It is unfortunate that an increasing number of Radio Amateurs do not keep accurate logs. Logs are a cherished tradition in Amateur Radio and provide a permanent record of your operating accomplishments. They are essential in qualifying for the many possible operating awards. They are also necessary, should you receive a QSL from another station, for you need to be able to verify the contact and provide an accurate signal report.

Version 8.0 Note. Previous versions of the programs were prone to erratic behavior when the number of contacts in the log got up around 1000. This problem has been eliminated in Version 8.0 by changing the basic way the program processes log data. However, to accomplish this, much of the log processing in the MORSE program is now done via temporary disk files, which puts a premium of hard-drive performance. While earlier versions of the program could be run from floppy disks or ZIP disks, Version 8 requires the use of a reasonably fast hard drive to achieve acceptable performance. Version 8.0 was tested with log files containing 6,000 entries - equivalent to 3-4 standard log books! Performance was quite satisfactory when using a 75 MHz Pentium computer, which is rather slow by current standards. If you are using virtually any Pentium PC of recent vintage, log capacity can be viewed as essentially unlimited in any practical sense, subject of course to available file space on the hard disk.

The MORSE program has a wide range of logging functions that you can use to any degree. Fully implemented, they can make it much easier to track awards and other specialized activities. All logging functions are accessed through the OPTIONS window on the Main Console. Key <ENTER> from this window and you will see several options, including the <L>ogging functions. Key <L> and the LOG.EXE program will be activated, providing you with a range of functions, each of which will be discussed below.

Note: When you select the <L>OG function, you are actually activating a second program - LOG.EXE. When you are done, you will automatically be returned to the MORSE program, but, since the MORSE program is essentially being re-booted, you will lose any operating information (CALL, non-default SPEED, etc.) that were in effect when you selected the <L>OG option. For this reason, I typically perform logging functions before, after, or in lulls between operating sessions. The automatic CALL look-up function provided by the MORSE program would rarely require that you access other log data during an operating session.

The Logging functions work with the LOG.DAT file. The LOG.DAT file provided with the downloaded software contains a subset of my own log file, where most of the QSOs were made on the 30 meter band. Once you have practiced with this file, I will show you how to start your own LOG.DAT file for use with the MORSE program.

Keying <S> will set up a simple search, where all you have to do is enter the call you want (hope?) to find. For example, key W1DX and you will see all the entries in the log for that station.

This is a search that uses a number of basic search filters to screen the results. In each case, if you want to ignore a specific filter, just key <ENTER> for that filter element and it will be ignored in the subsequent search. The filters include:

• Date - use the standard MM-DD-YY DOS format with leading zeroes for single digit numbers.
• Band - it is important that you use a standard format in designating bands. I use 160M, 80M, 75M, 40M, 30M, 20M, 17M, 15M, 12M, and 10M for HF work.
• Mode - like the band filter, you should use a consistent system for mode designations. I use CW, SSB, SSTV, etc.
• Call - if you want the search restricted to a single callsign, enter it here.
• State - for domestic contacts I use the Postal Service 2-letter abbreviation for the state. For DX searches, enter the name of the country.
• 2X QRP - keying <Y> will restrict the search to two-way QRP contacts.
• QSL Sent - Keying <Y> will restrict the search to those contacts where you sent a QSL card.
• QSL Received - keying <Y> will restrict the search to those contacts where you have received a QSL.

Once you have responded to all the search filters, you will then be scrolled through all the log entries that match your search criteria.

This option will give you two choices - a listing of all the DX calls in the log or a listing of all the DX countries in the log. You can, of course, search for DX station log data using either the <S>imple or <C>omplex search operations previously described.

This option has a simplified version of the Complex Search filters and will give you a tally of the numbers of stations worked from each state and whether or not that state is confirmed.

This option lets you manually add contacts to the log. This means you can add contacts from your older logbooks, to take advantage of the automatic ID feature when you enter a call in the MORSE program.

This lets you update the QSL status of a contact, when you send or receive a card.

The MORSE program let's you log basic data during a QSO. This information is stored in a temporary file. This feature lets you complete the data entries for the QSO and transfers the data to the LOG.DAT file.

Probably the best way to get a feeling for the Logging Functions is to simply play with the different search options. Once you are satisfied that you understand the basics of each option, you can then proceed to set up your own LOG.DAT file.

When you have finished practicing with the Logging functions, proceed as follows:

Click on START

Click on PROGRAMS

Double-click on the MS-DOS icon

Type cd\morse <ENTER>

Type rename log.dat log.old <ENTER>

Type rename urlog.dat log.dat <ENTER>

This completes the conversion to your own log file. At this point, it contains only a single dummy entry, but the section to follow describes how to add contacts while using the MORSE program.

If you largely operate a single band, or plan to be working the same band for an extended period, you can simplify logging by using the Current <B>and option from the OPTIONS window. If the computer "knows" the band you are operating, it can add this information to the temporary files created during MORSE operation, speeding up the process of Updating the log at a later point.

Logging a QSO

I usually do the log update at the end of an operating session. There is no maximum time limit, as the temporary file will simply get larger as contacts are added. However, if you wait too long, you may misplace the additional log data, especially if it is recorded on miscellaneous scraps of paper!

To update the log, perform the following steps:

• Move to the OPTIONS window and key <ENTER>
• Key <L> to get the Log options
• Key <U> to select Update Log

From this point on, simply follow the prompts. In order to make the most of the call-lookup feature, at a minimum you should enter the other operators name and location. In most cases, you will want to enter all the information requested. A few guidelines:

• Check the TIME field. The TIME shown will be the time when the station's call was entered in the CALL window. In most cases, this will be the effective time of the QSO. However, if time is critical and there was a delay in actually contacting the station, you may want to update the time.
• No punctuation. Play it safe when entering data, particularly in the NOTES field. The program will not accept punctuation - especially commas, in the data entry.
• Use a consistent format. Designations for band and mode should be consistent, otherwise you will have trouble when doing searches.
• States and Countries. Use the U.S. Postal Service two-letter abbreviations for states. For DX contacts, put the country in the STATE field. Be consistent here as well. For example, England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland are individual DXCC countries. If you use UK as the country designation, you lose the ability to differentiate (and search) by the DXCC country.

If you implement even minimal logging, you will never "forget" the name and location of stations you have previously worked. If you fully implement the log options, you will find it extremely easy to track your progress in seeking a wide range of awards. My primary LOG.DAT file has become so valuable, that I routinely back it up every few weeks. I would suggest that you do the same, just to play it safe.

The LOG.DAT file is a simple, sequential ASCII data file and thus can be edited using any word processor in the TEXT or Non-document mode. This can provide you with a powerful option for editing the LOG.DAT file as long as you observe a few basic cautionary notes:

If lines are deleted or added or if the order is changed, you will not be able to use the <L>og functions and MORSE will generate errors messages if you attempt to run the program. It is possible to fix such problems, but it can take a long time to find them in the case of a large file.

• Use upper-case for text entry
• No Punctuation - especially commas. This will result in errors essentially identical to those involving added or missing data lines. If you have mistakenly added commas or other punctuation, use the Search/Find function of the word processing program to locate and eliminate them.
• If you need to delete a duplicate log entry, you can do so provided you remove all 12 lines for the file in question!

While it is possible to add new log entries using a word processing program, you need to be very careful with respect to the format issues notes above. In most cases, it would be best to use the <A>dd function available in the logging program, as the program will assure that all the formatting is properly done.

Once you have completed a manual editing session, you need to boot MORSE and check out the file using the <L>ogging option. ANY errors indicate a problem with your editing that must be dealt with. You can go back into the file with your word processor and try to locate and fix the problem, but if that doesn't work, you should delete the current LOG.DAT program and rename your backup (LOG.OLD) as LOG.DAT. If you didn't make a backup file, you weren't paying attention!