Richard:

Thanks for your interesting e-mail, and I will ask you for your little
contest logging program module if I can't get things to work better here.

All of the folks on this list have given me great suggestions, and I will
try to put them together into something that will work for me.

Will keep you posted.

Best 73 from Tom Behler:  KB8TYJ

----- Original Message -----
From: <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wednesday, January 14, 2004 9:32 PM
Subject: contesting logging etc.


> I was looking for just the type of solution TOm was seeking for
> contest operating.  When I operate club stations in contests
> usually my xyl handles logging chores for me.  HOWever I'm hoping
> to enter a few contests over my lifetime.
>
> since I'm a non windows person I wrote my own little logging
> modules using good old dos' batch language and a couple little
> batch file enhancer utilities which allow me to get good time and
> date stamps on entries.
>
> tHis little module is even adaptable for most contests.  sInce it uses
> information typed in at the command line it isn't set in stone how it
> wants the entries.  wOrk field day with it, turn around and work the
> phone sweepstakes or the vhf contest.
>
> Let's say for example I'm calling cq contest on 20 meters and our
> good friend MIke Freeman k7uij answers me.  MIke is my first
> station but he's been at it for a few hours.
>
> MIke answers me and tells me I'm his number 258 and that he's
> Washington.  SO at the c: prompt I type
>
> c k7uij 258 wa Mike
>
> THe entry in my log appears as follows:
>
> 01/14 19:00 # k7uij 258 wa MIke
>
> ON my screen  the program says
>
> "the last number in this contest issued was
> 1
>
> NOte the number sign in each entry which is used to count contest
> entries.  I'll know that the next number I issue will be 2 and so
> on.  LInes without the number sign are not counted so I can use
> them to note band changes and/or different operators.
>
> I've got a little help module for others who might use my station
> for contesting and a dupe checker module.  IF I'm hunting and
> pouncing and forget whether I've worked a particular station I type
>
> dupe followed by the callsign at the prompt.  IT searches the
> contest.log for that callsign.  IF it says zero no matches were
> found and the station's workable.
>
> If you're a reasonably good typist you don't need a lot of speech
> feedback allowing you to concentrate on listening for stations to
> work.  SImple and will run on many antique computers.
>
> Anybody who wants a sample of the batch files and some explanations
> can write me off list and I'll send them along.
> Even without the little date and timestamping program
> they can be quite effective.  IF you go this route acquire
> a good ascii editor for your logs.
>
> I've worked up other modules for station logging using the same
> techniques.  WHen its all done to my satisfaction I"ll publish the
> batch files and doccumentation as a zip file somewhere.  MOst of the
> modules are still works in progress however.
>
> 73 de nf5b
>
>
>
> Richard Webb
>
> Electric Spider Productions
> "They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
> safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."
>
> --- Benjamin Franklin, NOvember 1755 from the
> Historical review of Pennsylvania
>
>
>
>
> Braille:  support true literacy for the blind!