Tech Arsenal 1/Tech Arsenal (Arsenal Computer).ISO/tek-20/k1ea626.zip/RELEASE6

Text File | 1990-04-11 | 17KB | 428 lines

                                                                                                               }                          CT.DOC for Release 6

   Release 6 supports true Multi-Single and Multi-Multi, using
standard PC hardware.  Each computer keeps a complete copy of the log
and is updated via communications lines when other computers log or
update QSO's.  The advantages of multiple, independent copies of the
log are safety, speed and the simplicity of the software.  The
disadvantages are cost (each computer probably requires expanded
memory to hold the entire log) and consistency (one or more computers
may be off line when a QSO is made, so it's log is not as complete as
the others).

   All computers are tied together via their built in communications
ports using simple null modem cables.  A null modem cable must have
pins 2 and 3 "crossed over". That is, pin 2 ties to pin 3 at the other end
and vice versa. Null modem cables are available at computer stores
(including Radio Shack), or can be built using a standard RS-232 cable
and a null modem adapter (also available at Radio Shack). Each computer is
daisy-chained to the next one.  The ends of the daisy-chain can be
used to connect to a TNC, or a computer-controlled radio.

   If you'd like to hook up the center computer to a radio, or a star
configuration is desired, more COM ports are used.  This is done by
using a four port COM board (MS-400A by DFI).  I bought mine from
MicroMuse, 547 Boston Post Road, Marlboro, MA 01752, 508/460-0960,
for $125 from Bob Gross. Set up the board as follows:

    Port  I/O address   Interrupt Request

    COM1    3F8            IRQ4
    COM2    2F8            IRQ3
    COM3    3E8            IRQ2
    COM4    3E0            IRQ5

In my case, I used the built in COM 1 on my Zenith computer, so I set
up the DFI board to be COM 2, 3, 4 and disabled the extra port on the COM
board. Read the DFI manual.

INITIAL SETUP

   In the Information Sheet at the start of the program, you choose
SO, SU, MS or MM. If you've chosen MS or MM, you must fill in a
"Station Number", This is so that the program can record which
computer made each QSO.  Be sure to assign each computer a different
station number.  If a TNC is connected directly to the computer,
select LOCAL.  If a TNC is available on one of the other computers,
select REMOTE.  Traffic to and from the TNC will be passed up and
down the line as necessary, as long as the computers are configured
correctly for LOCAL and REMOTE. Single ops can connect to the tnc and
put out spots, but are not allowed to see the spots and don't get
notified of new mults.

RUN AND MULTIPLIER STATIONS

    Multi-singles need to identify the Run and Multiplier stations.
Set the RUN computer with the text command RUN.  Set the MULT
computer(s) by setting them with the text command MULT.  What you are
shows up in the summary display.  The reason I let you change on the
fly, instead of setting RUN and MULT at startup time, is that you
might want to swap RUN and MULT during the contest without shutting
down.  Each QSO is marked internally as to RUN or MULT, so the two
sets of logs can be printed.  When you print you get a NAME_RUN and a
NAME_MULT set of logs. The run station is notified of mults on HIS
BAND, the mult station is notified of mults on all bands.


REGULAR QSO's

   Just log guys as you always do.  The data is forwarded to all other
computers.


CHANGING QSO's

   Up arrow back as usual.  The changed data will be sent around to
the other computers.


PASSING MULTS

   Use ALT-D to pass mults.  There is a "schedules" window which keeps the
last 10 passes or so.  I haven't put in a key to enable/disable that window.
Any ideas for a good key?

AUTO-SPLIT

   When using computer controlled radios, the "-" key brings up a prompt
for a split transmit frequency.  Kenwood radios are then set to the
split mode and the TX frequency is set properly.

DIRECT FREQUENCY CONTROL

   Direct control of the radio's frequency now sets the frequency of the
current VFO, not VFO A as before.  This way, you won't be surprised by
losing something in the "other" VFO.

WINDOW CONTROL

  The ALT keys for controlling windows have changed somewhat.

  ALTA   ANNOUNCE  (when not single op)
  ALTB   SCHEDULES
  ALTR   RATE
  ALTZ   ZONES
  ALTP   PASS      (when not single op)
  ALTO   PACKET
  ALTS   SUMMARY  (send QTC has moved to ALTL)

  Logging a station still causes the country window to update, but does
NOT force the country window to be visible.


  Here is a summary of keystroke commands directly from the source file
table.

   static unsigned cmd_tbl[][3] =
   {
      {CTL_F,     FORWARD,          SCREEN},
      {CTL_H,     BACK_SPACE,       SCREEN},
      {CTL_B,     BACKWARD,         SCREEN},
      {CTL_A,     START,            SCREEN},
      {CTL_E,     END,              SCREEN},
      {CTL_D,     DL,               SCREEN},
      {CTL_C,     STOP_CW,          CMD},
      {CTL_K,     KILL,             SCREEN},
      {CTL_W,     WIPE,             CMD},
      {CTL_BS,    WIPE,             CMD},
      {CTL_M,     LOGIT,            CMD},
      {CTL_I,     SWITCH_FIELD,     CMD},
      {CURLF,     BACKWARD,         SCREEN},
      {CURRT,     FORWARD,          SCREEN},
      {HOME,      START,            SCREEN},
      {ENDKEY,    END,              SCREEN},
      {DELETE,    DL,               SCREEN},
      {INSERT,    ANS_CQ,           CMD},
      {CTL_P,     BACKWARD_LOG,     CMD},
      {CTL_N,     FORWARD_LOG,      CMD},
      {CURUP,     BACKWARD_LOG,     CMD},
      {CURDN,     FORWARD_LOG,      CMD},
      {ESC,       STOP_CW,          CMD},
      {'+',       LOG_AND_QSL,      CMD},
      {'-',       SEND_SPLIT,       CMD},

      {F1,        SEND_CQ,          CMD},
      {F2,        SEND_EX,          CMD},
      {F3,        SEND_QRZ,         CMD},
      {F4,        SEND_CALL,        CMD},
      {F5,        SEND_HIS_CALL,    CMD},
      {F6,        SEND_F6,          CMD},
      {F7,        SEND_F7,          CMD},
      {F8,        CHK_PARTIAL,      CMD},
      {F9,        CHK_CALL,         CMD},
      {F10,       CHK_CTY,          CMD},

      {AF1,       BAND_DOWN,        CMD}, /* ALT F1 through ALT F10 */
      {AF2,       BAND_UP,          CMD},
      {AF3,       ANNOUNCE_DX,      CMD},
      {AF4,       TOGGLE_FREQ,      CMD},
      {AF5,       NEW_RUNNING_FREQ, CMD},
      {AF7,       SEND_QSO,         CMD},
      {AF8,       WIPE,             CMD},
      {AF9,       SPEED_DOWN,       CMD},
      {AF10,      SPEED_UP,         CMD},

      {SF1,       SET_CQ,           CMD}, /* SHIFT F1 though SHIFT F8 */
      {SF2,       SET_EX,           CMD},
      {SF3,       SET_QRZ,          CMD},
      {SF4,       SET_CALL,         CMD},
      {SF6,       SET_F6,           CMD},
      {SF7,       SET_F7,           CMD},
      {SF8,       CHECK_UNIQUE,     CMD},

      {ALTA,      TOG_ANNOUNCE,     CMD},
      {ALTB,      ENABLE_SKED_WIN,  CMD},
      {ALTC,      TOG_CHECK,        CMD},
      {ALTD,      SEND_PASS,        CMD},
      {ALTE,      SET_SKED,         CMD},
      {ALTF,      SWITCH_TO_TIME,   CMD},
      {ALTH,      SHOW_HELP,        CMD},
      {ALTK,      TOG_KB_MODE,      CMD},
      {ALTL,      EXECUTE_QTC,      CMD},
      {ALTM,      SHOW_MULTS,       CMD},
      {ALTN,      WRITE_NOTE,       CMD},
      {ALTO,      PKT_WIN,          CMD},
      {ALTP,      ENABLE_PASS_WIN,  CMD},
      {ALTR,      ENABLE_RATE_WIN,  CMD},
      {ALTS,      ENABLE_SUM_WIN,   CMD},
      {ALTU,      CHECK_UNIQUE,     CMD},
      {ALTV,      SET_SPEED,        CMD},
      {ALTY,      TOG_MULT_STN,     CMD},
      {ALTZ,      ENABLE_ZONE_WIN,  CMD},
      {CTL_G,     SHOW_LOG,         CMD},
      {PGUP,      BACKWARD_PAGE,    CMD},
      {PGDN,      FORWARD_PAGE,     CMD},
      {' ',       SWITCH_CALL_FIELD,CMD},
      {0,         0,       0},
   };

enum str_commands
{
    QUIT,
    WRITELOG,
    BREAKDOWN,
    AK1AFORMAT,
    DUPESHEET,
    WRITEDUPE,
    SOUND,
    NOSOUND,
    WRITESUM,
    DUMPCLIST,
    MEMLEFT,
    WRITEMULT,
    PRINTMULT,
    SAVELOG,
    TUNE,
    DRSI,
    NODRSI,
    AUTOSAVE,
    NOAUTOSAVE,
    COMPRESS,
    NOCOMPRESS,
    RMDUPES,
    SETUP,
    MULTSTN,
    RUNSTN,
    QSL_MODE,
    NO_QSL_MODE,
    FIXDATE,
    WRITEARRL
};


Rev 6.00


*  Added continuation character for long lines in .CTY file. Place
   a & character at the start of additional lines of prefixes for a
   country. For example:

Shetlands:                14:  GM/s:  GM0VR,GM0CYJ,GM0ERM,GM3RFR,GM3SJA;
&                                     GM3STU;
&                                     GM3TSG,GM3TST,GM3WCH,GM3XFK,GM3XOQ;
&                                     GM3ZET,GM3ZNM,GM4AGX,GM4DQD,GM4GPN;
&                                     GM4GPP,GM4GQD,GM4GQM,GM4IPK/A,GM4JAB;
&                                     GM4JVC,GM4LBE,GM4LER,GM4PXG,GM4SRU;
&                                     GM4SSA,GM4SWU,GM4WXQ,GM4YEL,GM4ZET;
&                                     GM4ZHL,GM0ILB;


Rev 6.01

*  When a radio is configured in INFORMATION SHEET but a comm channel to the
radio is not opened in the SETUP MENU, any access to the radio fails and
hangs the program. This is now fixed and gives a error message.

Rev 6.02

*  The ALT-F key now allows you into the time field of a qso to change the
time.

   There is a new text command: FIXDATE to specify the date you want a qso
to have.

RULE 1:  Save an original copy of your .BIN file on a floppy and put it
         away!!

   If you are editing an old log and do not wish to change the date of
a qso, just use the arrow keys, PgUp, PgDn or CTL-G to place the
cursor on the qso of interest. Hit ALT-F, change the time and hit <CR>.

   If this is a new QSO or you want to change the date, you must first
tell CT what date you want to use by entering the "FIXDATE" command
in the callsign field. After a FIXDATE dvery QSO, new or old, that you
use ALT-F on will get this new date.

   Now that you are free to change dates and times, it is possible to
get the log out of time order. This means that the rate meters and
offtime may be wrong or even negative. CT can't do anything about this.


*  The ALTQ and ALTX keys let you out of the program, but not before you
are asked to confirm.

*  The function keys now work while you are in the packet window.

*  '?' is now a valid character to type in the call field. A call with
an embedded '?' cannot be logged.

*  There is a new text command: RMDUPES. It creates a file called NEW.BIN
which identical to the current .BIN file except all the dupes have been
removed. There are two uses for this command.

1) You are a purist and can't stand to see any dupes in the log.

2) You want to cancel a qso after you have worked the guy. Up arrow to
the bad QSO, then change it to a sure dupe (like the QSO before).
AFTER the contest, run RMDUPES and rename NEW.BIN to whatever you like.

*  For multi-single operations: ALTY changes a run qso to a mult qso and
vice versa.

*  A bug in check partial has been fixed. Calls which were logged then
fixed later were sometimes not found by check partial. KY1H found
this.

Rev 6.05

* ARRL DX from DX side is new and selected in the startup screen in the
contest type form. Select ARDX.

Rev 6.06

*  I finally lost control and bought an IC781. Sure enough, support
for it in CT was not quite right. Among other things, the radio talks
to the program every time its frequency changes. CT now checks for
this and knows when the radio has changed bands. CT and other
radios get "out of sync" until you work a guy on the new band.

Rev 6.09

* SAVELOG and AUTOSAVE now write to a file called NAME.SAV instead of
NAME.BIN. We had a couple of cases where SAVELOG saved a file into itself
and destroyed the .BIN file.

* In all versions of 6 and 5 the following bug occured: In an SSB contest
hitting ALT-K seemed to lock up the keyboard. You could type, but nothing
happened. In reality, the program thought it was in KEYBOARD mode (CW)
but didn't display the CW box. Another ALT-K brought you out, but operators
who caught this mode din't know it and usually rebooted. ALT-K is now
inactive in SSB tests. K3NA found this for me.

* Fixed the "disapearing entry" problem when using up arrow from an
incomplete log entry

Rev 6.10

* When using the space bar to check a call, -DUPE-, ______, or *MULT*
now appear. In addition, there are new sounds from the speaker for these
things.

* The breakdown sheet now reports mults by hour for WPX, VHF QSO PARTY and
ARRL DX from DX side correctly

* IC735 support added

* Fixed SEND SPLIT (the minus key (-)) to select the correct sideband
in a phone test

* serial numbers with 0, 1, or 9 are translated into T, A, N when sending
reports

Rev 6.11

* ICOM radios now go to the correct sideband when bandswitched by CT.

Rev 6.12

* A freshly created .BIN file defaults to COM1 for the TNC,
COM2 for the radio if SETUP is not run. This makes radio and tnc
setup in version 6 backwards compatible with version 5.

* Single Unlimited was not remembered correctly across program reboots and
CT would come back up in Singlre Op after shutting down a Single Unlimited
log. Fixed.


USING RADIOS and TNCs with CT

    There is a new text command called SETUP, for setting up COM
ports.  The presence of radios and tnc's are made known to CT in the
INFORMATION SHEET which appears at startup. The *connection* to the
radio and tnc is established using the text command SETUP from within
CT. Type the word SETUP in the callsign field of the log to start it.
You can now select, for each COM port, a device and baud rate, using
the arrow keys. Hit the Esc Key or Ctrl Enter to leave the screen.
Please be SURE you have the cables (null modem and otherwise) on the
correct ports BEFORE you call KC1EO or K1EA. COM ports are
configured: N 8 1, which means no parity, 8 bits, 1 stop bit.

    CT acts like a dumb terminal to the TNC. Characters entered in the
PACKET Send window go to the TNC after  the <CR> is hit. Characters
received from the TNC are displayed in the PACKET Receive window.

    Kenwood radios use 4800 baud. ICOM radios use 1200 baud.


 QSL MODE

    QSLMODE is a text command that enables a simple qsl lable maker and
turns on a QSL MODE status indicator. Entering a callsign in QSL MODE
causes CT to search for that call in the log and write QSL label
information to a file NAME.QSL. QSO's for more than one band are put
on a label if possible.  Labels can then be printed to single column
3/4 X 3 inch label stock using the DOS PRINT command.  QSLmode is
disabled with the text command NOQSLMODE.

    A standalone program, QSL.EXE is now provided with CT. This program
processes a log in batch mode to generate a label for every station
on every band worked. This program generates an output file NAME.QSL
containing the label information and a master file called MASTER.QSL.
MASTER.QSL is an ASCII file containing a sorted list of all calls
worked with a mark per band indicating bands worked.  When QSL.EXE is
run against subsequent .BIN files, MASTER.DAT is loaded first and QSL
label info is generated for calls and bands that do not appear in
MASTER.QSL. MASTER.QSL is then updated to include the log just processed.
This way, G3FXB receives a QSL for each band the first time you work him,
then never receives another for that band. QSL.EXE is limited to
16,000 different calls, but will be upgraded in the future to 65,000 calls.

POST CONTEST MODE

    POSTCONTEST is a text command that puts CT in a mode for post contest
logging and turns on a POSTCONTEST MODE status indicator. CT logs QSO's
normally, but does not enter a time after each QSO. Use the ALT-F
(enter time) key occasionally to enter the exact time of a QSO. This is
the same system used by high rate operators who log the time every
tenth QSO or ten minutes or every page.

    FILLTIMES is a text command that causes CT to fill in *estimated*
times for each QSO without a time. Estimated times are marked with
a period (.) prior to the callsign.

    FIXDATE is a text command that sets the contest date in post contest
mode. FIXDATE prompts you for a date in the day/month/year or day-month-year
format. Be sure to set the contest date prior to entering the log in
post contest mode. Be sure to set the contest date again for QSO's on the
second day of the contest.