How to do the Volta test with Writelog by Wayne, K7WM

Wanting to operate the upcoming VOLTA contest, I searched the supported contests in the Writelog/Rttyrite data base and found the ANARTS contest requires/uses almost the same required format that VOLTA does. The VOLTA contest can be operated using the ANARTS format and just "save as" VOLTA99. At the completion of the contest, minor additions, subtractions, and deletions will be all thats required to submit the logs and summary sheet via e-mail to: i2dmi@contesting.com

The way the ANARTS Module is set up, a contact number greater than 0059 is not recognized as a legitimate "time" and will not let you enter it into the log. What needs to be done is open "Contest", "Exchange Format Setup". When the menu comes up asking what you want to do, click "NO". On the next menu, highlite "time" and uncheck "Required. Field is required for entry in log". Click "Save".. Now open "Setup" and click "Save Configuration". Now you enter any number. Lastly, under Contest, Parameter Setup, set your CQ zone.

At this point, I am going to draw several assumption, i.e., you have gone over your log with a fine toothed comb, dotting all the I's and crossing all the T's and you are using a mouse for moving around Win95/98. With just the log on the screen, click on Contest. On the menu that drops down, click on Create Summary Sheet…To the right of File name: you should see whatever you named the contest, (mine reads VOLTA99)…To the right of Save as type: should be; RTF Files(*.rtf), click on the down arrow to the far right of this box. Highlite Text Files(*.txt). That will move it up to the right of Save as type:. Click the Save button. This creates your Summary Sheet in .txt format for the log checker/s. The .txt file is stored in the Ham\contest folder.

Under File click Save As…To the right of File name: you should again see whatever you named the contest, (again mine reads VOLTA99 but I changed this to read VOLTALOG as it will have the same name as your Summary Sheet and it will make it easier to find) To the right of Save as type: should be; Writelog Version 9 file.(*.wl), click on the down arrow to the far right of this box. Highlite ASCII with no formatting. by band. (.txt). That will move it up to the right of Save as type:. Click the Save button. This creates your log/s, by band, in .txt format. The .txt file is stored in the Ham\contest folder

Close Writelog down as now a little work starts to complete the logs prior to submission. Go to the Ham\contest folder and open the file that corresponds to whatever you named your Logs.(mine reads VOLTALOG.TXT). The log is a continuous log by band, starting with 80m through 10m. You will need to cut and paste each band to its own "log". As you do this, rename the individual log yourcall.80, yourcall.40, etc. Go through each log and check to see if you have any multiple contacts with ZL1-4. VOLTA gives a mult for each ZL district.(show the mult on your log). Keep track of additional mults. VOLTA also gives double points for 80m and 10m contacts on continents other that your own (double the points and show on log). Keep track of the additional points. VOLTA also gives an additional mult for a 4-band contact with the same DX Station. If you have any of those, keep track of them. (all this keeping track of will go on the summary sheet). This completes the log/s modification to change from ANARTS log requirements/scoring to VOLTA log requirements/scoring. As you complete each log and close it, it will normally go back into the Ham\contest folder. I usually create a directory, naming it the contest and as final logs, summary sheets, etc. are completed, put them there. It makes it easier for retrieval at a later point in time.

Back in the Ham\contest folder, open the file which corresponds to whatever you named your Summary Sheet. ANARTS computes scores as: points from exchange table X mults X continents worked + VK bonus. VOLTA computes scores as: points from exchange table X mults X number of QSO's. Quite a difference. All you have to do is change the figures to match what you gained from the multiple contacts with any ZL1-4, double points for 80m-10m contacts on different continents, and any 4-band contact with same DX Station and refigure your score. When done, rename the file to yourcall.sum and save it to where-ever you saved your logs.

The Summary Sheet and Logs are ready to be e-mailed.