Simtel MSDOS 1992 June

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AUTOLOG (c) Copyright 1987, 1988, 1989 Rich Bono, NM1D 7 Redfield Circle Derry, New Hampshire 03038 AutoLog is designed to help you with the day-to-day operation of your ICOM radio. It will allow you to control the frequency, mode, and other controls of your radio from your IBM compatible computer. Additionally AutoLog will help you to "automate" your log book. It will keep its entire log in the computers "fast" RAM memory to allow you almost "instantaneous" recall of past contacts. This way, the second time you work a station (and you will know within a moment) you can greet the operator and know his name and other information from the previous log entry. This version of AutoLog is being distributed as SHAREWARE. You are allowed to use AutoLog on a trial basis for a limited period of time. After the trial period, you must register your use of AutoLog with the author. Remember, AutoLog is NOT in the public domain, and as such it is NOT free software. If you find AutoLog helpful in anyway, or you wish to promote further improvements to AutoLog, please send an appropriate amount to the author at the above address. If you send $25.00 or more, you will be placed on the update list to be informed when a newer version of AutoLog is available. You may give another person a copy of AutoLog as long as all the following terms are met: 1) You do NOT make any profit by distributing AutoLog. 2) You must only distribute a complete copy of AutoLog and all of its files and this documentation unchanged in any way. 3) If you distribute more than 5 copies of AutoLog, you MUST register with the author, and obtain permission before you may distribute any further copies. 4) Non-Profit organizations, and NO-COST communications and archive services may distribute AutoLog, as long as they are not charging for any copies, and that they do not charge users for connect time. Required Equipment AutoLog requires an IBM-PC/XT/AT computer or compatible with MS-DOS (version 3 or later) to operate properly. The computer must have an RS-232 port available to be connected to your ICOM radio (COM1 or COM2). AutoLog uses all available RAM (up to 640K) during its use. Therefore the more RAM that you have available to be used by AutoLog, the more contacts can be stored. With 640K of RAM, AutoLog will allow more than 5000 contacts per log. AutoLog uses ICOM's CI-V interface to communicate with the radio. Most of the newer ICOM radios include this interface. Some of the older ICOM radios can have this option installed (IE: IC-751, IC471, IC-271, IC-1271, R-71). Note that this is NOT the EX-309 parallel interface, but the UX-14 serial interface, contact ICOM for information about whether your radio supports the CI-V type of interface. To allow your computers RS-232 port to communicate using the ICOM CI-V system, you will need a RS-232 to CI-V converter. This can be purchased from ICOM (the CT-17 option) or you may build one yourself. The circuit is not very difficult, and a schematic of a suitable interface is found in some of the ICOM manuals to allow you to build one. WARNING: Do not simply connect your RS-232 computer port directly to the ICOM CI-V connector without using a converter!!! Doing this will most probably damage your computer or your radio or both!! Installation AutoLog must be configured for use with your particular ICOM radio before it can be used. Each ICOM radio is assigned (by the factory) a unique CI-V address or identification number (unique to each model number). For example, all ICOM IC-735's are set by the factory to have a CI-V ID number of 4. AutoLog must know the proper ID for the radio that you are using. To allow for use with any of the ICOM radios, AutoLog reads its initialization file to determine the ID of the radio, and other important information. If you execute AutoLog for the first time, or if AutoLog can't find its initialization file "AUTOLOG.INI", you will be asked several questions and the initialization file will be created for you. You may check the AutoLog initialization file "AUTOLOG.INI" to be sure all of the settings are correct for your installation. The "AUTOLOG.INI" file has documentation in it to help you properly configure your environment. It allows you to specify the following information: RADIOPORT (1 or 2) - The COM port that is connected to your radio, initially set to use COM1. RADIOID - The CI-V address of your ICOM radio. Note: If you are using the UX14 adapter, the radio address (S2) switch settings on the UX14 must match the RADIOID being used by AUTOLOG. Also, the baud rate switches must be set for 1200 baud (S1 switch 1 & 2). LOGFILE - The name of the initial file to keep your log entries in (initially set to "AUTOLOG.LOG") LOCATION - Used for customization of some printed outputs, set this to your callsign and location. For example: 'NM1D' Derry, NH LATITUDE - The Latitude of your station. This is used for bearing and distances. Entered as decimal degrees (not in minutes and seconds). LONGITUDE - The Longitude of your station. This is used for bearing and distances. Entered as decimal degrees (not in minutes and seconds). POWER - The normal output power level of your station. This is used for the log. Initially set to 100. TIMEZONE - The time zone of your station. This is used to correct your computers clock for the difference in time between your local time and GMT. Initially set to GMT5EDT. DUPLICATES - This can be set so that AutoLog will not allow duplicate contacts to be entered into the log by default. Initially set to allow duplicates. PRINTECHO - This can be set so AutoLog will default to print each contact as it is entered into the log. Make sure your printer is ON! Initially set to off. SKIPRXRPT - This setting causes the default RX signal report to be forced so that you do not have to enter any value. The default report is 599 for CW operation, and 59 for all other modes. This setting may be helpful for contest situations where you want to streamline operations as much as possible. Set SKIPRXRPT=1 to force the use of the default RX signal report. Set SKIPRXRPT=0 to allow entry of the signal report. SKIPTXRPT - This setting causes the default TX signal report to be forced so that you do not have to enter any value. The default report is 599 for CW operation, and 59 for all other modes. This setting may be helpful for contest situations where you want to streamline operations as much as possible. Set SKIPTXRPT=1 to force the use of the default TX signal report. Set SKIPTXRPT=0 to allow entry of the signal report. Note: The CI-V interface is set to the factory to use 1200 baud. AutoLog is set to use this baud rate. Also, the "transceive" CI-V mode should be enabled (this is the default factory setting for most ICOM radios). As you can see, AutoLog can be configured in several different ways. This is to allow you flexibility in how you want AutoLog to operate. See the AUTOLOG.INI file for more information. Note: To make changes to AUTOLOG.INI only use a standard ASCII TEXT editor. If you must use a word processor to make changes to the file, you MUST use the word processor in plain ASCII, (or NON-DOCUMENT) mode, as most word processors add information to the file that AutoLog will NOT understand. If you desire to change or create a new AUTOLOG.INI file, you can either edit the current AUTOLOG.INI file, run CONFIGUR.EXE, or delete AUTOLOG.INI and run AUTOLOG. When you delete the AUTOLOG.INI file, AUTOLOG will ask you to supply the important information it needs, and then create a new AUTOLOG.INI for you. To help you set up your AUTOLOG.INI file, the program CONFIGUR.EXE has been supplied. This program will ask you several questions, and then create the file AUTOLOG.INI. Any previous version of the AUTOLOG.INI file will be renamed to AUTOLOG.xxx, where 'xxx' is a number starting with '000'. The first file will be AUTOLOG.000, the next AUTOLOG.001, etc. You may delete these files if you do not wish to save them. Note: CONFIGUR is also built into AUTOLOG. That is, if AUTOLOG can't find "AUTOLOG.INI" it will prompt you for the information that it needs, and then it will create the file "AUTOLOG.INI". Before trying to execute the AutoLog program, your ICOM radio must be turned on, and connected to your computer via the proper RS-232 port. If you execute AutoLog and your computer seems to "lock-up", then there may be something wrong with the interface between the radio and your computer. It may be that you are using the wrong serial port, or that the cables are not correct. Be sure that your RS-232 to CI-V interface has power and that the proper RADIOID has been specified to match that being used by your particular radio. When you execute AutoLog, it will attempt to read some information from your radio. This may cause your radio to change to VFO A. You should not perform this operation while you are transmitting or in contact with another station. Use of AutoLog AutoLog is designed to allow the casual use of your radio and computer together as if they were designed to work together. The computer becomes an extension of some of the front panel controls of your radio. You can use either the radio or the computer to control frequency, mode, etc. To tune the radio from the keyboard, select the digit that you would like to change with the LEFT and RIGHT arrow keys, then change the frequency up or down as desired with the UP and DOWN arrow keys. You may enter a frequency (in Kilohertz) directly by pressing the F8 key, enter the frequency, the press ENTER. The VFO currently being used may be selected with the F6 key. Modes may be selected by holding down the SHIFT key and pressing the F6 key. If you desire to use the memory channels, Press SHIFT-F8, then enter the channel number. Then by using the vfo selection (F6), select the memory channel. You may move the frequency from the memory channel to the current vfo by pressing F7, or the current frequency can be written to the selected memory channel by pressing SHIFT-F7. Note that all ICOM radios do not have the same features. AutoLog has been designed to work with the widest range of ICOM radios, but all features of each radio may not be supported. Also keep in mind the limits of your radio, IE: if your radio only has 12 memory channels (IE: IC-735), don't try and enter memory channel 99, it just won't work! You may also note that some modes may not be supported, IE: the IC-735 doesn't have a RTTY mode, but if you cycle through the different modes with the SHIFT-F6 key, you will see RTTY displayed on the front panel of the IC-735 (but the radio won't function). Here is a summary of the functions keys that control the radio: Key(s) Action ________________ ____________________________________ Left/Right Arrow Select frequency digit to be changed Up/Down Arrow Tune frequency up or down F6 Select VFO or MEMory channel SHIFT-F6 Change Mode F7 Move frequency from current memory channel to the current vfo SHIFT-F7 Write current frequency into current memory channel F8 Enter frequency (in Kilohertz) SHIFT-F8 Select new memory channel As you tune around, and find a station that you would like to call, initially enter the stations call sign, and press the ENTER key. If you have worked the station before, AutoLog will display the last several logged information about previous contacts with that particular station and get ready for further information about the contact. Note: The display of previously worked stations has the MOST recent contact on the TOP of the screen, and older contacts towards the bottom of the screen. This is in contrast to viewing a 'normal' log page with the NEWEST entries at the BOTTOM of the screen. If you decide not to work the station at this time, press the ESC (escape) key. This will abort this entry and not place any information in the log. Note that you can abort a contact, up until you press the ENTER key when in the "COMMENTS" field. Once you press the ENTER key when you are in the COMMENTS field, you have entered this contact into the log. AutoLog uses the time that your entered the stations call sign as the "START" time of the contact, and uses the time that you press the ENTER key when in the "COMMENTS" field as the "END" time for the contact. Therefore, if you desire the end time in the log to reflect the actual end-of-contact time, then wait until then end of the contact to press the ENTER key when in the COMMENTS field. If you want to simply perform a check to see if a station is in the log, but do not want to start the log entry procedure, simply enter the call sign and press the "Call Check" key (F2 or control-ENTER). AutoLog will inform you if the callsign is in the log. If you desire to work this station, simply press the ENTER key to begin the log entry procedure. As a quick check of a call sign, you may enter a partial call and then press F2 or control-ENTER. AutoLog will search through its in memory database looking for any calls that contain the string of characters that you have entered, displaying any that match. Of course, you will have to delete the partial call and re-enter the call sign in full if you wish to enter this call into your log. You may delete the partial call by using the BACKSPACE key for each letter you entered, or simply press the ESC key. Determining Bearing and Distances AutoLog contains a callsign lookup table in the file "AUTOLOG.PRE". This file is used to determine the bearing to a station by its callsign prefix. To make use of this feature, enter a call sign and press the "heading" key (F3). Autocall will search through the AUTOLOG.PRE file, and will calculate and display the short and long path bearing and distance to all entries that match the prefix of the callsign that you have entered. This may take a few seconds to search through all the prefixes in the list. You may add any prefixes that you like in the AUTOLOG.PRE file, but you MUST follow the format of the data currently in the file. Only use a standard ASCII text editor to change the file. Use of the log AutoLog allow you to search through the log entries for various information. A search is done for a callsign entered and if found will display the last several log entries for that callsign. You may use feature to look for information for a particular call sign. For example, if you want to see the last few entries for W1XYZ, then enter W1XYZ at the call prompt and then press F2. If there are any entries for W1XYZ in the current log, they will be displayed. If you want to search for some information that is in the comment field that you have entered, press F9 and enter the information that you are searching for. For example, you want to know what stations you have worked from New Hampshire; press F9, then enter NH (or whatever you are searching for). If AutoLog finds 'NH' in the log, it will display the log entries. Note that you must enter the information correctly; if you entered "New Hampshire" in the comment field, then searching for "NH" will not find the entries with "New Hampshire" in them. Keep your searches simple. After you have several entries in your log, try various searches so you can understand how the search mechanism works. You can also browse through the log with the HOME, END, PAGE UP, PAGE DOWN, CONTROL-PAGE UP, and CONTROL-PAGE DOWN keys. HOME and END display the log either from the start or to the end of the log. The PAGE UP/DOWN keys move the display of the log 'page' up or down one contact. The CONTROL PAGE UP/DOWN keys move the display of the log up or down one 'page' at a time. The log can be printed in a couple of ways. At anytime you desire a printout of the current log, simply press SHIFT-F4. Be sure you printer is ready, has paper loaded, and is "on-line", or AutoLog will seem to hang while it attempts to output to the printer. If you would like to have your contacts printed as you make them, then press F4 to enable 'printer echo'. This will output each log entry as it is made. Again, be sure that your printer is ONLINE and ready to print or AutoLog will seem to 'hang'. If you have made a lot of contacts, and you want to be sure that the contacts made have been written to disk, press F1 (update log). This will write any additions to the current log, and allow you to continue with your operations. The log is also saved automatically for you if you exit the AutoLog program. You may keep several logs. Perhaps you desire to keep a separate log for each band, or for a particular contest. AutoLog is setup to default to the "AUTOLOG.LOG" file for the current log (this can be changed, see the "AUTOLOG.INI" file). If you desire to use a different log, press SHIFT-F1, and enter a legal MS-DOS filename to use for the new log (note: AutoLog saves the current log before attempting to read in a new file). AutoLog will now use this log for any contacts. If the log name entered is an existing file, AutoLog will first read in the contents of that log into memory, and any additional contacts will be added to the end of that file. If AutoLog has any trouble opening the specified file, you will be returned to DOS. AutoLog uses a default file extension of ".LOG" for its log files. If you don't specify an extension to your file names, ".LOG" will be used. To see a list of all files that end in ".LOG" for the current directory press SHIFT-F1 followed by ENTER. This will give a list of all files that have the ".LOG" extension. To see a list of other files, press SHIFT-F1, and then enter a wild card pattern for the search of files (IE: *.*). AutoLog will print a list of files. To open the desired file, press SHIFT-F1 and then enter the proper file name (if the file is other than a ".LOG" file them you must enter the full file name with its extension). When entering contacts, AutoLog will use the default power level. If you change output power level for a few contacts, you may press SHIFT-F3 and enter the new power level before you make those contacts. If you are going to change the power level permanently, it is best to change the default power level kept in the AUTOLOG.INI file. If you are making contacts in a contest situation that does not allow a callsign to be worked more than once, you may put AutoLog in the 'don't allow duplicate callsigns' mode. To do this press SHIFT-F2 to toggle the "DUP" mode ON or OFF as desired. When DUPs is OFF, AutoLog will beep, and not allow the callsign of a station already in the log to be entered into the log again, although you may still display the previously worked contact by entering the callsign and pressing F2 or CONTROL-ENTER. Here is a summary of the function keys to manage the log: Key(s) Action _______________ ____________________________________________ F1 Update the current log on disk SHIFT-F1 Change to a different log F2 Check the current callsign to see if it is in the log SHIFT-F2 Toggle the duplicate mode on and off F3 Calculate the current bearing and distance to the indicated callsign SHIFT-F3 Change the default power level F4 Toggle the printer echo on and off SHIFT-F4 Print the current log F9 Search the comment field of the current log CONTROL-ENTER Check the current callsign to see if it is in the log (same as F2) HOME Display log entries starting at the beginning of the current log END Display log entries starting at the end of the current log PAGE UP Scroll displayed log 'page' up one line CONTROL-PAGE UP Display previous 'page' of the current log PAGE DOWN Scroll displayed log 'page' down one line CONTROL-PAGE DOWN Display next 'page' of the current log AutoLog Display Screen AutoLog has a simple display to make operation easy. The top line of the display will show the current date and time (in GMT), the current frequency and mode, and the current memory channel. If the time is not correct, either your computers real time clock is not set correctly, or the TIMEZONE variable is not set correctly in the AUTOLOG.INI file. The status line (below the top line) will display the amount of free ram available for more log entries, the current status of DUP mode, and printer echo, the number of contacts (QSO's) in the current log, and approximately how many more contacts (~QSO's) will fit in the amount of memory that AutoLog has to work with. Keep an eye on both the amount of free RAM, and the approximate number of contacts left in the current log. It is important to save the current log and switch to a new log file (one with a different file name) BEFORE you run out of RAM!! This is why AutoLog displays these figures. You can consider these numbers to be similar to a fuel gauge, you don't want to overfill the tank! The log entries will be displayed below the status line. Either the previous entries for the a callsign, or other data will be displayed here. At the bottom of the screen is the log entry area. It will start by prompting for a callsign. After the callsign is entered, it will prompt for a received signal report, and then for a transmitted signal report. The displayed signal report can be used by simply pressing the ENTER key, or a desired signal report can be input, and then stored by pressing the ENTER key. The next field is the "comment" field, you may enter the stations location and the operators name, or any other information that you desire here. The information entered in the comment field can be later searched, so to make the searches simple, you should try to always enter data in the same format; for example, always enter the name of states the same way, either with the two letter initials, or by fully spelling the state (IE: NH or New Hampshire). If you are not consistent in the method of entering information in the comment field, you may have a difficult time trying to search for particular information. Also note that AutoLog only displays the first several characters of the comment field on the screen. The whole comment as you entered it will be stored in the log file, and can be printed to your printer. You should enter the most important information at the beginning of the comment field to allow you to see it on the screen. Below the log entry area, a reminder line is displayed to help you remember what function will be performed for the different "function keys". Data file format The data files used by AutoLog (IE: "AUTOLOG.LOG") contain simple ASCII data. You may edit these files IF YOU MUST, but be aware that each line MUST contain a CERTAIN number of characters, INCLUDING SPACES. If you disturb the contents of one of these files, then that file MAY BECOME USELESS!!! The starting and ending contact time is kept in seconds from 00:00:00 GMT, January 1, 1970. The frequency is kept in Hertz. The mode data is a digit from 0 to 6 (LSB, USB, AM, CW, RTTY, FM, SSB). Other data is text. Summary of Keys Here is a simple summary of the function keys used, you may print this out, and trim this section with a pair of scissors to keep next to your keyboard for easy reference. SHIFT SHIFT SHIFT SHIFT SHIFT SHIFT SHIFT SHIFT SHIFT SHIFT F1 F2 F3 F4 F5 F6 F7 F8 F9 F10 ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ --- New DUP Power Print Mode VFO>M Channel Log Toggle Level Log Change Change ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ --- Update Check Headng PrtEcho VFO MEM>V Freq Search Call Change Cmmnts ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ --- F1 F2 F3 F4 F5 F6 F7 F8 F9 F10 Other keys: Key Action __________ ____________________________________________ ESC Reset the log area of the screen ALT-X Exit AutoLog PAGE UP Scroll displayed log 'page' up one line Ctrl-PAGE UP Display previous 'page' of the current log PAGE DOWN Scroll displayed log 'page' down one line Ctrl-PAGE DOWN Display next 'page' of the current log HOME Display the first page of the current log END Display the last page of the current log Ctrl-ENTER Check to see if entered callsign is in the current log (same as F2) Notes: IBM is a registered trademark of International Business Machines Corporation MS-DOS is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation