[WT-support] WT experiences at ZL8X

[Christian Janssen]

Hi all,

back from ZL8 and worked through the pile-ups (of emails) I now have the 
time to write some words about Win-Test on our DXpedition.

We used following setup (8 stations):
- Win-Test 4.5.1
- HP Compaq 615 notebook / Windows XP Professional SP3
- Elecraft K3
- microHAM MKII interface
- sound recording via contest recorder
- voice keyer through MKII
- each camp with a WLAN access point, both APs connected by a bridge

Everything worked fine so far.

Following observations / hints / wishes:

- We again experienced the lack of user profiles. Everytime when 
operators changed their shifts the first workload was to reorganize 
windows, messages, colours in WT. Of course this is a nice job when 
there is no big pile-up but when the split range is full of EU stations 
the operator should concentrate on the pile-up rather than moving 
windows from one edge to the other. If such a feature is about to get 
into WT one should consider that it only makes sense when the log has 
not to be reloaded when changing the user profile. With a loading time 
of estimated 30 seconds with a log over 100k QSOs nobody will change the 
user profile then. OK, a normal contest log is smaller and needs much 
less time for loading, but it also takes about 10 seconds (if there are 
some 1000 QSOs in it) and that's also a lot of time in a contest.

- We also missed the possibility to use separate messages for CW and 
RTTY. The described workaround with Ctrl-Tab doesn't work in such a 
setup. Too many operators who get too confused by this. Also for example 
the repeat function of the F1 doesn't work in S&P mode so people started 
to throw away the workaround and went back to re-editing the standard 
messages when switching from CW and RTTY and back.

- Why did file export last so long? The log with nearly 150k QSOs needed 
some minutes to export a normal text file with the columns CALLSIGN, 
DATE, TIME, BAND, MODE. A bug or a feature?

- Gab was sometimes missing some messages (computer visible in the Alt-J 
windows, messages from computer A to B are possible but not the other 
way). I guess that is due to the network protocol. Any ideas?

- When a QSO is corrected after it was logged on one computer this 
information is not distributed correctly to all other computers. Is 
there a special setting needed that also the corrections are synchronized?

- OPON function: This is a widely spread problem that operators don't 
want to OPON because you can follow what they did wrong (that's my only 
explanation why this is done). And of course you just forgot to OPON. 
Maybe there is a possibility to ask the operator immediately (if there 
is currently no OPON) or after a certain OFF time (i.e. 15 minutes) to 
enter (or choose from a list) his callsign. Also ask for an operator 
callsign when WT is started.

- We had the situation at some stations that the audio recording 
function was also stopped (either because WT was re-started or somebody 
didn't want his audio to be recorded or the audio recording was stopped 
to find a reason if this or that didn't work). How can the audio 
recording be started when WT is started without any possibility to stop it?

- That leads us to an administrator mode of WT :-) Those who installed 
the stations at ZL8X had very often the wish to have an administrator 
password to make certain settings impossible to change for the normal 
user (configuration, network, audio,...).

- Is it possible to view in the log who (station name) made changes to 
the log? Or is there a plan to implement it to WT?

- Having big logs synchronization needs a long time. Is it possible to 
get the info out of WT about the synch status (how many QSOs need to be 
synchronized, how long it will approximately take,...)? I think in 
Writelog you can see this status.

- Additional to Cabrillo import an ADIF import? Cabrillo doesn't accept 
WARC bands at all :-((

- F9 window and Alt-S window should be configurable which modes should 
be shown. Who runs HELL or SSTV on a serious DXpedition? It would save 
alot of space on the desktop.


That's it so far. Thanks Olivier, Larry and team for your programming 
efforts on WT!!!

73s Chris DL1MGB/ZL8X