This keyboard (abt $65) is a contester's secret weapon. It has 20 extra keys that you can quickly program for frequently used multiple key-stoke commands, a great help if you do not have a pianist's moves. For instance, searching for a log entry requires alt-E, F1; to use this with the MaxiSwitch, the sequence is entered once using the macro key onto an unused key such as the left hand PF3 key, which I mark "EDIT"; now pushing the LH F3 key brings up the box for entering the callsign to be searched for (and not having to remember the commands). I have similar keys for such things as Call, Check, Wipe, Kill Last; and several others. The top F12 key is nice for the alt = reverse tones command. You could also copy the top PF keys onto the right hand calculator keyboard for convenience. The key settings can be saved in a files and different sets called up for each program you use. Most of the 124 keys can be reprogrammed in normal, shift, control, and alternate modes. Download my version with a set of key labels. Download

   Pretty soon, the big problem is keeping track of all the new macros.   I make labels by printing out the download file, coating the paper with the new Post-It glue, carefulling scissoring, tweezers to place on the keyboard over the existing labels (which are for Log-EQF), and highlighting the really important ones.   I throw them away after the contest; I'll have some new tricks by the time the next one rolls around.

Additional operating macros can be created beyond the 21 provided by WF1B; for instance, the sequence alt-K, CQ CQ WARMUP DE N1RCT N1RCT K , alt-K gives something to do before the test starts, but no keywords (like <11> ) may be used. Mine came from Next International 1-800-730-6398, about $US 68.

Got a partial call that you may have worked already on a better band? Enter the first letters that you are sure of and press alt-P. This will give a list of possible matches among the ones you have already worked in this contest. No luck and getting desperate? Push ctl-F4 and get the possible matches from 2200 callsigns of known contesters stored in MASTER.CAL file. Guessing a callsign is dangerous and more confirmation is needed. You can add more callsigns to this file.

Actually, I substitute a copy of my FRIEND.INI file for MASTER.CAL. This permits me to use ctl-F4 to also look up someone's name and is more up-to-date with new contesters I have worked.

Here is an example of super partial check .. I think I saw a WG and enter it in the lower left. Pushing ctl-F4 gives the screen of Fig. xx. It shows that I have worked three with WG in their callsigns in this contest and have 8 in my master.cal that are possible matches. Looks like its either Mike WG5C or Dave WG3I. I have already worked WG3I on the band so I try try WG5C? and hope to get a confirmation. It gives a little more encouragement to the caller to keep trying.

Occasionally, there is print on the screen that we want to save. Unfortunately, WF1B does not yet have a way of saving the contents of the screen. The quick way of handling this is by using the PRINT SCREEN key to get it on the printer. This has the advantage of being available without exiting to DOS. If you don't actually need the info right now, the shareware "Screen Thief" will save perfect screen prints in living color or mono, neatly numbered. There are also shareware programs that re-direct the "Screen Print" to an ASCII file; but this may interfere with your backup scheme.

Worked a prefix that WF1B will not recognize or give you credit for? First, be confident that the prefix is correct and the country known. You might try downloading the latest country files from the WF1B home page. These contain the list of DXCC countries (rarely changes) and the prefixes which identify the country, which change all the time.

The MERGE.exe program will let you put two or more contests into one log, up to about 5000 entries in one log. This mass of data has many uses, particularly when converted into a form importable by other programs; examples for DXCC, WAS, Lotus 1-2-3, and plain test follow. Just type MERGE and the simple directions are given.

It is often useful to get the contest results into other formats that can be manipulated, read, printed, or used by other programs such as Log-EQF. The provided CONVERT.exe program will convert into several formats; the LOGBOOK option converts to a plain ASCII file that can be manipulated in many ways using a text editor.

Log-EQF is my favorite program for tracking DXCC status. It has a very good import facility and with a few key presses, it can add the latest WF1B contest results to the database and reveal any new countries. It will also accept my Lan-Link rag chewing calls and so consolidate everything.It can also do QSL labels and address labels from a CD-ROM. To get a WF1B file into Log-EQF, simply use CONVERT.exe to create a new file in CT/K1EA format; then use Log-EQF accept the CT file, perhaps a minute altogether. Some contests do not convert well this way however; the alternative is to use the .tab file in File-EQF.exe. I have made up .tab files for all the supported contest and a detailed procedure ... Download .tab Files

Another use of of the MERGE program is take all the ones where the state is exchanged (Tara, Roundup, WPX, CQWW) and import into Log-EQF and see the stats for 5-Band WAS RTTY (unofficial) from contests without looking up anything more. Other contests can have the state added automatically if you have one of the call books on CD-ROM using Log-EQF.

This program provided with WF1B will calculate the QSO rate statistics for you after the contest is over. Here is a small section of the statistics it will output; the first hour shown was the first time Europe could be easily worked on 20 meters and there was a pent-up demand:

Output of STATS.EXE
Middle 8 Hr Session, SARTG '96

 UTC     Total      "DX"
Hour     Rate      Rate
-------    ------        -----
16          61           33
17          41           20
18          32             9
19          17             3                     (20M is dead to Europe)
20          20             8                     (40M starts to open)
21          18          11                    
22          10            8
23          23          11

Analysis of many contests will improve your feel of the "Hot Times" not to be missed and also a feel for when it is best to take time-offs. But for more detailed analysis, other techniques can be useful:

By importing band logs into a spreadsheet program such as Excel, 1-2-3, or shareware As-Easy-As, a chart can be constructed showing the time that contacts are made on the various bands. Fig. 2 shows about 9 contests and 4800 contacts. The WF1B logs were imported into Lotus 1-2-3 and then manipulated using the Data Sort and Data Histogram commands. This gives an idea when the bands are open and also when breaks should be scheduled. The info could also be sorted by callsign and the times and bands for JA contacts determined; a good text editor such as Boxer could do this without a spreadsheet. The MERGE program can be used to combine many contests and then CONVERT will produce an ascii file of the whole thing. All this info can give a start at making a strategic plan for the contest; On/Off hours and band/beam heading schedules. Having a plan of some sort lets you concentrate on the moment, reduces the possibility of a major mistake, and seems to break 48 hours down into a series of tolerable periods for me. The histogram gives a decent idea of when breaks should be taken and what bands are active AT YOUR QTH.

RITTY (by Brian Beasley, K6STI) uses a SoundBlaster 16 card to do demodulation of RTTY signals using DSP techniques and will work as a TNC for RTTY by WF1B. It has received very good reports on it's copy ability. In it's basic mode, RITTY uses the transceiver's VOX circuit to initiate transmission in the AFSK mode. Here are some tips on using it:

* I keep the normal TNC hooked up as generator of the scope pattern; RITTY receive center frequency is adjusted slightly to give an exact match between the scope and the RITTY tuning bars. In final tuning, the RITTY bars are more sensitive than the the external scope pattern; but the scope is very informative on other matters. RITTY tuning is critical; use the tuning bars and even consider 1 HZ tuning steps when running.

* RITTY has a feature that will helps cope with overloaded front-ends from nearby strong signals but CW filters (I like 400 HZ) are still useful.

* Before the contest, start up RITTY alone to check all parameters; especially receive audio and transmit on all bands. You will not be able to change settings while in use as a TSR. A shift of 182 Hz is best. See Fig 3 for how mine looks.

*

If your radio requires FSK to use the narrow CW filters, RITTY can generate the necessary PTT and FSK signals using a COM port. This can be a problem on crowded machines. However, the problem is eased by the fact that the required COM port does not require a unique IRQ or any IRQ at all as it never receives data; I use it with an ancient hamfest I/O card set to COM 3 which has the same IRQ as the mouse but COM 3 never receives any data so it never generates an IRQ that could lock up the mouse.

* If you cannot go to FSK transmission but are less than thrilled at using VOX to control the transmission, RITTY can generate AFSK from the sound card but use the PTT signal of the circuit mentioned above.

* If you want to use your regular software and TNC when the contest is over, a double-pole, double-throw switch can be used to re-route FSK and PTT wires to the other TNC with a single switch throw.

I also use WF1B and RITTY together under WIN 95 on a portable laptop setup. I know almost nothing about WIN 95 but here are the files I use:

Autoexec.bat: SET BLASTER=A220 I10 D1 H5 P330 T6
SET PATH=C:\FMOUSE95\DOS;c:\;c:\misc;

Config.sys:
FILES=20
BUFFERS=40
DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\HIMEM.SYS /TESTMEM:OFF
DOS=HIGH,UMB
SHELL=C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND.COM
C:\WINDOWS /P
DEVICE=C:\SB16\CTSB16.SYS /UNIT=0 /BLASTER=A:220 I:10 D:1 H:5
DEVICE=C:\SB16\CTMMSYS.SYS

And the actual file that the desktop icon starts, t.bat

t.bat:
CALL RITTY
CALL RITTY I
CALL RTTY TEST
RITTY U

Ritty standalone is called first so that settings can be checked then it is loaded as a TSR by the second line. The "CALL" s are probably not needed. I would avoid using a Friend.ini file when using WF1B with RITTY.

For the WIN95 program settings, right click on the t.bat icon, set all memory usage to "auto" and under "MISC", UNselect the PrtSc hotkey if you using RITTY on a laptop with PrtSc as the transmit key.

This is ably covered by Ron K5DJ in the Jan. '97 DJ and is also on Jim's Gazette. Good luck!

I am, but these subjects are hardly concluded and I have not tried to cover the many things that seem complete to me in the manual. The software and supported hardware will continue to change, and contesters will continually improve on all the above comments. Consider writing on your methods or send your comments to one of the regular authors in the DJ; they will gladly include your material and credit you.

73 de Dick, N1RCT