Insert QSO

 

 

 

This is the Insert QSO window: in the box CALL you either can digit the callsign on the red callsign in the white band, or transfer it from the Spot Windows through a double click on the red callsign. (Warnng: to get this option available the checkbox Spot > QSO in the SETUP > ALERTS of the Packet Cluster window must be tagged). If you want to erase the Callsign to enter another Callsign without saving the QSO,  Refresh procedure, double-click on the pale yellow Info  strip or hit CTRL+Z. We strongly recommend this procedure instead a simple change of the call in the proper field because in this way all inserted data will be canceled and no residual data will be conserved either in this form or in the Custom Award form that could be incorrect with second inserted callsign. The data in the fields Name and QTH are taken from the Callbook or from da QRZ.com through a subscription. Please see Start for the Callbook settings. The CAT BKT key allows to interface the CAT softwares by IZ2BKT. The key F10 gets the Manager from the internal database, F11 gets the manager from the IK3QAR's on-line database, and Mng Qrz gets the data from www.qrz.com. Ins Mng inserts a new manager in the database.  The QSOs can be logged live  A  or in a later time  M  . Usually the QSOs are logged with TIME OFF one minute more than TIME ON, anyway, for those who like to be exatc, it is possible to log the correct times in this way: starting the QSO press F7 key: the TIME ON locks and TIME OFF is updated by the internal clock of the PC.

 

 

A double-click on the grid of the FILTERED SPOTS GRID also opens the New QSO window:

 

 

In case you digit the callsign, pressing Enter or TAB the software looks for the data in the internal Callbook (RAC, Worldcall or Radamato) has been sat, the search will be on the CD ROM or to the HD if the data have been copied on a folder of the HD. Moreover, on RAC and Worldcall is not possible to found  special callsigns or DXpedition callsigns recently released. Setting RAC or Worldcall as callbook and being on-line, if you don't find a call on the Callbook, you can perform a search on QRZ.com just with the combination Alt+Enter. In this way also the WW Locator will be updated. The key LookUp Qrz.com open a browser window conncting that OM's page on QRZ.com, if present, in way to see contingent info. The LookUp Locator key opens a browser window connecting a map related to the WW Locator little square indicated. Of course it has to been correct, imported with the procedure Alt+Enter from QRZ.com. The WWLocator proposed by default could be incorrect, as it refers to the capital city of that Country, or Region, or State, or Call-area. QRZ.com is constantly updated by the users. The Modes are those recognized and accepted by the ARRL robot for the the LoTW ADIF files. The box Prop is mostly for people who works VHF and up and/or Satellite, and allows to indicate the Propagation Media of the signal, e.g. SAT, EME, MS (Meteor Scatter), AU (Aurora), etc. It can also be left blank. Choosing SAT the user can insert which Satellite has been used (in the example it is AO-10) and the Satellite Mode (in the example Mode B). PWR allows you to insert your transmitter power. A double-click on the Info yellow strip produces a refresh of the window.

 
SEE THE TABLE OF BBLOGGER BANDS AND MODES
 

Importing the spot, the band and possibly the mode are automatically sat, otherwise you will have to set them with proper keys. Selectable bands and modes are those you selected when your log was created or modified. The key QSL Manager Local allows you to seek the local manager database. If the manager is found, the program transfers it in the proper box, otherwise it must be written. If more than one Manager is found, the program will show you all them with the year, to allow you to choose the closer one The key QSL Mng OnLine allows the search for the manager by the web site www.ik3qar.it one of most updated ones in the web. In the quadrant high-right the info about that Country, are shown, with the CQ zone, the ITU zone, the QRB calculed from user's WWLocator, and the antenna bearing, short path / long path, and eventually the flag of that Country. In the pale yellow strip "INFO" will appear, if existing, the info about that callsign, like in the example in the picture the USA State and County. Date and time can be taken automatically from the computer clock (small green key with letter A) or they can be inserted manually clicking on the the small key (that will become red with letter M). The key Status DXCC will show your position with that Country for the selected bands and modes: the green background means confirmed QSO, the red background means just worked. There is no need to transfer the call into the box to see the situation of the Country appeared in the SPOT: it's enough to press F6 or selecting a row on the FILTERED SPOTS GRID and hitting F7. With a right mouse button click on the Callsigns you can open/edit any of shown QSOs

 

 

Sometimes can happen the software encounters a prefix that corresponds to many DXCC Countries. As example VP8, that is used for 6 dfferent Countries: Falkland, South Georgia, South Orkney, South Shetland, South Sandwich and Antarctica. The software can open a windows to get user's choice betweeh those compatible with that callsign. The database comprehends many callsigns used for Antarctic bases, expeditions, research stations, etc, even old, useful to convert your logs, but, of course, it cannot be neither complete nor  updated. Anyway, there is also the chance to force a DXCC Country with the key Force DXCC. CQ zone and ITU zone are also taken from the database, but of course they could be incorrect. For that their boxes can be edited to change the values if needed. The DXCC database can be useful to detect the correct slections, as it contains many combinations for Countries who are extended over more than one CQ/ITU zone.

 

 

To save the QSO press the key Save QSO or CTRL+S. For Expeditioner logs you can quickly save the QSO with F12 key.

 

Entering a callsign worked before in a Hunter log, the program indicate it changing the background colour of the Callsign box. It turns from WHITE for never worked before to RED for worked on same band and mode, to YELLOW for worked on same mode but different band, to GREEN for worked on same band but different mode, and to CYAN for worked on different bands and modes. In case of worked before, another key, called Historic Call appears. Clicking on it a grid with all QSO made with that station will appear. In Expeditioner mode, a reminder wil tell to the user that call has been worked before. Anyway it is possible to log that QSO.

 

 

The keys for QSL card managing are, QSLs (sent) and QSLr (received). Of course in caso of Insert QSO your interest will be to QSLs menu that has the following options: 

N = QSL not yet sent. This QSO will be put in the buffer for the printing of the labels or QSL carda with all details. As default, the buffer shows all Y in the last column, if  you wish to send one or more QSL cards via direct the Y must become D in the printing buffer before to send it to the printer (not in the log sheet!)
Y = QSL  sent (the N changes to Y or to D after the printing of the labels / QSL cards)

D = means a QSL card already sent via direct. Caution: if you select this option when you are inserting the QSO, it won't be copied in the printing buffer. If you wish to send a QSL card via direct you must select that in the printing buffer. After the printing of the label or QSL card for that a you put D in the printing buffer, the containing of the QSLs field changes to D and the QSO will be copied in the Register of the QSL cards sent via direct. The little key right to the menu allows to insert the date when the QSL card was sent.

I = I don't send any QSL card (Ignore)
 
The menu QSLr shows:
N = QSL not yet received
Y = QSL received via bureau. The little key right to the menu allows to inser the date when the QSL card has come.
D = QSL rreceived via direct. The little key right to the menu allows to inser the date when the QSL card has come.
I = QSL rejected, or sent back (not in log, silent key, etc.)
The value of the fields QSLs and QSLr changes the background colour as shown in the  LOG SHEET section.
 

The section e-QSL manages the  e-QSLs. Setting QSLs = Y the QSO is sent to the eQSL.cc database. Once received the eQSL the QSO can be revised with F4 and QSLr = Y can be sat. It is possible to receive the confirming file from www.eqsl.cc  .

The section SWL is calling from a recorded QSO with F4. A key allows to insert the confirm for the SWL station in the printing buffer to be printed as label or as QSL card (see section printings)

 

 

The IOTA section allows to insert the reference of the island if that Operator acts from an island. By a click on the balloon with "i" a grid will be shown: from this database you can select the proper reference and (with a double click) import it in the box. the programm will show only the islands related to that prefix, as an Fxxxx station cannot activate an italian island (it should be I -slash- Fxxxx). The "Island on Google Maps" key allows, if on-line, to open the related page at www.rsgbiota.otg with the view of the map thanks to Gooogle Maps ™. Crediting operations have to be performed only from the grid shown in the Award Manager section (Award Calculation)

 

 

Clicking on Custom Award you can manage those Awards related to that callsign. In the picture you can see what is the screen when a SP call has been entered: the program found the Gmina for PGA (OU01 = Olsztyn city), the Province for the Polska Award (Warminsko-Mazurskie) and the "Powiat" (County) for the SP-PA (Olsztyn) because the internal database contains these info (taken from the Postal Code). If these data are not available, you can insert them manually, once they are known (e.g. from the QSL card): just clickon the balloon with letter "i" and select the data from the grid. A double click on the row imports the data. These info are available for all managed Awards. If a reference is not in the database you can always writethe code in the proper box. After next DB update (for on-line users it is automatic) the description of that reference will be added. For some DB the User  can add new references in the show window (Tools -> Show DB Award). Be very careful to use this option. Of course only the Awards related to that Country are shown. And the database will show only the references of that Country: e.g inserting a call like G0ABC only the English Castles for CASHOTA will be available, with GM0ABC only the Scottish ones and so on.

 
Starting from 1/1/2012 and until 31/12/2012 the form will appear as follows:
 

 

DXCC Vintage Country shows the Country as listed in 1937 ARRL DXCC List. Each contact could count for one (or more than one) DXCC Diamond Challenge Country. Some modern Countries (e.g. SAN MARINO) don't have 1937 correspondance, some other Countries are different than today's ones, anyway for all details please see http://www.arrl.org/diamond-dxcc . If the worked callsign worths for 2 Countries 1937, (e.g. Vanuatu worths for New Hebrides, british and for New Hebrides, french because the New Hebrides were an anglo-french possession, French used a prefix and English another one, like today with St.Martin: the island is one but the Countries are two) you must insert the QSO twice, the second after 1 minute from the previous one, the first one as first Vintage Country and the second one with second Vintage Country as the software cannot manage a double data like this.

If the Vintage Country can be detected from the callsign, the software will insert it in the proper field. In some case you may need to manually enter the correct Vintage Country after opportune checks:
 

 
As you can see Morocco in 1937 was divided into 4 Countries, not detectable from the Callsign. In this way you can insert the correct one

To insert the Vintage Country in the QSOs starting from 01/01/2012 without this data, a proper procedure is available in Tools>Configuration/Maintenance>AwardAutoChecking>Vintage Countries 1937. This is useful for imported data as ADIF logs coming from Contest softwares or similar.