SkookumLogger v2.5.3 now available

Bill Myers, K1GQ, released version 2.5.3 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

2.5.3 2020-05-03

This release has numerous internal changes along with undocumented changes to the user interface. In particular, there is a new Window ► External Devices menu ► with items that will ultimately open windows with settings and displays for each kind of external device. Look there if you don’t find something that used to be in Serial Preferences, for example.

New features

The set of activities displayed by the panadapter are thinned by the mode filter choice in the activity window for the current radio band. This avoids cluttering the panadapter overlay with spots for uninteresting modes. This also creates “unknown” video blips that actually do correspond to a spot, but the character of the blip usually tells you whether or not an unknown is a mode of interest.

Added Michigan QSO Party and Ontario QSO Party for W8ZZX and VE3MM.

Added prefill of the received exchange with the call’s continent in Manchester Mineira (CQMM) when there is no other guess.

Added the “exact match” calls found when loading the AD1C countries file to the set of call considered when performing partials matching.

Implemented a scheme for opening previous logs containing contest names that no longer exist because the name changed.

Changes

Data mode activities are now not thinned by nearby-frequency filtering. Skimmers deliver all FT8 spots on the same frequency, so previously SkookumLogger was replacing those spots each time a new one arrived. Now, they appear and persist until they time out.

Spots from skimmers with info fields that begin with FT4 or FT8 are mapped to “Data” mode activities. Previously, FT4 spots from skimmers were mapped to CW.

Reintroduced the Activity ► Focus Table for Current Band command.

Merged the View menu items into the Log menu and deleted the View menu. Reorganized the Log menu. There are no changes in menu item names, shortcuts, or behaviors. The Log menu items are now properly disabled when the Log window isn’t the “Key” window (i.e., not the window responding to the keyboard).

WA7BNM now provides a database of Cabrillo contest names for several hundred contests. Developers can use the database when generating Cabrillo files and when posting score data to online scoreboards. SkookumLogger now prefers the names from that database over its internal database.

Added bonus points to GAQP scoring.

Moved the OK-OM CW from the Worldwide group to the National group and added support for the OK-OM DX Contest SSB.

The Score window now properly shows multiplier columns per-mode for each kind of multiplier only when multipliers are per-mode.

Misfeatures fixed

Yaesu FTdx101mp was failing to change mode to LCW when grabbing a not-split CW spot while radio not in CW mode. Thanks GØDVJ.

The feature that alters needed region multiplier status when all regions have been worked was broken.

The update date for the RSGB AFS Clubs database was incorrect. The content also has been updated.

Opening a WRTC log was setting a preference that disabled SCP matching, with no user interface for unsetting the preference. The preference has been replaced by a flag on the contest rules for each type of contest.

CRASH FIX: A New England QSO Party in New England log would crash or hang when logging the first QSO.

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