AM Rally Logs - if you kept one, send it in :-)

[steve_qix]

It seemed to be a successful 'Rally !  Many, Many people told me personally how much they were enjoying the event.  My voice started to give out - and that's not easy 

The band wasn't optimal, but it definitely worked.  Worked a lot of LOW POWER (under 25 watts) stations that were FAR FAR away - that was very interesting.  One guy was running his station on solar-power-charged batteries.

Anyway, if you kept a log, using whatever method - by all means, send it in.  If you used Excel - email it, if paper - mail it, and upload your log to the logging server if you used the AMTR logging software  (have already received 21 logs that way, so far!)

The results should be very interesting!

Regards,

Steve

[W9GT]

Enjoyed the rally Steve.  Thanks for your efforts.  I submitted my log to you as instructed.

I would like to suggest a few changes to the logging program:
  
1. Drop the country column (not needed)
2. Add his/my signal report columns (probably not needed, but nice to have in the  log)    the reports don't have to all be 5-9!  This could be an optional entry.
3. Add a dupe function to screen duplicate contacts.
4. Add a save function so it can be easily saved into your own log file.  (I had to reload the program to restart my log page after I had signed out and back in again).

Just some thoughts.  Thanks again Steve, had a great time.

73,  Jack, W9GT / W9T

[WD8BIL]

So where would you log our Canadians friends in at, Jack?

Which raises another question. Dave, W9A, was IN Mexico operating rmote.
Is his Country entry US or Mexico?? (just kidding)

[steve_qix]

Enjoyed the rally Steve.  Thanks for your efforts.  I submitted my log to you as instructed.

I would like to suggest a few changes to the logging program:
  
1. Drop the country column (not needed)

Hi Jack!

I think we really need that one :-)  The program defaults to US if it's blank.  But, I know (at least last year) some people worked a number of countries, and we should probably have a good way to enter and store them.

2. Add his/my signal report columns (probably not needed, but nice to have in the  log)    the reports don't have to all be 5-9!  This could be an optional entry.

Yes!  Some other folks mentioned this as well.  It will be an option in the upcoming release.

3. Add a dupe function to screen duplicate contacts.

Believe me, it's already DONE :-)  I notice it myself after entering about 50 contacts!!

4. Add a save function so it can be easily saved into your own log file.  (I had to reload the program to restart my log page after I had signed out and back in again).

Hmmmmmmm... I don't understand this one.  The program will actually keep 3 copies of the database (2 backups and the active copy), and will automatically look for the database file in whatever directory the program is running in.  The database file is
<stationcall>.txt, so mine is w1e.txt.  This is a plain, delimited text file that can be open in any database application (like Excel, etc.) that will read delimited text files.

Let me know more - I thought I had made the database absolutely foolproof!  You can exit and enter the program countless times and the database, if it's there, should be found and reloaded.  Not only that, the database is actually updated, on disc, after EACH entry, in the event of a power failure, computer failure of other unexpected event.  In this way, not even a single contact will be lost (unless of course you lose your hard drive - can't help that one unless you store your data on a server!).

Just some thoughts.  Thanks again Steve, had a great time.

73,  Jack, W9GT / W9T

Same here - it was a really fine time.  Thanks for the feedback - it's needed to improve on what we have!!!!!

Regards,

 Steve

[W9GT]

So where would you log our Canadians friends in at, Jack?

Which raises another question. Dave, W9A, was IN Mexico operating rmote.
Is his Country entry US or Mexico?? (just kidding)

The country info should be obvious from the call sign.  If it is somehow going to be "scored " on the # of countries worked, then that is another matter.  Otherwise, if you want to elaborate, put comments in the notes.  Otherwise, probably just excess info....but, then I guess so is the signal report.

73,  Jack, W9GT

[W9GT]

Quote
4. Add a save function so it can be easily saved into your own log file.  (I had to reload the program to restart my log page after I had signed out and back in again).

Hmmmmmmm... I don't understand this one.  The program will actually keep 3 copies of the database (2 backups and the active copy), and will automatically look for the database file in whatever directory the program is running in.  The database file is
<stationcall>.txt, so mine is w1e.txt.  This is a plain, delimited text file that can be open in any database application (like Excel, etc.) that will read delimited text files.

Let me know more - I thought I had made the database absolutely foolproof!  You can exit and enter the program countless times and the database, if it's there, should be found and reloaded.  Not only that, the database is actually updated, on disc, after EACH entry, in the event of a power failure, computer failure of other unexpected event.  In this way, not even a single contact will be lost (unless of course you lose your hard drive - can't help that one unless you store your data on a server!).

This is probably just a format question, Steve.  I’m certainly not an IT person and I can only comment on what I see as compared to other similar applications for logging.   I’m just used to seeing an option on the toolbar/option line to save the entries in a user-assigned file on my computer.  I was able to recover the data by just re-accessing the program…no problem.  I’m not being critical at all, I appreciate your efforts!

73,  Jack, W9GT / W9T

[steve_qix]

This is probably just a format question, Steve.  I’m certainly not an IT person and I can only comment on what I see as compared to other similar applications for logging.   I’m just used to seeing an option on the toolbar/option line to save the entries in a user-assigned file on my computer.  I was able to recover the data by just re-accessing the program…no problem.  I’m not being critical at all, I appreciate your efforts!

73,  Jack, W9GT / W9T

Oh, I get it - DUHHH... Like a "Save As..." function (to save the log as another name)?  Is that what you mean?  Then an "Open..." command would also be in order, if there's a "Save As..."

Let me know !

Thanks and Regards,

Steve

[W9GT]

Yes Exactly!  That is what I was trying to say.

Thanks Steve.

73,  Jack, W9GT

[K5UJ]

Steve, thanks for all your work organizing the Rally and dealing with the sofware, logs etc.   Anything we do away from our own stuff (rigs, antennas, operating...) is extra and much appreciated.

Rob

[WB2EMS]

Steve, I was looking for the log files last night after quitting for the night so I could export them to another computer and email them to you. The machine I was using runs PowerSDR and I mostly keep it isolated from the net. I couldn't find the log files, not knowing where they were stored or what they were called, so an export function like Jack was mentioning was just what I was looking for. In the end I plugged a USB wireless modem into the beast and used the programs own upload function but if that hadn't been an option I'd still be looking for the files to move to a network connected machine. If it's not hard to add, an export function would be nice.

I agree that the RST would be a nice addition and the country column seems useful, especially if we get good conditions on 20 or higher as the sunspots climb over subsequent years.

Still, it was a *great* advantage over paper logging and later transfer. Pretty cool for a contest to have it's own, free, logging program. Thanks!!

Have you got any partial tallies from the 21 logs submitted so far? Any front runners?  

[Steve - K4HX]

Lots of activity last night. There were still multiple QSOs going at midnight!

All logging programs I'ved used do the country count and assignment automatically by reading the call sign info. This means you would need a lookup table of all the DXCC prefixes. This is probably overkill for the AMTR log. I worked about 6-8 different countries last year, none this year. So, a country field would be sufficient. Or have an "other" entry (like XX) for the state. It would be obvious that it was not a US state, so the program could ID these as DX.

[W1AEX]

Nice job with the AMTR logging program Steve. It was quick and painless to keep a running log while operating. I liked the tab function for auto-filling the time, frequency (as long as you aren't frequency hopping), and country. I just uploaded my log and it seemed to handle that task successfully.

I'm pretty sure I won and look forward to collecting the Class E rig awarded as first prize. No need to ship it, I can drive up and pick it up. I should be there by around 4 PM today.

Rob

[k4kyv]

I'm not sure if I successfully uploaded or not. I clicked on the upload button.  It highlighted with the dashed box around the button, but nothing else happened.  Am I supposed to see some kind of feebback to verify that it uploaded?

[KL7OF]

Great rally!   Thanks for sponsoring....I was signed on to my ISP and hit the AMTR upload button and very quickly saw a small screen confirming that my log has been uploaded to the server....So I'm guessing that's it   If so that is a very easy to use and submit log program...I worked Joe,s station in Mexico,,(xe2/w7isj)  from his battery powered beach station in Puerto Penasco and Brian's  station in the Yukon W1LYD/VY1.....Thanks again....Steve KL7OF

[ve6pg]

..it was fun..no log from me, but spoke with alot of great guys...many new stations herd...

..sk..

[KR4WI]

Very much enjoyed, thanks to all the stations that was on.  KR4WI Matt

[WD8BIL]

Great Job Steve. Log uploaded a few minutes ago.
Thanks.

[steve_qix]

I'm not sure if I successfully uploaded or not. I clicked on the upload button.  It highlighted with the dashed box around the button, but nothing else happened.  Am I supposed to see some kind of feebback to verify that it uploaded?

You didn't quite get there yet :-)  The software will both tell you it is doing the upload, and then give you a confirmation.  I am REALLY big on software telling you what it's doing.

Try again - might have been a slip of the mouse.  You will certainly know if it worked or not.  All errors are reported.  There is NOTHING WORSE than software that "fails silently" or doesn't tell you it worked.  This software will tell you.

[DMOD]

It was fun, but I didn't keep a log. I did get to speak with Kevin, W2E, after Steve left for a cough drop. 

Band was terribly noisy here in the Midwest.

I heard Kerri on 3.878 in spite of SSB'ers giving her trouble. Way to go Kerri.

Phil - AC0OB

[Ed/KB1HYS]

At one point it was wall to wall from 3870 to 3890 AM QSO's and Dueling carriers.

[WA1LGQ]

It was nice to use your custom log program Steve, thanks. A couple things that I would like to see:

1. Keep the country field, I did work a Canadian station.

2. Enable the use of shift-tab to return to previous fields. I was suprised that it did not work that way. Guess I'm  used to doing it that way.

3. I used more than 1 equipment line up but was not able to make separate entries. I guess I could have tried running 2 copies of the program from different directories. Would that have worked? Then send in multiple logs? Might blow up the server.

.........Larry

[steve_qix]

It was nice to use your custom log program Steve, thanks. A couple things that I would like to see:

1. Keep the country field, I did work a Canadian station.

2. Enable the use of shift-tab to return to previous fields. I was suprised that it did not work that way. Guess I'm  used to doing it that way.

3. I used more than 1 equipment line up but was not able to make separate entries. I guess I could have tried running 2 copies of the program from different directories. Would that have worked? Then send in multiple logs? Might blow up the server.

.........Larry

Hi Larry,

Will definitely make shift-tab go backwards - that's not a problem at all.  As far as multiple setups - that, I suppose, could be entered in the equipment area - I changed rigs as well, but since both were class E rigs, it didn't change the category!

Multiple logs are not an issue either - the server automatically creates a new version 

[k4kyv]

You didn't quite get there yet :-)  The software will both tell you it is doing the upload, and then give you a confirmation.  I am REALLY big on software telling you what it's doing.

It still isn't doing anything.  I click on the upload button.  It takes on a shadowy appearance, and a little pop-up box appears with the words "upload to server" but nothing else happens.  If I click anywhere else on the screen the text box goes away, and the button returns to normal.  Nothing to indicate that it is uploading or has uploaded.

I closed and re-opened the program and still the same thing.


Ahh, finally did it.  I clicked on the upload button, and the little textbox appeared as before.  Then I tried clicking again on the textbox itself instead of the upload button, and it worked.

[steve_qix]

Ahh, finally did it.  I clicked on the upload button, and the little textbox appeared as before.  Then I tried clicking again on the textbox itself instead of the upload button, and it worked.

Excellent !  As a curiosity, what are you using for an operating system?  The dialog box behaviour seemed, from what you described, a bit anomalous.

What usually happens, is:

1) you click the "Upload" menu item, and the "Upload Log to Server..." menu appears, and you click that.
2) Assuming you have no errors in your database (if you do, you will be given an opportunity to fix them) - anyway if no errors,
a dialog box will appear asking if you want to upload the log to the logging server.  You click "Yes" (or no if you don't want to).
3) If you click "Yes", the progress of the upload will show up at the top-right of the AMTR Logger main window - connecting, how
many bytes sent, etc.
4) At the end, after the upload is successful and the server acknowledges reciept, another dialog box will pop up telling you everything is completed.

That's the usual behaviour.  Your log was uploaded just fine - so far, we have received 32 logs.  Kerri (KC2UFU) last year's gold medalist has not yet submitted    We'll see    There are also a number of others out there, and some folks are emailing Excel files or .CSV files.  Some will probably send hard copy.  Once they are all here, I'll run everything through the data cruncher program I wrote, and we'll see how we did!

[KX5JT]

My work weekend kept my numbers way down.... only 11 contacts...

I'm actually curious if ANY of those contacts submitted logs!