Start a New Contest Log / Open an Existing Contest Log

General

You need to understand a little about how the N1MM Logger stores contacts. The logger stores contacts in an Access 2000 database. Multiple contests can be stored in the same database. Within the database, contest information is stored in two tables. One table is for the contacts, and one is for the contest information shown in the Contest Specifics section of the dialog. In this second table the start date for the contest is stored. This start date does not affect what contacts are associated with that contest. If you log a contact while a particular contest is chosen, that contact is associated with that contest, no matter what the date of the contact or the contest. The contest date is only used to help you identify a particular contest.

The supported contest can be found in the chapter "Supported Contests".

A general log is the contest: DX. To do both CW and SSB in this 'contest' choose Mixed mode.
Selecting SSB or CW will only allow the selected mode.

• Ok - Leave this dialog saving the contents.
• Help - Show the help file for this window.
• Cancel - Leave this dialog without saving the contents.

Sent Exchange: Do not enter the signal report as part of the exchange on this setup page.

Start a new contest log

To start a new contest select 'File | New Log in Database'. 

• In the top part of the dialog a new contest can be selected by clicking on the Log Type handle.
• Fill in the details for your specific situation in the two tabs 'Contest' and 'Associated Files'. More information in the paragraph below.
• The contest selection defaults to the correct mode based on the contest.

• Log Type: Make the choice for the appropriate contest.
• Start date: The date the contest is created in this database. 
• • It is possible to have the same contest several times within the same database. The date tells which contest to use.

Which contests are supported can be found in the chapter 'Supported Contests'.
Check the website for the latest rules and check the contest setup information in chapter 'Contest Setup Instructions'.

Open an Existing Contest Log

To open an existing contest log in the currently selected database. Select: 'File | Open Log in Database' 

• In the top part of the dialog the currently available contest logs can be selected by clicking on it.
• Contest specific changes can be made in the tabs 'Contest' and 'Associated Files'. More information in the paragraph below.

Contest Specific Information

Tab: Contest

• Operator Category: Make a choice for your situation.
  Choices are:
  • SINGLE-OP
  • SINGLE-OP-ASSISTED
  • MULTI-ONE
  • MULTI-TWO
  • An identifier is needed for Station 1 and Station 2 that must be specified when setting up initially.
    Each time the program is loaded or contest changed the program asks to set Station 1 or 2.
  • MULTI-MULTI
  • SCHOOL-CLUB
  • CHECKLOG
  • SINGLE-OP-PORTABLE
  • ROVER
  • MULTI-UNLIMITED
  • MULTI-LIMITED
• Band Category: Make a choice for your situation.
  Choices are:
  • ALL
  • 160M
  • 80M
  • 40M
  • 20M
  • 15M
  • 10M
  • LIMITED
  • CHECKLOG
• Power Category: Make a choice for your situation.
  Choices are:
  • HIGH
  • LOW
  • QRP
  • MEDIUM
• Mode Category: Make a choice for your situation.
  Choices are:
  • CW
  • SSB
  • RTTY
  • PSK
  • MIXED
• Overlay Category: Make a choice for your situation.
  Choices are:
  • N/A (default)
  • ROOKIE
  • BAND-LIMITED
  • TB-WIRES (tri-bander and wires)
  • OVER-50
  • HQ
  • NOVICE-TECH

  The category overlay of the log submission when appropriate. In CQ-WPX CW and CQ-WPX-SSB, category overlay may be any combination of ROOKIE, BAND-LIMITED, TB-WIRES. In STEW-PERRY,category overlay may be OVER-50. In IARU-HF, category overlay may be HQ. In PACC category overlay may be NOVICE-TECH.

• Sent Exchange: Contest-dependent, mostly a number, zone, state etc
  • Enter the exchange without the RS(T) !!
  • The result will be extra RST lines in the output files (Cabrillo, generic file output) !
  • The program will give a warning when a RST (alike information) will be entered.
  • • Warning: "Don't put signal report in the sent exchange. It will cause incorrect cabrillo output."

• Operators: Enter here all the callsigns from the operators. Clicking the button 'Update Ops from Log' will do this for you (most useful after the contest..).
  • Update Ops from Log - Clicking this button will transfer all operators from the contest log in the operators field.

• Soapbox comments: Give your comments on the contest, results, propagation etc. This text is cleared when selecting a new contest.

• Section Lists 
• • Selection list: State for Log Type QSOPARTY
  • These selection buttons are only shown when the contest has a selection list (like QSO parties).
  • In the example above the QSO party for the state CA (California) has been selected which has 2 contacts/qso's in it.
  • Button: Edit Section List: Edit the contest section file for the selected contest. 
  • A dialog will be shown where an abbreviation and a key can be entered.
  • Button: Import Section List: Importing the contest section file for the selected contest.  
  • • This section list is used to determine multipliers (States, Provinces etc.) for the contest which will be shown in the Multiplier window.
    • The name of the list is hardcoded and will be shown while importing the file. Example name: IOTA.SEC
    • Updating this file can be done with a Text editor like 'Notepad' when when rules have changed and sections need updating.

• Button: Show Rules (Internet access required): Goes to the website from the contest sponsor on the Internet where the rules can be found. Some contest sponsors think it is easy to change the page within the webiste or even the whole website every year. Please contact us to update this entry when this happens...

Tab: Associated Files

• Master.DTA Filename: Shows the selected master.dta file for this specific contest-specific (not contest instance-specific). 
• • E.g all qso parties will use the same master.dta filename. 
  • Defaults to master.dta.
    • The Change button gives the possibility to select a different master.dta file for this contest type.

Note: Be sure to always load the most recent (and right) CTY.DAT file before entering a contest. Download the most recent country file from the Internet using 'Download latest country file (wl_cty.dat) (Internet)' in the Tools menu AND import it into the current database using 'Import country list from downloaded file'.

• SSB Function Key Filename - Select the SSB function keys to import with this contest. A path is allowed when selecting the file.
• • The Change button gives the possibility to select a filename for this contestlog.
  • The Clear button clears the selected filename.

• CW Function Keys - Select the CW function keys to import with this contest. A path is allowed when selecting the file.
• • The Change button gives the possibility to select a filename for this contestlog.
  • The Clear button clears the selected filename.

• Digital Function Keys - Select the Digital Interface function keys to import with this contest (not the extra keys from the Digital Interface). A path is allowed when selecting the file.
• • The Change button gives the possibility to select a filename for this contestlog.
  • The Clear button clears the selected filename.