If ham radio is your definition of fun, then you will enjoy LOGic 8. This new version has it all--features to keep you in step with changes in the hobby, features that take advantage of advances in technology, and features that are just plain fun.
We congratulate Dennis, WN4AZY, for creating LOGic 8. Being solely responsible for a software project as big and complicated as LOGic 8 is tedious, lonely work. Without the encouragement of LOGic users, this project would never have been completed. Thank you. We appreciate each and every one of you.
This section contains a short description of what is new in LOGic version 8. This help file has been fully updated to reflect these changes.
•The flashiest new feature for LOGic 8 is its picture
logging facility. LOGic has always featured unlimited logging of
text with each QSO, great for notes, traffic, or storing entire digital QSOs.
Now you may store unlimited pictures with each QSO. Think of having a convenient way
to organize received SSTV images, electronic QSL cards, or even scans of your
paper QSL cards! You may store any number of images with each QSO.
The log form browse window has a new Pictures page. Import
pictures into LOGic by dragging and dropping from Windows Explorer or Internet
Explorer, or select them from a file selector, or paste them from the Windows
clipboard. LOGic creates a small thumbnail image for convenient browsing.
Electronic QSL cards are imported from eQSL.CC automatically! Type a
description or caption under the image. You may double-click the thumbnail to
enlarge the image. The image may be zoomed. Right-click to export the picture
from LOGic to disk, copy to the Windows clipboard, print, edit, delete
the image from LOGic's database, or get technical information on the image,
such as format (JPG, PNG, GIF, TIF, and BMP are supported), resolution, file
size, etc.
For easy interface to any photo editing program, LOGic
supports pasting image data from the Windows clipboard. The Windows clipboard
stores pictures in uncompressed bitmap format. When saving the data into LOGic,
you will probably want to compress the bitmap to save disk space. A window
appears that allows you to select a compression format. You can see the size
of the image after compression, and preview the quality loss, if any. PNG
format does not cause loss of image quality, but can still be quite large.
Photos are usually stored in JPG format. You can select the compression level
and preview the resulting quality.
•eQSL support. LOGic 8 now has
an automated eQSL facility similar to the much-praised LoTW facility
introduced in LOGic 7. A single click logs onto eQSL.cc and uploads your log.
Likewise, a single click logs into eQSL.cc, downloads your QSL records, and
updates your log. New eQSL Rcvd and eQSL Sent fields have been added to the
log.
Those pretty eQSLs may be automatically imported into
LOGic's picture logging facility.
•Busted
Call Lookup – The ability to search a database of callsigns of known
contesters for possible matches for a call you did not copy completely has
become a standard feature of contest-only programs. LOGic now offers this
feature, with some new twists. Besides searching any of the standard call
lists that you can download, you also have the option to search LOGic's
membership database (great for 1010 contests and the like), LOGic's QSL Route
list, or even LOGic's callbook. Additionally, the spot log may be searched
(spotted call and spot-by), as well as QSOs logged since a date you specify.
This feature enhances not only contesting, but may be used at any time –
while DXing, ragchewing, or when in nets.
After selecting your options, simply enter a new record in
the log form. When typing the callsign, use standard wildcard characters to
signify missing or questionable parts of the call. For instance, WN4A*
searches for all calls starting with WN4A, and possibly having something after
the A. WN4A+ searches for all calls starting with WN4A, with something
definitely after the A WN4A? searches for WN4A followed by any single
character. If the missing part of the call is not at the end, you can simply
type a space for the missing part. You can get really fancy. [WK]N#!!! matches
all of us with old novice-style 2x3 WN or KN novice calls. [WK] matches either
W or K, # matches any digit, and ! matches any letter.
Matches are displayed, of course, and additional
information about each match is shown. LOGic will show if the station is in
the contest calls file, any memberships held (including being on the LoTW User
database), whether or not the station is in the callbook, the QSL route list,
the spot log, or your log. This can be very helpful for choosing a call when
there are multiple matches.
If you wish to look up busted calls without entering them
in the log form, or access busted call setup, click Forms/Busted Call Lookup.
•The HB9BZA
Logbook
of The World Users Database may be loaded from the Internet into
LOGic's membership database. This list of over 10,000 confirmed LoTW users
will tell you at a glance if the station you are working is known to
participate in the LoTW program, and you can expect a LoTW QSL shortly. Just
click Tools/Internet/Import LoTW Users Membership List.
The LoTW download form has a button that automatically
sends your received log to HB9BZA for inclusion in the database.
•Real-time scoring for FISTS, FISTS Millionaire, and other
awards that assign various point levels to various QSOs--esentially an
ongoing contest. Use the FistsAward for FistsMillionaire log forms, and see
your score in real-time. You can use these forms for your general logging--you
don't have to enter a FISTS#. If you imported QSOs with FISTS# or logged them
in another log form, it doesn't matter-LOGic will still score them.
•The spot log now has the ability to email needed spots
to you. This is great if you can receive email on your pager or cell
phone. LOGic's spot alert feature, which notifies you when you receive a spot
matching any criteria you specify (a particular station or country, for
example), also supports email.
•The Memberships display and Awards Progess Displays are
now coordinated with the Spot Log.
•K1EL WinKey
keyer. LOGic 8 supports WinKey (http://k1el.com).
This is a hardware, CW-sending device that will send fast, perfect CW
regardless of how slow or busy your computer is. This device connects to an
RS-232 port on your computer (you may use PDA's USB=>RS232 adapter if you
do not have a free serial port).
•QSLs received from LoTW or eQSL may be added to your log
as QSOs. Normally, when you download from LoTW or eQSL, matching records
in the log are marked as QSL Rcvd. If the QSOs are missing for some reason,
you may click a button in the eQSL or LoTW download forms to add these QSOs to
the log. You may add all missing records, or individually select which QSLs
are to be added.
•The AWARDS report has a new option to specify your
preference of LoTW or paper QSL, if both are available. Select Paper to save
money, or LoTW for speed and convenience.
•Rotor selection. The free-to-LOGic7 customers
7.0.100 update added support for up to four rotors, with auto-selection based
on frequency. Multiple rotors may be controlled simultaneously with a
user-defined offset for each rotor, permitting you to do things like aiming
phased arrays on separate towers, or aiming unused antennas at a 90
There are numerous small enhancements to LOGic 8. Here are
some of them:
•Browse window columns for notes & address will
now show the contents by holding the mouse over the Memo indicator.
•Touch help – all that neat information you see
when you hold your mouse on top of something no longer disappears after a few
seconds, giving you all the time you want to read the longer messages.
•Contesting log form setup now has five multiplier
categories and five conditional QSO Point possibilities. We are in the process
of making single-contest-setup for in-state/out-of-state state QSO party
contests, and four categories were not enough.
•The Log Form Setup option that automatically adds
new user-defined fields to the database now has an option to automatically
turn on awards tracking for the new field.
•Selecting text and right-clicking, or
double-clicking in the Data Received window in a terminal or telnet window,
brings up the auto-log menu. LOGic 8 adds a Copy to Clipboard option.
•The Tab Order window in LOGic's form customization
now shows the field name for user-defined fields: YAESU (User1) instead of
just User1
•The Rig/Rotor/Data Terminal setup in the Log/Setup
window now shows radio, rotor, and Terminal descriptions and COM port that you
entered when configuring the device. For instance, LOGic now displays 1.
Icom 706 (COM1) instead of just Radio 1.
•Spot Log no longer processes or announces spots with
invalid calls.
•Report writer does not ask to save twice.
