SkookumLogger v2.4.7 now available

Bill Myers, K1GQ, released version 2.4.7 of his contest logging software SkookumLogger for macOS.

SkookumLogger is a full-featured contest logging program suitable for the most demanding contester. It runs on MacOS, supporting single-mode and and mixed-mode events on 13 bands between 160m and 23cm.  SkookumLogger requires a K1EL WinKeyer or a YCCC SO2R Box to send CW.

Some SkookumLogger Features

  • Any number of QSOs per log
  • Duplicate checking as callsigns are entered
  • Partial callsign matching against Super Check Partials (SCP) database and log
  • Integrated download of the SCP and cty.dat databases
  • Exchange Archive database (like personal call history files)
  • Separate activity table windows (like band maps) for each contest band
  • Multiplier checksheets for countries, regions, prefixes, zones, locators, other
  • Time Tracker and Rate Tracker panels
  • Score window with band breakdown and scoring for most contests
  • Bidirectional DX Cluster packet spotting interface, with skimmer and QSX support
  • CW keyboard mode
  • Great circle map with terminator overlay
  • SkookumNet networking for multi-operator/multi-transmitter configurations
  • Green Heron, Easy Rotor and SARTEK rotator interfaces
  • Elecraft KPA500 and KPA1500, ACOM 2000A, and Alpha 87A amplifier interfaces
  • Elecraft KAT500 antenna tuner interface
  • YCCC SO2R Box interface including its WinKeyer emulation
  • YCCC MOAS antenna switch interface with antenna pattern overlays on the great circle map
  • Cabrillo export for submitting log entries
  • ADIF and CSV export for moving contest QSOs to a general-purpose logger
  • Automated log submission via Apple Mail and via Web browser
  • Statistics report for post-contest analysis of your contest log
  • CW Practice mode for developing your running skills off the air

2.4.7 2019-08-21 New features

The new File ► Toggle Recent Log command alternates between the top two logs in the Recent Logs list. You might use this to alternate between two logs while operating in concurrent contests with different exchanges, for example. Thanks WA1Z.

The new File ► Import WSJT-X ADIF command inserts QSOs from the wsjtx_log.adi log file into your current log. QSOs that already exist in the current log are ignored. The imported time stamp is for the end of the QSO.

The new World Wide DIGI DX Contest log type, in the World Wide group of the New Log chooser, provides post-contest support for this contest. Create a log, set up the Cabrillo sheet and sent exchange with your information, then use the Import WSJT-X command to load the log with the QSOs from WSJT-X. SkookumLogger can then be used to prepare the Cabrillo file for submission, and to display the usual assortment of statistics — such as your score.

Practice mode now supports the NAQP CW contest. The list of supported contests is IARU, RDXC, ARRL DX Outside, NAQP, zones-only (CQ WW DX) and serials-only (WAE).

Changes

SkookumNet is now layered on a different Apple networking framework. Appearance and behavior has not changed, with a few exceptions. See the updated SkookumNet section in Help. Note: the network browser sheet doesn’t display correctly in Dark appearance, but does function properly.

For WAE only, the prohibit icon (🚫) appears next to an activity call when either the station has previously refused your request to exchange QTCs (which you set via Activity ► Call Refused QTC), or when you have already exchanged 10 QTCs with the station. Otherwise, if you can exchange QTCs, the activity is marked with the sharp character (#). “Can” means the activity is for the right mode, and one of you and the activity is in EU while the other is not. Thanks JH5GHM.

For CW mode, SkookumLogger now automatically sends 5NN when sending the exchange message (& token) and the log has a Sent Report entry field. The sent report message token, “^”, is gone. Messages in existing logs and default messages in your preferences files are quietly modified to remove the ^ token. If this cleanup didn’t work, you will hear “MN” — what the WinKeyer sends for the ^ character. For Data messages, use the Data Messages Editor to include 599. You can also do this in the Morse Messages Editor when you want to send 5NN in a contest where the sent report is optional. Bottom line, you no longer need to edit messages for new logs to add or remove sent reports depending on contest rules. Thanks W6FB.

In the RSGB IOTA contest, SkookumLogger now pre-fills the “IOTA Reference” field with a hyphen when a better guess is not available.

The internal table of IOTA References has been updated.

The time needed to load or rebuild a log has been reduced by eliminating initialization of irrelevant checksheets.

Misfeatures fixed

WAE band-dependent multiplier weighting was not being applied in computing the score. Thanks JH5GHM.

In the NAQP contest, SkookumLogger was guessing “K” for the state of calls not found in your Exchange database. Thanks W6FB.

Correct Last QSO was failing to change a non-empty exchange field when that field still had keyboard focus. Thanks JH5GHM.

Fuzzy matching with underlining of not-matched characters in known calls was failing to underline the first character when it was not matched. Thanks GØDVJ.

The definition of AN004 IOTA information had a typo.

The latest version of SkookumLogger is available free of charge for download here.