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




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