VHF UHF SHF TEST v 5.50 by LA0FX ================================== Program designed to work in the VHF/UHF/SHF Contest of REGION I IARU type, where 1km of the distance gives 1 point of score. It's very similar to well-known CT by K1EA, which unfortunately dont support european VHF ctests. Many of the COMMANDs and KEYs are indentical to CT. Important note! =============== From ver 5.37 format change of .PAR and .SET file's !! If you want to open old contest file, just delete both xxxxx.PAR and xxxxx.SET and fill-out new info sheet. New files will be written and old contest log accepted. Otherwise RunTimeError106 occur and program will be aborted. File convention ---------------- There is number of files used by program during the sesion. Files with extention .50 .144 .432 .1G2 .2G3 .3G4 .5G6 .10G are logs for respective band (binary). .PAR - parameters file (keeps record of CTEST and OPERATOR NAME, ADRESS, CW PORT ADRESS etc.); .NOT - notebook file, where are stored notes made by operator during the ctest; .SET - setup files (OPERATOR PREFFERED parameters as the CW SPEED, WEIGTH, SIDE SOUND, DBASE-swich,CW buffers and so on...); DEFAULT.SET - start parameters for the program CALL_LOC.DAT - DBase of the previous WKD station; EU_CTY.DAT - DBase of european countries; .QSL - file of QSL labels; .USR - user infos on QSL labels; .ADI - contest log in ADIF format (for export to other logs) Files with extention .6M .2M .70C .23C .13C .8C .5C .3C are raedy-to-send log files including distance/points/statistics calculation for respective band (ASCII). Files with extention .RE1 .RE2 .RE3 .RE4 .RE5 .RE6 .RE7 .RE8 are activity report with all calculation and statistics for respective band. Files with extention .CB1 .CB2 .CB3 .CB4 .CB5 .CB6 .CB7 .CB8 are contest logs in CABRILLO format for respective band. QSL-printing tools TESTQSL.EXE makes QSL labels of user defined size, based on the contest log. Despite that with option DBASE turned ON, DB-file is always auto-updated during the contest sesion, it can be necessary to look on it time to time and make changes manually. MAKEDB.EXE is the DataBase editor, where you may create/update DataBase for main program. Each line in the DBase consists of 15 characters with following format: col. 1 - 8 callsign (max 8 char) col. 9 - 14 locator ( 6 char) col. 15 char-code for "wkd_on_band" Binary record of this character-code tells which band station has been worked on. (bit0 set = 50MHz , bit 1 = 144 MHz ... bit 7 = 10GHz). CMPR.EXE is usefull to exchange DBase records from two different users. Just to place both files in the same directory and run CMPR.EXE with it's parameters i.e.: CMPR file_from_user1 file_from_user2 result_file . With DBASE function ON, LOCATOR of the station found will be inserted to the LOCATOR field. DBASE are self-updating, during the contest (with DBase set to AU). There is 4 DBase files included in the pack : call_ewo.dat - by SP9EWO call_ack.dat - by SQ9ACK call_lcv.dat - by SP9LCV call_ebw.dat - (VHF DATABASE v 1.7 by DL8EBW) If you want to use one of above just change name it to CALL_LOC.DAT and replace it in current directory of TEST.EXE Remember that TEST accepts 9000 entries to the DBase - some more will be ignored. IARU2EDI.EXE converts log-file to EDI-format, which seem's to be format used for electronic calculation of the results. Because header is quite large with many variables, you may save header to HEADER.TXT by pressing F2, and load it from the file with next use. Usually header will be the same (except date and CTest name) , so you can save time this way. HARDWARE REQUIRMENT ------------------- Program should run on any PC with 640kB of memory and DOS version > 5.0 as well as under Windows 3.0 or WIN95/98. IMPORTANT! Some systems need STACKS=x,y in the CONFIG.SYS (x = 8; y = 256) for DOS operation. GET IT RUN ----------- Just simply type TEST or TEST [file_name] and fill the INFORMATION SHEET. As an remainder program starts with HELP screen, you may navigate through the text by Up,Dn or PgUp and PgDn. If the program runs for the first time, it's necessary to define text for each CW-BUFFER unless you will use its default assignment (Shift_F1=F1 text, Shift_F2=F2 text etc.) Maximum length of the each BUFFER is 50 characters including MACROS. Note that BUFFERS F1 , F3 , F9 , F10 has such functions assigned to it : F1 - "cq" F3 - "thank you" F9 - "qso before" F10 - "full exchange" Command CQCQx will send F1 buffer in loop with x=delay in sec. Char. "+" on the end of the line will save QSO ...and send F3(thank you). INSERT sends F10(full exchange), but in case of DUPLICATE QSO, buffer F9 (qso before) is activated instead. MACROs -------- %1 = his_call %2 = rst_send %3 = serial_nr %4 = own_locator %5 = own_call + = CW acceler ON - = CW acceler OFF COMMANDS --------- SOUND,SOUNDnnn - CW sidetone OFF/ON (nnn = freq.; 0 = OFF) COM1..4,LPT1..2 - redirect CW out to COM1..4,LPT1..2 ABBREV - CW abbreviation ON/OFF QRQnn - CW acceleration (nn = WPM) CQCQnn - F1 (CQ) loop ON/OFF(nn = delay;default = 3sec AURORA - toggle AURORA reports (i.e. 59A) MEM - QSO memory available LOC - locator WKD list QRB - distance calculator DBASE -ON -OFF -AU - toggle DBASE function ON OFF AUTOUPDATE DBLEFT - DBase memory available LOG2LVG,ADIF - conversion log to SP4LVG,ADIF (for AUTO IMPORT) CHK - instant call checking ON / OFF PRINTLOG - logs and report print(ASCII file and CABRILLO) HELP (Alt-H) - help QUIT (Alt-X) - save log and quit K E Y S -------- PgUp,PgDn - page UP / DOWN F1..F10,INS - send CW buffer F1..F10, F10=INS CapsLock,#,< - PTT function (toggle TX / RX on SSB) Ctr-PgUp,Ctr-PgDn - CW speed UP / DOWN by 10 LPM Ctr-ArR,Ctr_ArL - CW speed UP / DOWN by 2 LPM Alt-F3,Alt-F4 - mode change SSB/CW Sft-F1..F10 - set CW buffers text Alt-I - write mode (INSERT/OVERWRITE) Alt-K - CW from KEYBOARD ON / OFF Alt-F / Alt-T - DATE and TIME edit / set sys TIME /DATE Alt-F8 - wipe QSO or mark as "unvalid" Alt-D - search DBase Ctr-Home,Ctr-End - scroll to BEGINING / END of the log Home,End - jump to BEGINING / END of the field SPACE - jump from CALL <-> NRR and back again Alt-P - partial call check Alt-B,Alt-E - jump to BEGINING / END of the log Alt-1..8 - change band 50 MHz .... 10GHz Alt-0 - jump to #QSO Ctr-F1..F4 - set CW dot/dash/space ratio(weight) Tab - back to the previous field Alt-C - show country WDK Alt-S - search CALL and LOC field in the log Alt-N - notebook, (Ctr-Ent = copy record to log) Ctr-N - save note-book to the file Ctr-D - save default setup (start setup) Ctr-S - save operator related setup Ctr-L - load operator related setup Ctr-B - check call on bands (MultiBand operation) Ctr-X - delete last DBase record ArrowDn(LOC fiels) - scroll through LOCATORS entries (when more that one) Alt-M - scren save + (at line end) - write QSO + send F3 Most of the command/keys are quite obvious, but some of them needs few words of explanation. QRQxx set acceleration speed for "+" marked fragment of the CW-buffer. Char. "-" slow CW to the base speed. PRINTLOG makes redy-to-send CONTEST LOGs and ACTIVITY REPORT saved to the files. With MB operation PRINTLOG has to be executed for each band. If there are more than one LOCATOR assigned to the pacticular station in your DBASE its possible to scroll through with Arrow_Down-key (when you are in LOCATOR field). CW INTERFACE ------------- - Positive keyed radio (CW line has positiv voltage against ground). (i.e. TS450/850/870/940/950 etc.) The circuit needed to key positive keyed radios from COMs is a 1K resistor from DTR to the base of an NPN small signal transistor. The emitter of the transistor and the ground lead of the TX keying cable are connected to SG. The collector is connected to the hot side of the TX keying cable. KEYING ======= non isolated ------------- C 2k2 /컴컴컴쩡컴컴컴컴컴�> TX-Cw-line DTR <컴콕栢栢컴컴콤 컴� B \E 컴� 1000pF SG <컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컨컴컴컨컴컴컴컴컴컴> TX-ground npn PTT SWITCH ========== non isolated ------------- C 2k2 /컴컴컴쩡컴컴컴컴컴�> PTT-line RTS <컴콕栢栢컴컴콤 컴� B \E 컴� 1000pF SG <컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컨컴컴컨컴컴컴컴컴컴> TX-ground npn KEYING ======= isolated --------- 2k2 旼컴컴컴컴� DTR<컴콕栢栢컴컴캑 opto 쳐컴컴컴쩡컴컴컴컴컴�> 2 � coupler �5 � TX-Cw-line � i.e. � 컴� 1 � PC817 �6 컴� 1000pF TX-ground SG <컴컴컴컴컴컴캑 쳐컴컴컴좔컴컴컴컴컴�> 읕컴컴컴컴� PTT SWITCH ========== isolated --------- 2k2 旼컴컴컴컴� RTS<컴콕栢栢컴컴캑 opto 쳐컴컴컴쩡컴컴컴컴컴�> 3 � coupler �7 � PTT-line � i.e. � 컴� 4 � PC817 �8 컴� 1000pF TX-ground SG <컴컴컴컴컴컴캑 쳐컴컴컴좔컴컴컴컴컴�> 읕컴컴컴컴� - Negative keyed radio((CW line has negative voltage against ground). (i.e. TS820/830 etc.) For negativ keyed radios (some older types) circut required one more transistor and two resistors. RTS <컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴쩡컴컴컴커 or external +5V � 5k � 470 � � � 쿐 � C / 2k2 /컴좔컴컴콤 DTR <컴콕栢栢컴컴콤 B \컴컴컫컴컴컴컴�> TX-Cw-line B \E C 컴� � 컴� 1000pF � � SG <컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컨컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컨컴컴컴컴컴> TX-ground npn pnp Since interface is a very simple one, it can be assembled inside of the RS232 or 9pin. connector. | RS 232 (25pin.) | 9 pin. ======|=========================|======================= DTR | pin. 20 | pin. 4 ------|-------------------------|----------------------- RTS | pin. 4 | pin. 7 ------|-------------------------|----------------------- SG | pin. 7 | pin. 5 ------|-------------------------|----------------------- - Positive keyed radio (CW line has positiv voltage against ground). (i.e. TS450/850/870/940/950 etc.) The circuit needed to key positive keyed radios from LPTs is a 3K resistor from SLCT (pin17) to the base of an NPN small signal transistor. The emitter of the transistor is connected to the STROBE (pin1) and the ground lead of the TX keying cable are connected to SG of the LPTs(pin18-25). The collector is connected to the hot side of the TX keying cable. C 3k3 /컴컴컴쩡컴컴컴컴컴�> TX-Cw-line SLCT <컴콕栢栢컴컴콤 컴� B \E 컴� 1000pF STROBE<컴컴컴컴컴컴컴켸 旼좔컴컴컴컴컴�> TX-ground npn � � SG <컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴켸 C 2k2 /컴컴컴쩡컴컴컴�> PTT-line (+) +AUTOFeed <컴콕栢栢컴컴콤 � B \E  diode STROBE <컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컨컴컴컨컴컴컴컴> TX-ground ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Note! CW sending starts approx. 110ms after RTS(COMs) / +AUTO(LPTs) turns high. You may use this signal for safe switching of preamplifiers, amplifiers or any other equipment. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Finally...feel free to send suggestion or comments about the program to: la0fx@sensewave.com Remember - always newest version on: http://www.qsl.net/la0fx Good luck in the competition! Ted (LA0FX / SP9CSO)