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1991-05-29
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The CaGen Expediter is placed in the public domain by CaGen Software for
the enjoyment and use of radio amateurs. CaGen Software makes no warranty or
guarantee regarding its performance.
This program is 100% machine language and written for IBM and compatible
personal computers using DOS version 3.2 or higher. It provides the ability (if
selected) to operate keyboard CW and transmit user-programmable messages and
calling sequences with a multi-mode terminal controller. The program can be
used for contests in all modes.
We urge you to make a backup copy of the program disk, using either the
COPY or DISKCOPY commands available in DOS. Use the backup copy for operation.
Minimum hardware requirements are:
PC(MS)-DOS v 3.2
CGA, EGA or VGA Color
190K free memory
One disk drive
A word about Terminal Controllers:
We used the AEA PK-232 in developing this program. We did not try any
other type of controller, but an operator who fully understands proper command
usage for his own controller unit should experience no difficulty using this
software. We made every effort to provide the ability to "talk" with any brand
of controller.
CaGen Software
4821 Rosecroft Street
Virginia Beach, VA 23464
General Information
Your disk should include the following programs:
1. INITIATE.EXE
2. GENFILE.EXE
3. LOGGER.EXE
4. PRINTLOG
5. PRINTDUP
INITIATE.EXE is usually not used except as you set up the program on a
computer for the first time. It is used to specify items for program operation
and to generate an environment file.
GENFILE.EXE is a program that will create a specific log and a ".BAT" file
for the particular contest you intend to operate and log. Once created, the
name you choose for your file will serve as the command to start the log
itself.
LOGGER.EXE is the program file that is the heart of the CaGen Expediter.
It is alwaysed used when operating a contest or running a log, but will normally
be activated through the ".BAT" file mentioned in GENFILE.EXE above. As you
look at the programs in more detail, you will see how they work together.
PRINTLOG.EXE does exactly what its name implies. It is run after the
contest to print out the contents of the log file.
PRINTDUP.EXE is a program that will read the log, sort its contents and
print the Dupe Sheet required for most contests. PRINTDUP.EXE will handle file
sizes up to 3200 contacts.
INITIATE (Preparing the Disk Drive and Hardware Environment)
To use a hard disk drive, make an appropriate directory to hold the
program and log files. After doing so, copy the programs from your disk to this
directory.
To use floppy disk drive(s), place your program disk in Drive A.
Once you have the programs properly located (either floppy or hard drive)
enter the command "INITIATE". You will see a screen indicating the current
disk drive in the first field and the second field will be blank, but is the one
in which you would see a subdirectory if appropriate. These two fields are for
information only.
You will be asked to enter the CPU speed (either 4 or 8 MHz). This is
used to set the best sound characteristics for logging, dupe and error notifica-
tion.
If your CPU is faster than 8 MHz, the sound will be of short duration, but
operation will not be otherwise affected. Choose the figure closest to your
computer speed.
The next two prompts allow you to choose disk drive and directory for the
program and log files. You may select the same drive and specify a subdirectory
if you wish. You might wish to run the Expediter on your hard drive, but write
all log files to another drive, such as a floppy or another hard drive.
When entering a path designation, do NOT enter the drive designator
again. for instance, assume that you wish to place files in the following
hard drive location: C:\ham\cagen. To accomplish this, you would simply enter
"C" (no quotes) in the Drive field. Then in the next field, just enter the
following: "ham\cagen" - (again - no quotes).
When you have made your choices, depress the "F1" key to close the
INITIATE program and generate a permanent Environment file (LOGGER.ENV). It
will not be necessary to run INITIATE again unless you wish to change these
settings.
GENFILE (Preparing for the contest)
The GENFILE program will create a data file and prepare a ".BAT" file to
start the Expediter using that data file. Assume you plan to enter the 1991
Sweepstakes Contest. You can generate a file called "SS91.CW" or "SS91CW.LOG"
or whatever you wish to call it. While it is not necessary to use the specific
extension "LOG", it IS mandatory that an extension of some type be used in
naming this file.
For illustration, use "SS91.CW". Type the following: GENFILE SS91.CW.
The program creates a file of that name and it also makes a file called
"SS91.BAT", which will serve as a "starter" for the new log. Type "SS91" to
begin the program. You will see a menu of options, starting with one one the
left side of the screen which allows you to select the method for dupe checking
of contacts and whether you want to activate the CW Keyboard. Once these two
choices are made and you leave the options menu, this log will retain the two
settings whenever it is re-started. These two options cannot be changed in this
particular log. Another log can always be prepared using GENFILE if you wish to
have different choices for dupe checking or CW keyboard.
If you activated the keyboard, you will now see that a third menu has
appeared below the original two. This is used to specify the TNC control
characters and any stored messages. These changes can be made by "stepping" the
cursor to the appropriate field and enterning the desired information.
Before doing this, you should continue with the upper right-hand menu,
which allows you to set choices such as Band, Mode, Set Time, Set Date, etc.
If you wish to change any of these items, move the cursor to the field
using your cursor control keys or depress ENTER at each item to accept it as it
is currently shown and moving the cursor down to the next field. At the field
you wish to change, enter a "Y" to indicate that you do want to change it and
then enter the information you want in the field.
When entering BAND or MODE you can use any designators up to 3 characters.
For example, you can enter "160", "1.8", "80", "3.5", etc. for BAND and you can
enter "CW", "A1", "A3", "SSB" or whatever you choose for MODE as long as it is 3
characters or less in length. Note: if you are dupe checking, you must be
consistent in your use of these designators. "3.5" and "80" are two distinct
bands - "CW" and "A1" are also distinctly different and will cause your dupe
check to fail.
RST: To enter sent and received reports during the contest or logging
period leave this field blank. Press "Y" to enter default RST and after
entering the CALL and pressing ENTER or TAB the CURSOR will step to the
receive report field in the event you wish to make a change from the default
value. To cause the CURSOR to go directly to the EXCHANGE field enter an
"N" and report fields will be blank.
If you reset either time or date, the new setting will only take place in
the computer's RAM - this is a temporary change and the original time or date
will return when the program is restarted.
The last menu, which only appears if you have chosen the CW keyboard
option, is one which allows you to specify the COMM Port (default is 1), the
"Command Character" for your TNC (default is CTRL-C), the CW start character
(default is "X"), the CW Receive character (default is "R", the "DE" callsign to
be sent (Default is none) and the CQ message and two "variable' messages.
The various characters used for "Command", "CW start" and"CW receive
depend upon the instructions for your particular TNC. The defaults are those
which we know to work with the AEA PK 232 controller.
'CQ MESSAGE"
What you enter here can be transmitted as your CQ message. For example,
you may wish to always call CQ using this sequence:
"CQ SS de W4HIR W4HIR SS K"
This message can be changed at any time during the contest by using the
Options Menu.
"EXCHANGE MESSAGE"
Enter any message you want to send for the exchange. If you want to
insert a serial number in this exchange, just place "@" (no quotation marks) at
the appropriate spot.
If you wanted to send an exchange that was "599 (Ser #) VA", you would
enter " 599 @ VA".
"VARIABLE MESSAGES" (F2 and F8 keys)
These can be any messages you might want to send during operation, or they
can even be command sequences. For example, you might prefer to operate at 33
WPM as your "normal" speed during a contest, but occasionally you might find it
helpful to slow down for a particular station. If you entered "CTRL-C MSP 24"
in the first variable message and "CTRL-C MSP 33" in the second variable
message, you would be able to switch speeds just by tapping the F2 key for slow
and the F8 key for fast. You can put anything you want to in these two spots.
The entries for these two messages will only be active as long as the
program runs uninterrrupted. If you stop the program and later restart it, it
will be necessary to set the variable messages again.
When you finish making all of the above entries, the cursor will jump
back up to the original menu (RED) in the upper left corner of the screen. If
you are satisfied with all settings, you can move the cursor to the next menu
(GREEN) and from this spot you may depress "Esc" to move to the actual logging
program.
At this point you are looking at the options menu which is superimposed
over the logging screen. If you depress the ENTER key (default) you will see
the menu disappear and the logging screen is ready for your first entry.
Rather than going through every step of logging, we now direct your
attention to the following two pages which detail the special key combinations
used in the program. They should allow you to use all of the program features.
Have fun! If you like the program and care to support us in our
programming efforts, please send whatever donation you feel is appropriate.
Like Bartles and James - "We thank you for your support!"
Please contact us with comments, suggestions or questions about the
Expediter program.
SPECIAL KEYS
1
Logging Screen Function Keys
----------------------------
F1 = MENU
ESC = Abort QSO (Clear entry), blanks the CALL and EXCHANGE fields.
SHFT+TAB = Step to PREVIOUS field, moves cursor counter clockwise through
the fields.
TAB = Step to NEXT field, moves cursor clockwise through the fields.
Search/Display Screen Function Keys
----------------------------------
F1 = Display MENU
SHFT+TAB = Step to PREVIOUS field. When a record is displayed, will move the
cursor counter-clockwise through the fields.
TAB = Step to NEXT field. When a record is displayed, this will step the
cursor clockwise through the fields.
HOME = Display first six log records.
END = Display last six log records.
SPECIAL KEYS
2
Logging Screen Functions which apply ONLY when CW keyboard activated.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
F1 = Log MENU
F2 = Transmit Variable message one.
F3 = Transmit CQ message.
F4 = Transmit the following message: "SRI QSO B4".
F5 = Transmit the "de" message (HISCALL de URCALL).
F7 = Transmit the EXCHANGE message.
F8 = Transmit Variable message two.
F9 = Enable "one-liner". Enter up to 80 characters, which will be
transmitted as soon as entered. Press ENTER or ESC to cancel.
(Note: If your "one-liner" exceeds 80 characters, the function
will automatically end at the 80th character, but if you wish to
continue a comment you may depress F9 again and continue on for
another 80 characters, which will be "chained" to the first
transmission. You can carry on an entire QSO in this fashion,
if the need arises.
PageUp = Transmit call showing in the CALL field (HISCALL).
PageDwn = Transmit your call stored in the DE message (URCALL)
CTRL+PgDn = Transmit DE + your call stored in the DE message (de URCALL).
Home = Transmit "QSL ".
End = Transmit "TU " (Thank You).
CTRL+End = Transmit "QRZ ".
` or ~ = Transmit "?". (These are the Accent Grave or Tilde characters).
You will find these keys very useful in contesting and we encourage
you to experiment with their use. As an example, in the last contest we
ran, we found it helpful in a QSO to use the following sequence of keys:
1. "PageUp - F7"
(HISCALL + EXCHANGE) [Pause for his response]
2. "Home+End+^End+^PageDwn"
(QSL+TU+QRZ+de URCALL K) [Ready for another call]
There are numerous possibilities here and you will soon discover
the combinations that are best for your situation, whether you are
"running them" on a single frequency or are searching and calling in
response to others.