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Manual.txt
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Field Day Log Program Manual
Last updated 03Dec2023 by Scott Hibbs KD4SIR
If you have any questions or suggestions for the program please email me.
Thanks for using the program,
Scott Hibbs KD4SIR
scotthibbs at gmail.com
In a Nutshell:
The Contestant is the one making contacts.
The Logger is the one entering data.
One of them needs to have a license.
If you see red, select something.
Bands are vertical. Modes are horizontal.
The modes are (C)ode, (D)igital, and (P)hone.
-Call-Class-Sect- is separated by spaces.
An example is kd4sir 1d ky <Enter>
Don't hit enter until after the contact is made.
Without "QSL - May I have another?" it didn't work.
Hit <Escape> to start over.
You can use the up arrow to retype the last contact.
You can now copy/past full entries.
Type ? for help.
SHORT HISTORY AND INTRODUCTION:
This program is 40 years old!!
Alan K Biocca W6AKB (Formerly WB6ZQZ) Wrote this in 1984 using small c
and it was titled "WB6ZQZ's Field Day Logging Program". In 2002, Mr Biocca
rewrote the program in Python and renamed it FDLog. That year, FDLog was
released as open source with the GNU License. FDLog is still in use by the High Sierra
Field Day Group and maintained by Mr Biocca at www.fdlog.info.
My name is Scott Hibbs KD4SIR. I found FDLog on the Internet and started using it
for Field Day 2012. After using FDLog for Field Day 2013, the South Central Indiana
Communications Support Group (SCICSG - we pronounce it scuzzy) wanted to know their
individual scores and wanted a better way to see who was on what bands. When our
upgrades were not acted on, we decided to modify the program for ourselves for 2014.
It was eventually renamed FDLog_Enhanced and made a repository on www.github.com.
We have enhanced the original program and occasionally will pick up some of Mr Biocca's
new ideas too.
We hope you fall in love with the program (like we have) and can help us improve it.
WHY LOVE FDLOG_ENHANCED?:
Simply, "It is a free networked logging program with a distributed database." If you
need more let me explain. Since it is networked, everyone can see the band and mode you
are on. Since the data is distributed, your contacts get sent to all the other users
in real time. No one can dupe and non-dupe contacts are displayed as you log. You can
send messages to all users. You can see how many contacts you have made, how many contacts
you have logged and see the combined phone and digital and CW contacts for the group. It tracks
who is the control operator (logger) for non-hams (as Contestant). The GOTA station log is
maintained WITH the regular log without conflicting with dupes. It is simple to use. Really.
The greatest thing is how it is not dependant on one computer! A computer can go down, bad
crash - like Zed is dead baby - and Field Day goes on. Add a new computer to
the network and all the other computers will catch the new one up very quickly.
Because it is Python 3, all you need is a PC - Linux, Mac, any Windoze, RaspberryPi -
we don't care - doesn't matter.
Oh... Did you notice that it is HALF THE SIZE of a one page PDF file? (the ARRL Band Chart)?
If I didn't HAVE you when I said, "free", "Zed is dead", and "I really don't care what
kind you have", maybe this program isn't for you. :)
PROGRAM SETUP:
So you are the ham and or computer guru in charge of logging Field Day..
Here's all you have to do.
Before Field Day:
Find a router to bring to field day. I set the SSID to "Field Day" and
leave it open without a password. This will be what everyone will connect
to on field day. Test it to make sure it works. And don't leave it home.
I've had to buy cheap routers the morning of - I got a collection.
You will need a copy of python 3 from python.org for windows, Mac, & Linux.
Python because someone will not have python installed and you may be offline.
With a USB flash drive:
Find a blank USB Flash Drive. You will need this program folder, and the python
3 install files on a on a flash drive. Once the USB flash drive is created, copy
the program folder to your desktop and install python or unzip the program as needed.
Without a USB flash drive:
Have a zip and/or tar of the folder in the same folder as miniweb.py along with the
python install files. Start miniweb.py after a connection to a network is made.
Navigate all the other computers to this server to download/share the zip
and/or tar to the new computers.
We get this base copy ready for all the other computers first to avoid copying the database
files this creates when it is first run. The person setting up
this program on Field Day will want to run this program first and answer the basic questions.
Start FDLog_Enhanced.py. It will ask you some questions. Enter your name or the name of your station
(others will see this) and the last two digits of the contest year like 23.
Next it will ask if you need to set up for Field Day. Say yes and answer the questions.
Don't worry if you don't know the class or other things as this can be set later too.
Importantly, it will ask if this computer is the time master. Select yes. Don't add
anything to the log that you don't want in your contest log at this point. This is your
Time Master computer all the others will check against.
It is a good habit to check the time efore starting the program, because this program
can not change the computer's clock. We start habits now. Check the clock. Now.
At Field Day:
Set up the new router because you left yours at home. Also note many
public guest router networks will not allow computers to talk to each other.
Start YOUR computer (Time Master) before the others and using an accurate
time source - your cell phone, GPS clock, atomic clock, change the time on the
computer to match this time source to within a second or two. Connect to
the router network if wireless (you could also be wired). Start the
program on your time master. If you need to change the class or other information you added
earlier, this can be done with the .set commands found in the help menu.
Next you want a copy of the program on every computer. Using the methods above.
Before starting the program, set the time on the computer with your accurate time
source within a second or two. If you forget this step, the program will spend time
adjusting it's time to the others. Start the program and set the name and year's digits.
Answer NO to the setup question. If connected to the network, it should see
your time master pc and grab all it's information. Rinse and Repeat for the others.
The port that the program uses is listed in the program's heading at the top, this
port number does change from year to year. Make sure to allow the port it uses
through the firewall on each machine. It is recommended to not allow the Internet on
the field day network because this makes it easy to temporarily drop the firewall
entirely, and secondly, it is a major distraction from Field Day.
Before field day ends, make sure your computer is the last to be turned off.
This is so you have the most accurate log entries in case someone is editing
their log after the contest.
After Field Day:
Look through the .set menu to set any missing information. Don't forget to
use .pr to make a "fdlog.txt" file that summarizes the contacts etc.
Using the program's info, you can submit your results. You're a hero and
everyone loves ya. At the recap meeting give everyone funny certificates
such as most contacts, least contacts, most points, prettiest radio,
and the most important one - most logged which means they helped others.
This person should be your best friend. Ask them for ideas for me.
USING THE PROGRAM:
The Contestant is the person using the radio. The Logger is the one using the
program. The Operator field caused my club to debate if the person was
Control Operator. We made a version that required a license for the operator.
The problem then, was that a ham & non-ham pair had no idea who operated the
radio or logged since it could only be entered one way. The ham got credit for
contacts while logging and the non-ham had no idea about the number they
logged or contacted (added together). So the Radio Operator and Control Operator
are different and confusing for this program. We changed the Operator name
to Contestant.
Non-hams are allowed and encouraged to operate with a Control Operator logging.
This program has always tracked the logger. So the Operator field is renamed
Contestant for the person at the radio. Thus, we can track the number of contacts
or data entries logged, and keep accurate logs for everyone, even for non-hams.
Hams can accurately know how many contacts they worked and who logged for them.
They can also see if they logged themselves and who they logged for in turn.
This maintains a score for contacts and a score for logging for each participant.
The program will check for a Control Operator (license needed for Contestant or
logger) before allowing a contact. - Scott Hibbs KD4SIR Mar/29/2017
LOGGING LIKE A PRO:
If you are seeing red, you need to select something before trying to log
an entry. You need to select the Contestant, the Logger, the power (natural
does not mean a gas generator), and which band and mode you will be using.
Entry has been straight forward since 1984. That's before pretty pictures.
Enter the call and hit <space>. If this is a dupe it will show all the entries
for that call and be erased. If the call has been worked on a different band
those will populate and the call will remain for more entry. Next enter the
Class and the Section. Once confirmed hit enter to add this entry to the log.
If you're feeling fancy: You can also just enter the suffix and hit space.
It will show you those who might have been worked with that suffix on this
band. If correct continue with the Class and Section. If incorrect type the
correct prefix and hit space. Then continue with the call and Section. Hit
Enter to add the call to the log.
Many times the logging program will think you are getting fancy and try to be
fancy itself. If either of you are confused, just hit Escape to clear the
entry and start over - try not to get too fancy.
The up arrow will recall an entry previously typed before.
Complete contacts like "kd4sir 1d IN" can be now copy or pasted into the entry window.
COMMANDS:
Adding Participants:
Each participant has to have a unique set of initials. If you enter initials
and a name pops up you will be correcting that participant - in effect erasing
them and adding your name. So make sure to enter a set of initials until
a name does not appear.
The age and visitor title are used to track official visitors and any youth
participants that may attend. The program doesn't automatically count these yet
in it's summary. But one day it will.
Once you have unique initials, a name, call, age or title, simply hit enter
to add the participant to the logbook.
Editing:
Simply click on the entry you want to edit. In the log window the entries made
by this node will be dark blue while others are black. You can only edit your
own blue entries.
Adding Entries from a paper log:
Set the operator, logger, power and band/mode then type the entry with this format.
:dd.hhmm <call> <report>
Commands:
#<message> will send a message (QST) to all the other users.
.st this station's status
.ba station and band status
.re log summary report
.pr print contest entry to file
.band <space>40p<enter> will change your band to 40p.
.off Will change your band to off.
.pow <space>ddddn<enter> will change your power. (ddddn could equal 100 or 1500n)
.testq <space><number> Will create fake number of entries in tst mode only.
The .set Commands are listed in the help menu. They should be used by the person
setting up the program.
TROUBLESHOOTING:
A new label for FDLog_Enhanced is the Network section. This label will now
describe your current network status with different colors. Grey shows if everything
is OK, Yellow will ask you if there is a problem, and Red displays if there IS a problem.
The messages in FDLog_Enhanced have been renamed to be more descriptive but the issues below
are the same.
Most network errors occur due to firewall issues. Please ensure the firewall isn't blocking traffic.
SEND FAIL or SNDP FAIL. The error displayed in FDLog_Enhanced is
"SEND FAIL - Not sending data to others. (firewall?)"
The Packet Sender has received an error from the operating
system. This may occur when there is a network problem. Check the
firewall. Restarting the program or rebooting may cure it.
RCVP FAIL In FDLog_Enhanced this is called
"Alone? Not receiving data from others. (firewall?)" Ten seconds have
passed without receiving any packets. This indicates that no
other packets from a FDLOG program are being received within
the time window. This could indicate a problem with the network
or auth key, or it could be normal if this is the only computer
on this network running the program. Try restarting the program
after the network is known to be working.
* This will also flash occasionally under normal circumstances
if there are only two computers on the network or if there
is inactivity on the network in the programs.
AUTH FAIL A packet has been received (on the port) that has the incorrect
authentication code. It will not be processed. All nodes
participating must use the same authentication key. This is the
two digit number entered when starting the program refering to
the year of the contest ("23").
Refer to the command window for more information about this error. It
is best if test and production modes use different ports to
avoid seeing each others packets which have differing
authentication codes.
NEED FILL A node status broadcast has been received, and one or more
of these nodes have data that this node's database does
not have. This node will request the missing data until
it is caught up. The new database items will be displayed in
the upper display as they come in. If the NEED FILL is
indicated, and no data is flowing into the upper display,
the requests for data are not being answered.
If you have any questions or suggestions for the program please email me.
Thanks for using the program,
Scott Hibbs KD4SIR
scotthibbs at gmail.com
EOF