N0NEH Field Day Logging System

by Jim Cambron N0NEH

OVERVIEW:
This program was developed after my first experience with 
Field Day activities.   Our club's logging setup was 
composed of one legal sized pad and several pencils.  
Although it did the job in a primative fashion, we seemed 
to make more than our share of repeat contacts.  Afterwards, 
there was the long, tedious process of sorting through the 
pages of handwritten, semi-legible logs in an effort to determine 
our score and make a presentable document to submit to the Gods 
of Field Day.



FEATURES AND BENEFITS:
N0NEH Field Day Log System offers the following features:

1) An in-memory database for fast search access to contact 
data. 

2) On-disk backup of the in-memory database should your computer 
lose power (this is used on Field Day, after all...). 

3) Disk files are only open when an update activity occurs -- thus 
preventing loss of backup file data in the event of a power failure.

4) Data files are saved in text format, which are easier to 
reassemble should it become necessary to undelete/reconstruct a file. 

5) Easy operation for solo or multi-radio setups.

This last item is best represented by the way Field Day Logging System 
handles Frequency/Mode selections.  Since the Frequency/Mode selection 
can be categorized in a finite fashion, a list of the the common 
combinations is displayed when you wish to select the Frequency/Mode 
for a particular contact.  Using the Up/Down arrows as described above, 
highlight the mode that you wish to enter for the contact.  Press 
"Enter" to copy that information into the Frequency/ Mode box.  If 
you are working up and down the same band, you can simply press 
"Enter" every time you want to add the same Frequency/Mode information 
to a contact because the previous information is automatically placed 
in the the box.  If you  want to change to a different Frequency/Mode, 
simply press the Space Bar to make the change.  Pressing the Space 
Bar makes it easier to switch Frequency/Mode when you are logging 
for several operators. 

MENU-DRIVEN COMMANDS:

Search   
Search for a Callsign with the option of deleting it.  Have 
you ever wondered how those guys out there calling "CQ Field Day" 
can tell that  you have already made contact with them??  They 
probably have some expensive or custom-written, difficult-to-use 
computer program that  he/she uses to keep track of all those 
contacts.   Field Day Log System can search for any call simply 
by typing in the call letters and then either clicking on the 
"Find" button with your mouse or pressing "Alt-F" on your 
keyboard.  Instantly, you'll know if you have made this contact 
before and if so, what band and mode was used.   If you have 
double-entered a contact, you have the ability to delete it, if 
necessary.
 
Log Entry 
Enter a station information -- call, exchange date and time, 
frequency & mode and QSL verification.  Included in this command is 
a list of various frequency/modulation modes to choose from.  This 
list greatly speeds and simplifies the data entry process. 

Print Reports 
When Field Day is over, select this command to print a report on 
all contacts grouped by band and modulation mode.   At the end of 
each group, a total of the number of contacts made for the group is 
printed.  Also printed is a form that you can use to enter any bonus 
points associated with contacts in that group.  You can fill in the 
information and add it up.  The Field Day Log System does not provide 
the capability to keep track of bonus points at this time.  But hey, 
it sure makes the rest of the job easy!

About... 
This command lets you know where to send the registration fee if you 
like this shareware software and want to support the author's efforts.

Exit
Adios, Amoebas.

NAVIGATING THE FIELD DAY LOGGING SYSTEM: 
It's pretty intuitive and it supports a mouse, too.   When you run the 
program, you'll notice the screen has several components:

Across the top is the Menu Bar, which contains the functions described 
above.

In various places on the screen you see captioned boxes that you use to 
type in the appropriate information.  

Depending on what menu command you use, lists will appear on the screen. 

In the upper center of the screen blue push buttons with descriptive 
captions on them will appear.

If you have a mouse, you can click on any menu command, push button 
or item in a list to select it.

If you don't have a mouse don't worry!  Just press and hold the "
Alt" key and then press the key representing the first capitalized 
letter of a menu command or button caption to select that activity. 

You can jump back and forth between input boxes by pressing "Tab" and 
"Shift-Tab".

If you have access to a list, you can scroll up and down the list with 
the "Up", Down", "Page Up" and "Page Down" keys.  By the way, the 
two lists that you will see are the Contacts List and the Frequency/Mode 
List.

THE DATABASE FILE
N0NEH Field Day Logging System creates and updates a data file named
FIELDDAY.LOG.  When you are done with the contents of this file and
want to start a news one (eg a new field day or contest event), you
may rename it to any appropriate name for archiving purposes.  Since
it is an ASCII text file, you may also TYPE it out to make a printed 
copy.  If the program does not find a file named FIELDDAY.LOG in the
current directory with the main program, it will create a new, empty
file.

Be careful about PATHs in your system and the possibility of storing 
an old/archival copy of your Field Day data named "FIELDDAY.LOG" in
a directory that is included in your system's PATH.  The program may,
upon not finding FIELDDAY.LOG in the current directory, open an old
FIELDDAY.LOG file somewhere else in the path and start adding new data 
to it!  

The safest way to protect your old Fieldday data and guarantee that your
new data ends up where you want it to be is to RENAME it, COPY it to 
a floppy disk and/or DELETE the old FIELDDAY.LOG file from your hard disk.
      

INSTALLATION:
FIELDDAY.ZIP consists of three files:

      FIELDDOS.EXE  The DOS version of the program.
      FIELDWIN.EXE  The Windows version of the program.
      FIELDDAY.TXT  This document file.

Depending on the way you have your computer set up, copy either
FIELDDOS.EXE or FIELDWIN.EXE and FIELDDAY.TXT to an appropriate
directory on your hard disk.  

You can also copy FIELDDOS.EXE to a floppy disk and run it on 
a PC without a hard disk. Naturally, you'll get the best results
with a 720k or higher capacity drive.


YOUR INPUT TO THE EVOLUTION OF THIS PROGRAM:
Hey, this program is based largely on my first-time experiences with 
Field day.  It's a work in progress.  And  that is where you come in.  
Let me know (with as much detail as possible) what you would like 
to see added or improved on in this program.  I'll see what I can 
do to implement your idea.  To submit your ideas, drop me a line to:

Jim Cambron N0NEH
1400 W. Short
Independence, MO 64050

To register your copy of Fieldday, send $25.00 (US currency) to
"N0NEH" Field Day Log System" in at the above address.

