the Callsign field, the cursor will be positioned at
the first character, ready to insert the prefix. In Overwrite
mode, the cursor is placed to the right of any existing
callsign.
When you check for Partial Calls by prefix, the Callsign
entry mode is automatically switched to OVR. A check by
suffix switches the mode to INS. If you prefer the program
to not switch the modes when checking Partial Calls, type
LOCK in the callsign field. In this case, the callsign entry
mode will be changed only when you press the Insert key.
As you might expect, the UNLOCK command restores
automatic switching.
If you need to insert characters in a callsign when in
Overwrite mode, press the space bar to create spaces which
you then replace with the missing letters of the callsign.
It's sometimes faster to do this than to switch to Insert
mode. Please experiment so that it will be automatic when
you need it.
DEALING WITH DUPES.
Without a computer, you'll probably have to update a
manual check list after each QSO. Otherwise, all you can
do is call CQ for fear of being a dupe with stations you call.
In the later stages of some 48 hour contests, dupe rates of
10% or more are common, but with SD they're no problem.
When you type a callsign, followed by Enter, you'll hear a
warning beep - "II" in Morse - if it's a potential dupe. If
it's not a dupe, you'll hear "R". In this way you'll know
whether you can go ahead without having to look at the
screen.
If you don't want to log a dupe, press Enter once again and
the QSO logging line will be cleared, ready for the next
callsign. Alternatively, the minus key (-) will also abandon
the QSO and clear the logging line.
To log the QSO as a dupe, enter the Area or Serial and press
Enter. The summary score will be updated accordingly. Since
this is a dupe, it wouldn't make sense to record an Area
other than the one logged in the original QSO, and the
program will check this.
If you've worked the station already, but on another band,
you'll hear "V", and you'll see the earlier QSOs replacing
the multiplier window. There's no particular logic in the
choice of this letter other than its distinctive sound. It
indicates that the correct Area, as already logged, will be
entered and you press Enter to log the QSO.
You can suppress all sounds, apart from dupe warnings, by
typing NOSOUND in the Callsign field, and SOUND to restore
them.
If a station calling you turns out to be a dupe, it's nearly
always quicker to work it and log the contact rather than
tell him he's a dupe. There's no point in arguing or getting
annoyed with stations that are dupes - after all, not
everyone has the luxury of a computer for logging. Dupes
will be flagged in the log and will not score. For duping
purposes, SD tests for calls of the type W6AA and
W6AA/9, and for the following suffixes.
/P /M /A /MM /AM /QRP
For example, if GI3OTV/M has already been logged, GI3OTV
will be flagged as a dupe on the same band. This feature
applies both to new QSOs and to edits of earlier QSOs.
HUNTING AND POUNCING.
You'll probably spend a large proportion of each contest
searching for stations needed on the current band. SD
provides options to make this as fast and as simple as
possible.
When hunting other stations, type the callsign and press
Enter. You'll hear "R" if it's OK to call, otherwise you hear
"II" and see details of the earlier QSO. In this case, press
Enter and the logging line will clear, ready for the next
callsign.
If it takes too long to type the full callsign, just type the
first 2 or 3 characters followed by comma to get a list, in
alphabetic sequence, of all stations already worked with
that prefix on any band. Callsigns shown in bold, and in
upper-case, are needed on this band. Those shown in lower
case have already been worked on this band. If the station
you're interested in has already been worked, type Esc to
clear the Callsign field ready for the next callsign or prefix.
If the callsign isn't shown, then it hasn't been logged on any
band and you can go ahead and call.
In the same way, full stop (period) lists all stations worked
with any given suffix. As noted above, the callsign entry
mode will be OVR after a prefix check, and INS after a
suffix check. If you prefer to have manual control over the
entry mode, use the LOCK command to restrict mode changes to
the Insert key. UNLOCK will restore SD's normal operation.
The command PREFIX gives a continuous automatic prefix check
whenever you have two or more characters in the callsign
field. It may be abbreviated to PRE. Repeat the command
to suppress automatic prefix checking. Most users find this
so convenient, they leave it enabled at all times.
SKEDS and REMINDERS.
SD allows you to record scheduled events of which you would
like to be reminded, and you can also record notes or memos
for reference after the contest. Skeds, Reminders and Memos
are initiated simply by pressing F7, or by typing SKED or
MEMO, followed by Enter, in the callsign field. This will
write a timed record to a disk file called NAME.MMO, where
NAME is the name of your contest file.
The difference between a Sked (or Reminder) and a Memo
is that you include a time with the former. For a Memo,
leave the time blank. SD keeps track of all your Skeds and
Reminders and displays a warning one minute before the
due time, and also during the relevant 60 second period
unless another Sked is due. To see the next 7 events you
have scheduled, press F8. They are displayed in a table
that replaces the Score window. To return to the Score
window, press Minus.
You can abandon data entry for a Sked from either the
Time or the Comments field by pressing Minus.
You could also use the Sked facility to give timed
reminders of when to do backups (with DUMP or FASTDUMP)
or as a reminder to check for band openings.
You might use the Memo facility to log QSOs with stations
that don't qualify for points in the contest concerned, and
which would otherwise be scored. There's no need to
include the time with such comments, because the current
time is written to the .MMO file together with your
comments. If you do enter a time, SD assumes you're
recording a Sked or Reminder.
In the IARU HF Championship, you identify IARU National
Society HQ stations by giving them a Zone of 99 to flag
them as multipliers. You then use F7 to record the actual
society initials, for inclusion in your entry file using
SDCHECK after the contest.
To change mode in a mixed mode contest, type SSB or CW
followed by Enter.
QUICK MEMO.
Whenever you use Esc to delete a callsign, or Minus to
delete data on the logging line, whatever was in the
Callsign field is recorded in a table in memory.
The eight most recent entries are held. F10 will recall and
display them in a separate window. You might use this as a
reminder for callsigns or frequencies, while you work other
stations in the meantime. Please try this yourself - it's
more useful than you might think.
Any of the entries can be retrieved and placed in the
Callsign field by using the Up or Down Arrow keys
followed by Enter. Any other key will return to normal
logging.
You might also think of this as an 'undo' facility to quickly
retrieve any one of the 8 most recent callsigns you may have
wiped with the Esc or Minus keys.
MULTIPLIERS.
In general, there are only two types of multiplier! The first
type is given directly in the contest exchange, for example,
area multipliers such as zone, state or county. For each
contest concerned, SD has an area multiplier file with the
extension .MLT. For example, the area multiplier file for
RSGB contests is RSGB.MLT and it contains a list of the
standard UK county abbreviations and names.
The second type of multiplier is derived from the callsign,
and it may represent a country, an area within the country,
or a prefix. I'll refer to these as country multipliers. For
each contest concerned, SD has a country multiplier file
with the extension .CTY. The country multiplier file for
RSGB contests is RSGB.CTY. Prefix multipliers can be
derived directly from the callsign and need no external
reference file.
As you know, some contests have both country and area
multipliers. This is the case with RSGB Top Band Contests
for UK entrants, although a single QSO cannot be both an
area and a country multiplier. In the CQ WW contest,
however, a single QSO can count as both a country and a
zone multiplier.
It's true that certain area information, such as CQ or ITU
zones, can be derived directly from the callsign.
Nevertheless, because of exceptions which cannot be known
in advance (and therefore included in the program), you
should not depend on it 100%. You should listen to what
the other station sends, and not assume that the program
always has it right.
In contests with area multipliers, the multiplier window
appears in the top right of the screen. As QSOs are logged,
this window shows the relevant areas worked and needed
on the current band. You can quickly check area multipliers
for other bands by using F1 and F2 to go up and down the
bands. Those needed remain in bold type, whereas those
worked are dimmed and appear in lower-case.
In the ARRL DX contest, the 49 American states are separated
from the 13 Canadian provinces. This makes it easier to see
when you're close to "Worked all States" on a particular band.
In this contest, Alaska and Hawaii do not qualify as
multipliers, and the extra (49th) multiplier is DC - District
of Columbia.
In ARRL contests, the State field will accept from 1 to 4
characters. Almost any sensible abbreviation will work. In
most cases two characters are necessary - you might use the
standard abbreviations shown in the multiplier window. In
some cases, such as Florida and British Columbia, the first
character is sufficient to uniquely indicate the State. If
you're not familiar with the standard abbreviations, enter a
single character, and select from the list of corresponding
States. Note that QSOs with Quebec will be logged as QC -
even if you enter QUE (or QU or PQ).
To see the layout of the .MLT files, please refer to the
Questions and Answers section later in this manual.
There are 6 fields in each record of the country multiplier
files (.CTY). The fields are separated by a colon and the
last field is terminated by a semicolon. Spacing between
fields is not critical, but you must not omit any colons or
the final semicolon. I've kept the fields aligned vertically
only because it looks better. You can edit the file with
EDIT, the text editor supplied with Version 5 or 6 of DOS.
Do not use a word processor.
Field 1 Text description
Field 2 Continent
Field 3 ITU Zone
Field 4 CQ Zone
Field 5 Standard or reference prefix.
Field 6 Standard and alternative prefixes,
separated by "=".
NAVIGATE THE LOG.
To see earlier log entries, use the following keys in the
Callsign field (which should be empty).
Page Up Back 6 QSOs.
Page Down Forward 6 QSOs.
Home Back 50 QSOs.
End Forward 50 QSOs.
To see all QSOs for a particular callsign - enter the callsign
and press F9. Use this to find the QSO number or the
serial corresponding to a specific QSO, in the event that
you want to edit the log entry. If you press F9 when the
Callsign field is empty, you'll get the information for the
most recent QSO (or Edit).
EDITING PREVIOUSLY LOGGED QSOs.
There are two simple methods for getting to the QSO you
need to edit. The first is to use the Up Arrow or Down
Arrow keys until you reach the QSO you want. You'll find
that these keys work so long as you don't change any field
in a QSO. Once you do, you must log the edited QSO (with
Enter), or abandon the edit (with minus) before editing
another QSO.
As an alternative, you can go directly to any QSO by typing
the QSO number in the Callsign field followed by Enter.
To find QSO numbers for any callsign, type the callsign
followed by F9. Use Esc to clear the callsign. On the
other hand, if you enter a number in the Callsign field and
then press TAB, SD assumes you've entered a partial
callsign and will take you to the next field.
When editing, use TAB to move between fields. Press
Enter to log the changes, if any, and return to the QSO
entry line. If you get into trouble during an edit and need
to abandon it, whether or not you've made any changes,
then press Minus. Edits take effect only when you use the
Enter key.
After any change in callsign, the program examines all
QSOs logged for dupes to be marked or unset, and updates
the log and the score as necessary. In addition, SD ensures
that the State, Zone or County on the edited QSO will be
reflected in all other QSOs with the callsign concerned.
For example, if you have already logged W3LP as being in
Delaware (DE) and you edit the Callsign to W3LPL, you
should be aware that all QSOs with W3LPL will have the
State changed to DE which may not be what you intended
to do. SD is designed to ensure consistency, since that's
the only way your dupes, multipliers and points can be
accurate, and therefore edits take priority over previous
log entries.
This works to your advantage, in that you can change the
State/Zone/County for all QSOs with a particular station
merely by editing any one such QSO. Basically, the
program won't allow you to do anything inconsistent, but
remember that it may not stop you from doing something
wrong!
You can edit any combination of fields and everything will
be kept consistent, with the dupes, multipliers, and points
correctly recorded. Needless to say, the report received can
be edited - either alone or in combination with other fields.
EDITING THE BAND LOGGED.
You may happen to change band on-air but forget to do so
on the computer. To correct any QSO concerned, move to
it, as for an Edit, and then use F1 or F2 to go up and down
the bands as required. This takes effect only if you have not
already changed any field in the QSO.
As always, SD checks the complete log for consistency and
displays the correct multipliers and score, on both the old
band and the new band.
For example, in the WPX Contest, QSOs on 40, 80 and
160m score double points, so band edits from 20m to 40m
and from 160m to 10m (and vice versa), will cause the
score to be adjusted.
I've tried to process all edits correctly. If you find a
combination that doesn't work, please let me know. If you
do spot an error, you can correct the log file (.ALL) with
SDCHECK after the contest. The correct score will then be
shown when you reload you log with SD.
CHANGING BANDS, OPERATOR OR MODE.
To change bands, or to go from on-line to off-line logging
and vice-versa, simply type B or BAND in the Callsign
field and hit Enter. You'll be returned to the second screen.
Enter the new band, or the same one if it's unchanged, and
answer Y or N to "On-Line Logging ?" as appropriate. In
the IARU HF Championship, and some other contests such
as the Helvetia contest, mixed mode entries are permitted,
and here you will be asked for the current mode. In multi-
op contests, you'll be asked for the op's callsign. Finally,
this screen gives you the opportunity to change logging
mode (urgent or casual).
There's a quicker way to change bands from the Callsign
field in the logging line. Simply type B20, followed by
Enter, to go to 20 metres without changing mode, B80 for
80 metres, etc. The scores for the current band will be
highlighted in the Summary Score window. You can also
go off-line or on-line by typing OFF or ON in the Callsign
field followed by Enter. To change operator from the
Callsign field, type OPR and you will be prompted for the
new callsign. To switch between urgent and casual logging
modes from the Callsign field, type RST followed by Enter.
QSO RATES.
The table on the lower RHS of the screen gives the QSO
rate per hour for your last 10 QSOs, last 100 QSOs, and
overall rate since the start of the contest. The values are
updated every 10 seconds, so you can't relax for long
without seeing your rates going down. If you haven't
logged 10 or 100 QSOs, then the figures relate to the actual
number of QSOs completed. The figures are accurate only
when on-line logging is selected for all QSOs, and they
have no significance after the contest.
You can suppress this table with RATEOFF, and restore it
with RATEON. The default is ON. The other two items
shown on the bottom RHS of the screen show the
approximate number of QSOs remaining (within memory)
and the name of your contest file.
MEMORY KEYER.
A simple circuit will interface your computer with your
keyer or radio (positive keyed only). Please note, that there
is no matching sidetone generated by the computer. However,
the command CWTEST will switch on a sidetone so that you can
experiment with the keyer and set up its memories, but you
cannot key your rig at the same time.
The program assumes you'll be using one of the standard
serial ports on your computer. If you already have a lead
that works with other contest loggers, chances are it'll work
with SD also. You'll need any general purpose small signal
NPN transistor, such as a BC182A or BC317, and a 1k
resistor. They should fit inside the cover of your DB9 or
DB25 connector to the computer. Data Terminal Ready
(DTR) is pin 20 on a DB25 connector, or pin 4 on a DB9.
Signal Ground is pin 7 on a DB25, or pin 5 on a DB9. As
you might expect, signal ground connects to the ground on
the transmitter key input. The 1k resistor goes between the
base of the transistor and DTR. The emitter goes to signal
ground, and the collector goes to the positive line of the
transmitter key input.
You should connect the TX end of this lead in parallel with
the output of your present key(er) rather than connecting it
to any of your keyer inputs. If you boot your computer with
the cable connected, DTR may be set to ON which will key
your rig. Once you use the keyer from within SD, DTR will
be set to OFF.
You switch to keyboard mode with backslash "\", or single
apostrophe "'" or hash "#", and you use Enter to return to
logging mode. The initial speed is 28 words per minute,
and you can adjust it up or down between 60 wpm and 12
wpm (all indicated speeds are approximate) with Up-
Arrow and Down-Arrow or ( and ). If you're not happy
with the weight, increase it with Right-Arrow, or reduce it
with Left-Arrow, and restore it to 50% with the Home key.
You can adjust the weight only when you're in keyboard
mode. I've included this mainly because there are slight
timing differences with different computers, but you might
want to experiment anyway.
SD has 10 CW memories and three methods of using them.
With Caps Lock on, F1 to F10 will replay the memories.
The only disadvantage is that you must have Caps Lock off
to get SD's standard F1 to F10 functions. You can tell the
status of Caps Lock without looking at your keyboard.
You'll know it's on when the symbol ^ is visible to the left
of the callsign field on the logging line.
With Caps Lock off, use Ctrl Z,X,C,A,S,D,Q,W,E,R or Alt-
F1 to Alt-F10. Please try the Ctrl sequences. They're
simpler that they might seem, particularly if you're a touch
typist.
INITIAL MEMORY CONTENTS.
1 TEST Call Call TEST (Where Call is from
the opening screen)
2 His call
3 Exchange: RST + current serial
4 Exchange: RST + previous serial
5 TU
6 Call
7 QRL?
8 ?
9 Current serial
10 Previous serial
You can change or combine these in any way you choose.
In addition, you may select any combination of the
following parameters when defining memory contents.
When you leave SD your definitions are held in the file
SDKEYER.DOC.
#R Own callsign.
#C Most recent callsign logged.
#S Current serial (or other contest data)
#P Previous serial
#N Name (after callsign match with LOAD)
#E Simulates the Enter key.
For example, #C 5NN #S#E would send callsign + full
exchange followed by Enter - all with a single keystroke.
When you get a callsign match after LOADing a .LST file
such as RNARS or GQRP, the #N parameter will send the
other Op's name. If there is no match, nothing is sent.
When editing keyer memories with Shift-F1 etc, do not
insert a space in front of #N - the space is assumed when a
callsign matches.
In contests with serials, leading zeros are sent as "T" and
other zeros are sent in full. The command CWZERO
allows you to choose abbreviations for non-leading zeros.
If you use the Ctrl combinations, make sure that you do not
have the command "BREAK=ON" in your CONFIG.SYS
file, as otherwise there will be a Ctrl-C conflict that will
stop the program.
To change the keyer messages, use Shift-F1 etc., which
will display the current message and invite you to enter a
new one. If you don't enter anything, the original message
will be unchanged.
If you get into trouble, either in keyboard mode or when
sending a preset message, Esc will stop the message and
empty the keyboard buffer.
When you use this keyer, make sure it's connected in
parallel with whatever alternative keying method you use.
If you make a mistake in entering a callsign, it's often
quicker to send it on your normal key and then correct the
computer entry later.
REFERENCE LISTS.
The LOAD command allows you to load reference files
with the extension .LST. These files are typically
membership lists showing callsign, name and membership
number, and the information will be displayed whenever
you enter a corresponding callsign.
Use a text processor to create your own reference file. Each
record may have up to 12 characters in the callsign and up
to 20 characters of other data. There must be at least one
space between the end of the callsign and the data. The
record length may vary.
I use a reference list of registered users of SD to remind me
of your name during contests. You may use them for
anything you choose.
LEAVING THE PROGRAM.
To leave the program, type END or QUIT in the Callsign
field. If you're using SD off-line, END and QUIT can be
entered in the Time field.
What happens if the power to the computer fails? SD
updates the log file on disk after every QSO or edit. So,
when power is restored, simply type SD followed by your
contest file name, go to the QSO entry screen and you will
see the last QSO logged immediately above the data entry
line.
A COPY OF YOUR LOG.
The AUDIT command records all QSOs and Edits on a
printer connected to the parallel port. With AUDIT, you'll
have a printed record from which you may recreate your
contest log including all edits. Printing takes place after
each QSO or Edit is written to disk. If the printer goes off-
line, or is switched off, you'll see an error message and the
printed data for that QSO or Edit will be lost. A printer
error will not delay logging or editing.
The NOAUDIT command terminates printing.
To take a disk copy of the current contest file, without
leaving SD, type DUMP, followed by Enter, in the Callsign
field. This writes your file, with an extension .DMP, to a
write-enabled disk in Drive A.
This way, you'll have a backup copy of the log to be printed
or analysed on any other computer, or available in case
anything should happen your computer or hard disk. If
there's already a .DMP file on your diskette it's renamed to
.OLD before the copy to .DMP takes place, giving two
"generations" of files.
You should be aware that, depending on the number of
QSOs logged and the speed of your drive, DUMP may take
some time during which you cannot log further QSOs. In
tests I've done, it has taken about 35 seconds to dump 1000
QSOs. Why not do this whenever you change band or
operator? You can leave the same disk in Drive A for the
duration of the contest.
If you'd like something a lot faster, but a little less secure,
FASTDUMP puts the copy files in the same directory and
device as your contest file, again with .DMP and .OLD
extensions as appropriate. You should use either DUMP or
FASTDUMP at intervals during the contest. Losing a few
seconds is preferable to risking the loss of some or all of
your contest log.
Here's another option: You can use the DOS command to
temporarily switch to DOS and then use standard
commands to copy your log file to Drive A. This is much
quicker than the DUMP command, particularly if you have
a batch file with the necessary commands ready to run.
For example, you could have a batch file D.BAT with these
lines - (Note: change the following file name to match the
one you used in the contest).
COPY ARRLCW96.ALL A:*.*
EXIT
Simply by typing D, followed by Enter, the file will be
copied and you'll be returned to logging. Without a batch
file, you'll need to enter EXIT to get back to SD.
If you are running short of memory, SD may attempt to go
to DOS and then return immediately to logging. In this
event, you'll have to use DUMP to copy your log to a
diskette.
AFTER THE CONTEST - using SDCHECK.
Finally, you'll probably want to send in your contest entry.
There's often no need to send a printout, as many contest
organisers accept entries on diskette. Use program
SDCHECK, after the contest, to generate any files you
need. Start the program, after leaving SD, by typing
SDCHECK. You can follow this with the contest name you
used for SD.
With SDCHECK you can generate Dupe Sheets, a
Multiplier Summary, an Entry File, a Print File and a
Summary Sheet. Note: these are all disk files.
ARRL and RSGB both accept SD logs on disk. Send a
copy of your .LOG file on a diskette (change the name to
your callsign, for example EI5DI.LOG) together with a
printed Summary Sheet. Do not edit the .LOG file in any
way or split it by band. because it is formatted to the
specific recommendations of either ARRL or RSGB as
appropriate.
To print your files, use the COPY or PRINT commands in
DOS. The log printout (.PRT) is formatted to 40 QSOs per
page, with breaks every 10 QSOs, with multiplier and
points totals on each page and grand totals on the last page.
Note that the Dupe Sheets and Multiplier Summary files
are formatted at 66 lines per page which is the norm for
continuous stationery. You may have to edit the spacing if
you use a laser printer. If you run into formatting problems
when printing, try loading your files into any word
processor. Choose a font with fixed (not proportional)
spacing and, if necessary, reduce the font size or the left
and right page margins to eliminate line wrapping.
For RSGB Field Day contests, you must complete a separate
Cover Sheet for each band because individual bands are
checked by separate examiners.
If you use a general purpose logging progam you will be
able to import contest logs from SD. Shacklog, TurboLog
and WJ2O MasterLog support SD logs, and will generate
QSL labels.
SCREEN COLOURS
If you would like a change from SD's standard colours, the
COLOUR (or COLOR) command allows you to choose
the Window background colour, the Log (previous QSOs)
colour, the QSO entry colour and the Title text colour.
Colours will be unchanged if you press Enter without first
typing a number from the range indicated.
EDITING THE .ALL FILE.
SD creates two files. The first is NAME.ALL where NAME is
whatever name you gave the contest when you started the
program. This holds all the internal reference information
for keeping multipliers and points consistent, especially
during and after edits done from within SD. When the
contest is finished, you use Program SDCHECK to create
NAME.LOG. The .LOG file is no more than a reformatted
version of the .ALL file, but without the internal reference
information.
Contest File Record Layout (.ALL)
Each record is 56 characters long, made up of 54 data
characters terminated with the ASCII characters "13" and
"10" (Carriage Return + Line Feed). The first 12 records
are control records and should not be edited. Your first
QSO is in Record 13.
Field Characters Length
Mode 1 - 1 1
0=CW, 1=SSB
Band 2 - 2 1
1=10, 2=15, 3=20
4=40, 5=80, 6=160
Callsign Worked 3 - 14 12
Date - DDMMYY 15 - 20 6
Time - HHMMSS 21 - 26 6
RST Sent 27 - 29 3
RST Received 30 - 32 3
Serial Received 33 - 36 3
Other Data Received 37 - 40 4
Dupe Indicator (D) 44 - 44 1
Area Multiplier Indicator 45 - 45 1
Country Multiplier Ind. 46 - 46 1
Serial Sent 47 - 50 4
QSO Points 53 - 54 2
Prefix (in WPX) 37 - 43 7
RoPoCo (RSGB) 37 - 44 8
1. Take a copy of your contest file. For example
COPY CQWW94.ALL TEST.ALL
and then work on TEST.ALL
2. Use Option 1 of SDCHECK to edit any field in the .ALL file.
3. Remember that you must not change the length, in characters,
of any line in the .ALL file. Spaces count as characters.
When you use SDCHECK you'll have no problems.
4. Do not edit the .ALL file until after the contest. If you
edit it during the contest, and then go back to logging, the
results will be unpredictable.
5. If you get into trouble during or after an edit, go back to
Step 1.
QUESTIONS and ANSWERS.
Q. I've got some QSOs in the .ALL file that I want to
delete. What do I do?
A. You cannot delete a QSO from within SD. When you
log a station that doesn't count - don't worry about it, and
edit it out of the .ALL file after the contest. Make sure you
delete the whole record, and nothing else. Remember you
should not edit the original log - use a copy!
Q. Some QSOs are multipliers, and the program hasn't
picked them up. How can I correct my score?
A. Edit the QSOs concerned by adding M in the appropriate
position. When you reload the .ALL file, the points,
multipliers and summary will be correct. Similarly,
you can edit the points for any QSO by changing the last
2 characters in the QSO record.
Q. Is there any snag about making a QSO a multiplier with
EDIT?
A. Yes, but only a little one. The multiplier list generated
by SDICHECK will probably show one multiplier twice,
and not show the new multiplier at all. You can edit the
multiplier list to correct this.
You can also edit the Operator files for multi-operator
contests. They have an OPR extension, with each record
holding the Callsign (6 characters) followed by the starting
QSO number for that operator.
Q. What should I do if the program stops with some
strange error message?
A. There's quite a lot you can do to help yourself. The first
thing to do is to make sure you haven't run out of space on
your disk. The program does not check specifically for this.
Assuming there is room on your disk, try reloading your
contest file. If the program still doesn't run, then start
another contest file. If you have time to examine the .ALL
file, check with a text editor that it appears to be formatted
correctly. If the last record appears to be corrupt, delete it
and reload the contest file. If you delete any record other
than the last record, and then reload the file, you may not
be able to do much more than continue to log - editing will
give problems.
Error 7 Out of memory.
Error 14 Out of string space.
Error 57 Device I/O error.
Error 61 Disk full.
Error 68 Device unavailable.
Error 70 Disk is write protected.
Error 71 Disk drive not ready.
Error 72 Disk media error.
For Type 4 and Type 10 contests, area multiplier codes are
now held in separate text files corresponding to each
contest type. You can edit the multiplier files, using a text
editor, to reflect any necessary changes in existing contests
and, more significantly, you can set up new files to cater
for other contests. All you have to do is to use the same
format as in the existing MLT files.
This is a 2 or 3 character multiplier identifier (always the
same length for a particular contest - trailing spaces are
allowed), followed by an equals "=" sign. You have the
option of adding a description of the multiplier after the
equals sign. You may have a maximum of 96 multipliers.
For the multipliers to take effect, you must supply the name
of the appropriate .MLT file when starting the program
(Types 4 and 10 only).
In the same way, you can select any appropriate country
multiplier file (.CTY) in Type 9 and 10 contests.
SUMMARY OF CONTEST TYPES COVERED.
Type 0. For the W/VE side of the ARRL DX Contest.
The CW leg takes place in February and the SSB leg in
March. Mixed mode is not permitted. Uses DXCC.CTY to
identify country multipliers. W/VE stations work DX only,
and send RS(T) + State or Province. They record the RS(T)
received and power used by each DX station logged. Points
per QSO defaults to 3, but may be redefined in the opening
screen. The State field will be picked up by the keyer in
the CW leg of the contest.
You may use Type 0 for any contest with country
multipliers (by modifying DXCC.CTY as appropriate), with
constant points per QSO irrespective of band or continent,
and where the exchange (other than RST) is a maximum of
4 characters. Note that, if you're recording serial numbers,
this option does not insert leading zeros.
Type 1. For the DX side of the ARRL DX Contest.
Uses SDTYPE1.MLT to identify State and Province
multipliers. Alaska and Hawaii are not included - they're
in the DX side. DX entrants work W/VE only, and send
RS(T) and power o/p. Record RS(T) received and State or
Province of each W/VE station logged. Scores 3 points per
QSO, and multipliers count separately on each band.
Mixed mode is not permitted. The Power field in the initial
screen will be picked up by the keyer in the CW leg of the
contest.
Type 1 is not intended to be used for any other contest.
You should not modify SDTYPE1.MLT.
Type 2. For the CQ WW Contest.
Everyone works everyone else in this contest, with no
restrictions other than that QSOs with your own country
score no points, but can count as a multiplier if appropriate.
Mixed mode is not permitted. Send RS(T) + your CQ
Zone. Uses CQWW.CTY as the country multiplier file and
SDTYPE2.MLT as the zone multiplier file. A single QSO
may count as both a zone multiplier and a country
multiplier, and multipliers count on each band.
QSOs with own country 0 points
QSOs with own continent 1 point
NA to NA 2 points
QSOs with other continents 3 points
Type 2 is not intended to be used for any other contest.
Type 3. For the IARU HF Championship.
Work everybody. Mixed mode operation is permitted.
Multipliers are the ITU zones 1-75 and 90, and these are
held in SDTYPE3.MLT. (Note that zones 76 to 89 are sea
areas only). Send RS(T) + your ITU zone.
QSOs with own country 1 point
QSOs with own zone 1 point
QSOs with own continent 3 points
QSOs with other continents 5 points
QSO with Society HQ Station 1 point
HQ stations count as multipliers, and they send their
Society initials instead of their zone number. You indicate
them to the program by using a zone number of 99, and you
record the Society initials using MEMO or F7. This option
is not intended to be used for any other contest.
Type 4. General Purpose - Area multipliers only, no
country multipliers. .
Can be used for almost any contest in which you receive
both a serial (optional) and area codes which count as
multipliers on each band irrespective of mode, and in which
all QSOs have the same points (you specify points per
QSO). For RSGB the area codes are UK counties and the
area multiplier file is RSGB.MLT.
This option caters for mixed mode (as permitted in the
Helvetia contest). You can have CW/CW or SSB/SSB
QSOs but not cross-mode. To change mode type CW or
SSB in the Callsign field. I've included multiplier files for
many contests including -
Helvetia HELVETIA.MLT
PACC (Dutch) PACC.MLT
King of Spain SPAIN.MLT
RSGB RSGB.MLT
REF REF.MLT
The Spanish contest uses area codes that are 1 or 2
characters. Note that they are all two characters in the
SPAIN.MLT file (followed by space if necessary). When
logging, you need enter only 1 character if appropriate
If you know of any other contests that this option is likely to
cover, please let me know and send me the list of area codes
and their descriptions.
Type 5: CQ 160 Metre contest.
Separate CW and SSB sections in late January and
February. Multipliers are DXCC countries (WAE list for
Europe) and W/VE states and provinces not including
Alaska or Hawaii. Reference files are CQWW.CTY and
SDTYPE5.MLT. You should not modify the MLT file.
Everyone works everyone else. W/VE stations send RS(T)
and State or Province. Other stations send RS(T) +
Country ID. For example, from G you would send 599 G.
QSOs with own country 2 points
QSOs with own continent 5 points
QSOs with other continents 10 points
Type 6. CQ WPX Contest.
Send and receive RS(T) + Serial. Prefixes serve as
multipliers, and each counts once only irrespective of band.
QSOs with own country 0 points
QSOs with own continent 1 point
NA to NA QSOs 2 points
QSOs with other continents 3 points
Points are doubled on 40, 80 and 160 metres. SD adjusts
as necessary when you edit the band on logged QSOs.
Type 7. RSGB and IARU Region 1 CW Field Day.
You may choose between RSGB or IARU scoring. IARU
uses country multipliers whereas RSGB has none. Send
and receive RST + Serial.
QSOs with own continent 2 points
QSOs with other continents 3 points
Points are doubled for QSOs with /M or /P stations.
For RSGB only, points are doubled again for QSOs on 10
or 160 metres. Edits of previously logged QSOs which add
or remove /P or /M, or change bands to or from 10 or 160
metres will adjust the score.
Type 8. RSGB and IARU Region 1 SSB Field Day.
Send and receive RS + Serial. Country multipliers count
on each band using the CQWW.CTY file.
As with Type 7, you choose between RSGB or IARU
scoring. For RSGB, QSOs with IARU Region 1, which is
Europe, Africa, USSR (or what used to be the USSR), ITU
Zone 39, and Mongolia (JT) score 2 points, or 5 points if /P
or /M. Other QSOs score 3 points. For IARU, scoring is
the same as CW FD.
Type 9. General Purpose, Country Multipliers.
Use this for any contest with country multipliers only, for
example the RSGB 7MHz CW contest and the RSGB 21/28
MHz CW and SSB contests for UK entrants. UK entrants
end RS(T) + Serial + County Code. They receive RS(T) +
Serial from non-UK stations. UK-UK QSOs don't score,
and there is no provision in this option for recording a
received county (area) code. Select points per QSO from
the opening screen, and choose between multiplier or bonus
QSOs. For the RSGB 7MHz contest, select the RSGB
country file, and 5 points per QSO. This will give the
correct scoring for UK entrants. QSOs with Europe score 5
points, Oceania 30 points, and all others 15 points. All
other values of points per QSO will apply to all QSOs
irrespective of location. The RSGB.CTY file differs from
the DXCC.CTY file in that individual W, VE, VK, ZL and
JA call areas count as multipliers.
This option may also be used for DX entrants to the
Scandinavian Activity Contest by simply selecting SAC as
the .CTY file in the opening screen. Specify 1 point per
QSO. Entrants outside Europe should specify 3 points per
QSO on 40 and 80 metres.
For both Type 9 and Type 10 contests, SD allows you to
select points by any individual combination of mode, band
and location (own country, own continent and other
continent - up to 36 variations). To access this feature, you
must first select 0 points per QSO on the opening screen.
You can choose between the following country files or
make up your own for specific contests. CQWW, DXCC,
RSGB, SAC.
Note: You are advised to "comment out" (with # as the
first character in the corresponding line of the .CTY file)
records corresponding to countries that do not count as
multipliers - for example UK countries in RSGB contests
for UK entrants.
Type 10. General Purpose for contests with both
Country and Area Multipliers.
For example, RSGB 1.8 MHz contests, ARRL 10m Contest.
You have a choice of multipliers or bonus QSOs as with
Type 9. You may select any of the .CTY country
multiplier files and .MLT area multiplier files supplied with
SD - or indeed make up your own. The .MLT files contain
some records beginning with $. These indicate which
countries (in the selected .CTY file) give an area code in
addition to a serial. For example, all UK countries in
RSGB contests, or W and VE for the ARRL 10m Contest.
As with Type 9, choose 0 points per QSO on the opening
screen if QSO points vary by band, mode or location.
Type 11. Mainly for RSGB RoPoCo and AFS
Contests. No multipliers, and usually 10 points per QSO,
but any value can be selected initially. If you answer Y to
RoPoCo?, the keyer will send the appropriate RoPoCo
exchange.
If you answer N, you're probably in the AFS contest or
something similar. In either case, you may record up to 8
characters of free format data in addition to the RS(T).
Serial numbers are not assumed, so you'll have to enter
leading zeros if necessary.
Use this as a last resort option for any other contest not
catered for specifically, and at least it will do all the
logging and duping if not the scoring. You can edit the
.ALL file after the contest to reflect the correct scores for
each QSO.
THIS IS THE SMALL PRINT.
Information in this document is subject to change without
notice and does not represent a commitment on the part of
EI5DI. Users of all variants of SD must accept the
following disclaimer of warranty.
"SD is supplied as is. EI5DI disclaims all warranties,
expressed or implied, including, without limitation, the
warranties of merchantability and of fitness for any
purpose. EI5DI assumes no liability for damages direct
indirect or consequential which may result from the use of
SD."
Remember that software is never finished! You are
strongly recommended to use the AUDIT, DUMP or
FASTDUMP facilities during the contest. Why not use the
SKED command, before the contest, to schedule your
backups? Please refer to the HISTORY.DOC file for
information on bugs which have been corrected.
Do not modify the multiplier files between the time you
start the contest and the time you complete your entry
including the generation of multiplier lists with
SDCHECK. If you do, the multipliers listed may not
correspond to the ones you actually logged.
You should practise with SD before using it in a live
contest. Why not experiment with QSOs from a previous
contest? If you're new to contest logging on computer,
you'll soon realise that the computer demands more
attention than your radio, and you'll need both hands free.
In phone contests this means a boom mic and either VOX
or a foot-switch - anything less will slow you down.
Finally, you should ensure that your computer and screen
are "clean" - that is, you can't hear them on your receiver,
and also that they're not affected by RF. This is even more
relevant for Field Day events.
Known Bugs - Version 7.08
SD does not flag dupes of the type W1AA and G/W1AA.
It's not because I can't detect them, but because I haven't
been able to sort out the logic to keep the log consistent,
with regard to country multipliers, in such circumstances.
Band edits, on QSOs already logged, in Type 10 contests do
not adjust points. This is significant only if you have
chosen variable points per band.
There is no simultaneous sidetone with the CW keyer.
In CQWW and IARU contests, no Zone checking is
done following callsign edits. When you edit the callsign
it's your responsibility to also edit the Zone.
In Type 10 contests, where you work stations within a
group of countries for Area multipliers, and other stations
for Country multipliers, do not edit one type of QSO to
another (by editing the callsign) after the QSO has been
logged. If you do, the points and multipliers may not be
consistent.
SD scores /AM and /MM callsigns according to the home
callsign. This is correct for some contests, but may not
be appropriate in others.
Future Plans
As you'll see from the HISTORY.DOC file, I am constantly
updating SD. Please let me know the changes you would
like to see.
Other Variants of Super-Duper.
SDI is a version of Super-Duper for the RSGB IOTA
contest. SDI is distributed as freeware.
SDC is a version of Super-Duper for the RSGB Commonwealth
Contest.
SDU is a version of Super-Duper for the UBA contest, for
both Belgian and DX entrants.
SDV is Super-Duper for VHF. It is similar to the HF
program but records more information for each QSO
including Serial, Locator, UK County and Comments. It
tracks county, country and locator square multipliers and is
available separately at £25 sterling. If you are already
registered for SD, the price for SDV is £15. Add £3.00 or
5 IRCs for airmail postage outside the UK and Ireland.
___________________________________________________
Super-Duper V7.08 : Command Summary.
SD NAME - Colour display
SD -NAME - Monochrome display.
___________________________________________________
LOGGING
Enter Accept a completed field.
TAB Accept a partial or completed field,
delays logging.
Esc Delete or clear a field.
a second Esc will restore it.
Minus Abandon QSO entry.
Esc or Minus update the Quick Memo.
Home or [ Move to the start of a field.
End or ] Move to the end of a field.
Delete Delete character.
Backspace Delete character to the left.
Arrow keys Move left and right..
Page Up Back 6 QSOs.
Page Down Forward 6 QSOs.
Home Back 50 QSOs.
End Forward 50 QSOs.
___________________________________________________
CALLSIGN ENTRY or EDIT
* and ? allowed as wildcard characters.
___________________________________________________
WHEN WARNED OF A DUPE
To work it Enter Serial.
else Press Enter.
___________________________________________________
CONTESTS WITH SERIALS
No serial given - Enter 0 (zero).
___________________________________________________
COMMANDS VALID IN CALLSIGN FIELD
END BXX- Change to XX Metres
QUIT BAND
RST OPR DOS
HELP TUNE
ON(LINE) SOUND CW
OFF(LINE) NOSOUND SSB
DUMP
FASTDUMP CWZERO
SKED LOCK CWTEST
MEMO UNLOCK PRE(FIX)
AUDIT LOAD RATEON
NOAUDIT COLOUR RATEOFF
___________________________________________________
CALLSIGN ENTRY MODE
Insert Toggle INS/OVR.
___________________________________________________
SKEDS, REMINDERS, MEMOS (Caps Lock off)
F7 Record them.
F8 Display Skeds and Reminders.
___________________________________________________
HUNTING & POUNCING
Comma Partial call search by prefix.
Full stop Partial call search by suffix.
F9 List QSOs by callsign. (Caps Lock off)
___________________________________________________
EDITING LOGGED QSOs.
Use Up/Down keys or enter QSO number.
Callsign + F9 gives QSO numbers. (Caps Lock off)
Use TAB between fields. Enter when complete.
F1 Edit Band HF. (Caps Lock off)
F2 Edit Band LF. (Caps Lock off)
Minus Abandon Edit
___________________________________________________
KEYER.
# ' \ & < Toggle keyboard/logging mode.
Down-Arrow or ( Reduce speed.
Up-Arrow or ) Increase speed.
Left-Arrow Reduce weight.
Right-Arrow Increase weight.
Home Restore 50% weight.
Memory Playback. (Esc to abandon)
With Caps Lock on ^ F1 to F10
With Caps Lock off Alt-F1 to Alt-F10
or Ctrl-Z,X,C,A,S,D,Q etc.
F1 TEST Call Call TEST
F2 his callsign.
F3 RST + current serial
F4 RST + previous serial
F5 TU
F6 Call
F7 QRL?
F8 ?
F9 Serial
F10 Previous serial.
Shift-F1 to Shift-F10 Redefine above.
#R Registered callsign.
#C Most recent callsign logged.
#S Current serial
#P Previous serial
#N Name (from .LST file LOADed)
#E Simulates the Enter key.
___________________________________________________
QUICK MEMO (undo) (Caps Lock off)
F10 Recall table.
Enter Retrieve data.
Any other key Return to logging.
___________________________________________________
MULTIPLIER ENQUIRIES (Caps Lock off)
F1 Area multipliers next band HF.
F2 Area multipliers next band LF.
F3 Area multiplier summary - all bands.
F4 Countries by Continent.
F5 Countries worked by band.
F6 Single country status by band.
___________________________________________________
Super-Duper uses no multiple keystrokes
for logging or editing.
_______________________________________________
After the contest - use Program SDCHECK.
SDCHECK options are
1. Post-contest Editor
2. Create Dupe Sheets
3. Multiplier Analysis
4. Create Entry File
5. Create Print File
6. Create Summary Sheet
7. QSO Rate Analysis
