Hello all! My first post on this forum.
I just started using CQRLog a couple days ago. I like what I see and I like very much that it is being actively maintained. That's very important and I will make a donation. I like that it supports more of the possible fields in the ADIF format than most logging programs.
It took me a few times to get used to the user interface. At one point I was sure I'd found a bug, but I had misunderstood the user interface. I'll have a suggestion about that in another post.
Here's where I'd like some advice from experienced users. My friend and I are gearing up to do "activations" -- so activating counties in the USA and activating parks for the Parks on the Air program. I'm building a radio trailer with three operating positions and he's welding up an antenna trailer.
CQRLog has the QTH profile feature, which I think is really neat. I've never seen that feature before. I assume it's mainly aimed at hams like myself who have operated from six or eight QTHs over a period of many years. However, this "activation" project will result in dozens and maybe hundreds of QTHs. Should I try to use the QTH Profile feature for this? Would it create problems later to have hundreds of QTHs? Should I just use the feature for my own half-dozen personal QTHs and just manually set the locator for each "activated" location?
All ideas welcome.
Best regards, and thanks in advance.
Phil / KW2P
Hi Phil !
Welcome to forum!
Bug reports and suggestions are always welcome. Some of them may be easy to fix, some may need so much work (suggestions) that there is no way to modify them.
Those cases conversation about suggest may lead to compromised solution that is better than old way, but also possible to program.
I think it is never tested how many qth profiles there can be. As it based to SQL database I think the storage size is the limit.
But as all settings are log based it is possible to create log for FFs in same area, then another log for another area. That way qsos will have top down archive. Log covering certain area and qth profiles inside the log all the FFs in that area.
As all settings in preferences are log based:
When you have set up all settings for first log in preferences go to "NewQSO/Open or create new log" The log you are using is then colored in log list. Press button "utils" and select "configuration/export" and give name for your log settings file.
Next time you create new log in "open database" window when you have created a new log, but not yet opened it, be sure it is selected (colored in list) and press "utils" button and navigate to "configuration/import" and find your saved log settings.
Importing the file saves you from lot of typing. Then you just need to change qth profiles and perhaps something other, but not set up all preferences again.
Note that you can also use NewQSO/Window/Contest window when entering qsos. It is fast way for FF activator to log qsos using either Tab or Space to skip to next field and Enter to log the qso. And if if park number is set to "MSG s" field it can be used later as QSO list/Filter base to find the certain park for adif export or qsl label printing.
Also the "contest name " is a free type field, so park name can be entered there and then qsos can be found fast with QSO list/Contest filter.
Consult the help that opens to web browser from NewQSO top menu rightmost item and from many other windows too.
Cqrlog is not directly ready for Flora&Fauna. For activators I think the log/qth profile and contest window is all they need.
For users(also for activators) fields like "Award", "Comment to qso" etc. can be used to store the FF information. Then with adif export if there is not suitable tag name it can be easily changed afterwards with linux command console and "sed" command.
Using sed to change adif tag names is discussed in messages of this forum.
If you have installed cqrlog from package you may have over year old version. There has not been official release for long and I think package maintainers are waiting for that.
I recommend to build the latest version from source to get rid of many bugs fixed since last official release.
You can either compile latest version from source:
https://cqrlog.com/node/2984
https://cqrlog.com/node/2998
Or try to use ready compiled version. It may not work with all versions of linux because it is done with Fedora32. But many users have it running ok.
https://github.com/OH1KH/cqrlog/tree/loc_testing/compiled
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Saku
OH1KH
HI !
I always forgot something.
When contest window is used and FF number is set to "MSG s" you can use it with CW macros and create CQ and reporting macros that have the FF number included.
Once done just change in ""contest/MSG s" will update also CW macro contents.
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Saku
OH1KH
Wonderful. This is why I asked. :-)
You've presented a couple of ways to solve this and some great suggestions. Separate logs is the smart way for me to go about this, I think. I forgot that CQR supports multiple logs. The finished log from a particular operation can be exported as ADIF and archived on Dropbox or whatever. It could also be merged with my master log and then the log deleted from CQR. I imagine that my partner and I will want to keep separate logs and use our own call signs, even when we operate simultaneously on different bands. This is not a multi-multi contesting situation with a single call sign. Besides, I think he prefers the N3FJP logging program, which is very nice, but limited to Windows only.
Thank you for describing how to create a new log and "import" your preferred settings. Creating a new log means I can set one QTH profile for that QTH and I'm done. It solves all the problems, I think.
The few questions I still have I can figure out by experimentation, but I'll ask one anyway. Haha.
If I import an ADIF file into my master personal log, will it retain the locator in the imported data or override it with the currently active QTH Profile's locator? I've had problems in the past with other systems where the program insisted on overwriting locators, which is a disaster.
Now, I must go read the documentation to understand exactly what a QTH Profile is. My guess is that it's like a "macro" that fills in certain fields for me, but that's just a guess. I need to do some reading.
Thank you, Saku!
Hi!
First the import to master log.
I had to make a fake test log to see what happens because i do not normally use qth profiles.
You can save qsos to master log with your "master locator" settings (in picture all OH0 qsos are logged with master log)
When you import another log with qth profiles your locator will be set by profiles on those qsos (in pic KP01rq and KP01tn)
You can continue to add qsos to master log and they get master locaor.
You even see imported qth profile names while having set no profiles to master log.
So that is OK.
BUT ! There is a bug!
If you look an imported qso (QSO list/button: View qso) next new qso you enter to master log will get your locator as it was on the imported qso, not the one that you have at preferences/station.
As long as you do not View (or perhaps also Edit, not tested) imported qsos your new added qsos will get proper locator as it is in preferences/Station
Thanks for leading me to this bug!
File:
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Saku
OH1KH
Hi!
What I said about master log locator change bug is not true.
It is not bug, it is property.
If your master log has no QTH profiles enabled in preferences then you will not see any "QTH profile" in NewQSO profile selector.
At bottom left of NewQSO you see your "master" locator from preferences
Now when you import adif that has QTH profile(s) those qsos have "my locator" as they are set in theri qth profiles.
Once you do QSO list/View QSO or Edit QSO you will see that qso's profile at top of NewQSO profile selector.
If you clear NewQSO (2xESC) or save edited qso profile selector will remain empty but "My Loc" at bottom left of New QSO window has the locator of last Viewed/Edited Qso.
If you want to return to your master locator you have to enter it using Ctrl+L
Now even if you have no QTH profiles in master log you are able to find all the profiles that were in imported logs qsos from QTH profile selector.
If you select other profile "my loc" will change according to selected profile.
Now we can discuss should preferences profile's "my loc" should be selected when QTH selector is empty. At the moment empty selection will not assign "My loc" from preferences.
Perhaps I try to make something for this case.
This whole system seems to be rather complicated and there are signs in source that it has sometime in past had something different at this point.
At the moment it is good to know and be aware of it.
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Saku
OH1KH
Hi Phil !
I have now done a fix and pull requested it to gitHub source.
That fix will return master log's locator (from preferences) after imported qso is viewed or edited, or if several QTH profiles are defined (in master log) and empty "QTH profile" is selected in NewQSO.
I think this makes things easier. After the pull request is accepted by Petr new source can be loaded from GitHub and compiled for use.
At same time I checked what happens if you have two different logs both having QTH profiles numbered with same numbers and you do import them to master log.
When imported all QTH profiles appears in master log. It will place them in numerical order depending on import order without loosing any profile.
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Saku
OH1KH
Super! Thank you for looking into it. And, I'm glad I didn't waste your time. :-)
/p
Here's the little UI trap I ran into.
This only affects beginner and first-time users.
With no QTH profiles defined, I went to add one. The display shows a list or table of QTH profiles (all empty) with the first one highlighted. I interpreted this to mean that the first entry existed but was empty of data, so I hit Edit. The edit window opened, confirming my belief, I entered data, then saved and got an SQL error. Restarted the program, same problem. Thinking the SQL engine was broken, I rebooted the machine -- same problem. This was disturbing and reduced my confidence in the program until I realized I needed to hit Add not Edit.
If possible, if the table of QTH Profiles is empty, the Edit button should be grayed out.
Thank you again, Saku!
Hi!
OK. Thanks for reporting that bug.
I tested it with fresh log. I did not get SQL error but the edited profile was not saved. That must be fixed with the way you suggest.
BTW!
If your log has no profiles (grayed). Then if you import a log that has qth profiles and then go to preferences/QTH profiles, enable profile usage and go to add/modify them you will see those imported profiles there.
View is not complete. There is no Remarks part, but you can Edit and add them.
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Saku
OH1KH
Thank you, Saku! I should have time to try some experiments tomorrow (Sunday) and look into getting set up to compile this under Linux Mint. Later, I'll have to look into compiling it on the Raspberry Pi.
Hi Phil !
I have made another pull request ( https://github.com/ok2cqr/cqrlog/pulls ) that makes the "Edit" button disabled if there are no QTH profiles defined.
QTH profile grid also has now autosized columns for easier read.
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Saku
OH1KH