DXtreme Station Log 15 Second Edition

Data Sheet

DXtreme Station Log 15 SE is designed for active amateur radio operators.

DXtreme
Station Log 15 SE
Version 15.1
—
Our
Multimedia
Logging
Program
For Amateur Radio Operators

Station Log 15 SE comes with a DX Spot Checker™ that receives DX spot announcements from Telnet-based, DX Cluster servers.¹ It has two presentation modes: Rich Site Feed and Grid Feed.

Rich Site Feed

When selected via the Rich Site Feed tab, the Rich Site Feed displays the actual, continuous feed from the Telnet server. It also lets you interact with the server to set options like filters and to perform queries.

Grid Feed

When selected via the Grid Feed tab, the Grid Feed displays 10 to 50 rows (your choice) of DX spots in a structured, resizable, alternating-color grid. It can be activated and deactivated, if necessary, via the DX Spot Checker toolbar:

Activates

Deactivates

Grid-Feed spots can be displayed on a rotating basis (erase all then continue) or on an overwriting basis (gradually overwrite just the oldest spots) as selected via the DX Spot Checker toolbar:

When selected, the grid erases completely after a spot displays on the last row. The last spot is then repeated on the first row, and subsequent spots display in succeeding rows as expected.

When selected, the grid overwrites old spots with new ones from the top down.

You can select the number of rows to display, change the height and width of the window, and adjust the widths of the columns. The window must be sized so all rows are visible.

You can use the Properties dialog box of the Last Log Entries grid to set the font attributes (font size within reason) and foreground and background colors of the Grid Feed's heading and data rows — one format for odd data rows, and another format for even data rows. Font attribute and color changes take effect upon grid refresh.

Heading font attributes and colors are also applied to the Bearing and Status text boxes on the window with font sizes limited to those of data rows (up to a maximum of 12 for optimal display).

Resizable Window

You can resize the DX Spot Checker window vertically and horizontally. The window cannot be resized smaller than the minimum required to see the controls on the Rich Site Feed display. Window sizes for Rich Site Feed and Grid Feed are retained when switching between the two displays.

DXCC Indications

Depending on how you've configured Entity Announcements and Spot Display Filtering on the Services tab in DX Spot Checker Options, as each spot arrives, the Rich Site Feed is embellished with rich, DXtreme-added indications of whether you need to work stations for a new or verified DXCC entity, band-entity, and mode-entity.

And the Grid Feed displays this same information in DXCC Status and Mode Status columns, and in pop-up windows like this one:

Audio announcements of your DXCC status per spot can also be activated, and are useful when you can't see the DX Spot Checker window — like when you're busy working on a project in the shack and you're not watching your monitor. The announcements ensure that you won't miss the DXCC entities you need. But when you crave silence, a button on the DX Spot Checker toolbar lets you turn the audio off. You can also receive audio announcements by call sign. See "Call Alerts."

Important: For best results, DXtreme Software recommends activating QRZ XML Logbook Data or HamQTH.com while using the DX Spot Checker because those call sign subscription services return the DXCC Entity Code for each station most often, thereby increasing the accuracy of DXCC status indications. If the entity number is not returned, the DX Spot Checker uses the Entities, Prefix Cross-Reference, and Call Sign Cross-Reference tables to determine entity-needed status. The Source column on the Grid Feed displays CSS ### when the call sign subscription service returns the DXCC Entity Code, and Table when the aforementioned tables were used. DXtreme Software is not responsible for the accuracy of information a call sign subscription service provides.

Call Alerts

When a station you designate is spotted in the DX Spot Checker (by simply typing or pasting the desired call sign in the Alert box) a WAV audio file plays and the call sign, frequency, and time of the latest spot appears in the adjacent text box. The spot also appears, as usual, in the Rich Site Feed or Grid Feed display. You can select the desired WAV file for the alert in the Alert Call Sign Sound area on the Alert Sounds and Messages tab of DX Spot Checker Options.

If desired, you can double-click the Alert box to play the selected sound as a test, and you can type TEST in the Alert box to test the alert function on each spot as it appears.

LoTW Indications

The Rich Site Feed uses the font attributes you set in DX Spot Checker Options to render spots of LoTW users. The default is a text color of Green.

The Grid Feed has a LoTW column which indicates status as Yes or No per spot; and for stations clicked on the grid, a Status box which also includes the date and time the spotted LoTW user last uploaded logs to his or her account.

Pop-up Windows for Spot Recall and DXCC Information also display the date and time a spotted LoTW user last uploaded logs to his or her account.

VUCC Indications

If a call sign subscription service is active on your system and automatic or manual VUCC Status Checking is activated on the Services tab in DX Spot Checker Options, the DX Spot Checker indicates whether you should work stations for a new or verified grid when the Maidenhead, 4-character grid locator is known to the call sign subscription service.

Display of Short- and Long-Path Bearings

When the latitude and longitude of a spotted station are known to Station Log, short- and long-path bearings from your QTH to the station spotted appear on the DX Spot Checker window whenever you perform the following actions:

• Show Ham CAP LP/SP Prediction (if you own a copy of Ham CAP²)
• Recall Spot
• Mail Spot
• Web Lookup Spot
• Tune to Frequency
• Log Spot

And when the latitude and longitude of a spotted station are not known, you can always obtain the short- and long-path bearings from your QTH to the entity selected in the DXCC box.

Send Command Box

The Send Command box lets you type server commands, such as configuration, filter, and query commands. Pressing Enter on your keyboard sends the commands to the server. You must click the Rich Site Feed tab to see the response from the server.

Links to on-line documentation for AR-Cluster, CC Cluster, and DXSpider server commands are present (by default) in the Links menu.

DX Announcement Command Buttons

Buttons labeled DX Ad Hoc, DX Via the SL Window, and DX Via the SL Window - Your Grid<Prop>DX Grid appear on the DX Spot Checker window. Clicking them inserts a DX announcement template into the Send Command box.

You edit the template, supplying the desired information, and then press Enter on your keyboard to send the announcement to the server.

• As its name implies, clicking DX Ad Hoc inserts a generic template:

DX <call> <freq> <remarks>

Overwrite the <call>, <freq>, and <remarks> placeholders with the desired information. Then press Enter to send the DX announcement to the server.

• As its name implies, clicking DX Via the SL Window inserts a more specific template into the Send Command box, one that includes information from the Station Log window (assuming you've already started a log entry for the station you're reporting):

DX KH1/KH7Z 14090.0 FT8 <remarks>

Overwrite the <remarks> placeholder with the desired information. Then press Enter to send the announcement to the server.

• And as its name implies, clicking DX Via the SL Window - Your Grid<Prop>DX Grid inserts an even more specific template into the Send Command box, one that includes grid and propagation information from the Station Log window (assuming you've already started a log entry that includes such information for the station being reported):

DX KF6A 144150 MSK144 FN42gr<MS>EN73pj <remarks>

Overwrite the <remarks> placeholder with the desired information. Then press Enter to send the announcement to the server.

DX Query Command Buttons

DX Query Command Buttons appear on the right side of the DX Spot Checker window when Rich Site Feed is selected. There's one button for each command defined on the Additional Commands tab of DX Spot Checker Options.

Right-clicking a button displays a shortcut menu, whereupon clicking Define brings you to the text box where you can define each command button and its optional explanatory Detail text.

The Detail text can anything you want. But we think writing Detail text for a DXpedition-style sh/dx callsign query is one of the most useful. For example, you could write (or copy from a DX bulletin) its entity, effective dates, and bands and modes to be used.

Then, when you're using the DX Spot Checker, you can hover your mouse cursor over each DX Query Command Button button to read the Detail text you wrote — to refresh your memory.

If the Send option selected for the query in DX Spot Checker Options, when you click the button, the DX Spot Checker sends the query to the server immediately, and the microhelp panel displays the query and its associated Detail text, enclosed in parentheses, as another reminder.

(If the information doesn't fit the microhelp panel, you can hover your mouse cursor over the panel and read the Detail text in a pop-up.)

If the Send option is not selected for the query, the query command appears in the Send Command box for editing.

After editing, press Enter on your keyboard to send the command to the server.

To help you define your commands, links to on-line user guides for AR-Cluster, CC Cluster, and DXSpider servers are present (by default) in the Links menu of the DX Spot Checker Options window.

Two text boxes labeled Group 1 and Group 2 are also included to let you customize the caption of each button group.

List Commands Box and Module

The List Commands box contains a list of pre-configured commands you can send to the cluster server immediately. By default, DXtreme Station Log 15 ships with list commands that query the cluster server for recent FT8 Fox/Hound activity.

Simply click the desired list item:



Then the arrow button:

And the results appear on the Rich Site Feed display.

You can define, edit, and delete any list commands you want using the Define List Commands Module window, which is accessible by double-clicking List Commands — Double-Click Here to Define Commands:

The numbers 10, 11, 12, and so on in the Order Description column sort the list in the desired order.

Propagation Predictions: Integration With Afreet Ham CAP

You can perform propagation predictions within the DX Spot Checker for the paths between your station and spotted stations if you have Afreet Omni-Rig and Afreet Ham CAP², an HF propagation prediction program, installed on your PC. You can obtain Omni-Rig and Ham CAP free (at the time of this writing) from Afreet Software, Inc.

Ham CAP offers two graphical displays:

• Chart — Shows the signal-to-noise-ratio prediction by time and frequency for the path between your station and a spotted station.
• Map — Shows, atop a Mercator projection, the current propagation prediction for the path between your station and a spotted station for the frequency reported (if the station was spotted on the 80-, 40-, 30-, 20-, 17-, 15-, 12-, or 10-Meter band). You can, if desired, change the time and band on the Ham CAP interface to see when it would be best to work the station.

You activate Ham CAP within the DX Spot Checker by invoking a short- or long-path prediction on the double-clicked frequency of a spotted station on the Rich Site Feed display, or on a clicked row of a spotted station on the Grid Feed display.

Ham CAP's Chart appears ...

Or

Ham CAP's Map appears ...

Depending on the initial display tab selected in Preferences.

You can, of course, click Chart or Map on the Ham CAP interface to switch between the displays.

Your coordinates must be present in Preferences and a subscription to Buckmaster HamCall, QRZ XML Logbook Data, or HamQTH.com is required to obtain the specific coordinates of the spotted station. If you don't subscribe to one of those lookup services, or if the station's coordinates are not available from the service, the default coordinates of the station's DXCC entity are used. The call sign of the spotted station appears on the Chart when the default coordinates of the entity are used; otherwise, the actual coordinates of the spotted station appear.

The Ham CAP tab in Preferences lets you enable Ham CAP and set desired properties.

Properties such as:

• Initial Display Tab — The initial display of Chart or Map.
• Average Power — The average power you're running.
• Bearing and Distance Preference — Whether double-clicking the B+Dx caption on the Station Log window invokes Ham CAP Short Path, Ham CAP Long Path, or a DX Atlas plot (if installed and configured on your PC).
• Map Style — Color, Gray, or Pseudo to suit your taste.
• Map Resolution — High, Medium, or Low to suit your taste.
• Default Band — The band to select when the frequency of a spotted or logged station is outside the 80-, 40-, 30-, 20-, 17-, 15-, 12-, or 10-Meter band or you invoked Ham CAP from the action bar of the DX Spot Checker or from the Entities module. You can, of course, change the band on the Ham CAP interface.
• Show Sun — Whether to show sun position on the Map display.
• Plot Path — Whether to plot the path on the Map display.
• Plot MUF — Whether to plot the maximum usable frequency on the Chart display.

Note

To use Ham CAP effectively, users must configure other parameters and settings on the Ham CAP interface. (As stated above, home and DX coordinates are supplied by DXtreme Station Log 15 SE.) Further, we encourage users to read the Ham CAP on-line documentation, which is available on the Ham CAP web page.

Other Functions

The DX Spot Checker also lets you:

• Tune your radio to the last-reported frequency and mode of a desired spot or VUCC item⁴

• Recall spots in a separate window so you can view the history of spots for a single station in one place.

• Send spot announcements to others by e-mail.

• Perform Web-based, call sign lookups on stations spotted, including VUCC items.

• Start a log entry for a desired spot or VUCC item.

• Select a unique Service Set Identifier (SSID) when logging on to the same cluster server on multiple devices at your site.



The Service Set Identifier box is labeled with your call sign and a trailing hyphen. No more being forcibly logged off the server.

Most functions can be invoked via the Action bar ...

Or the shortcut menu on the Rich Site Feed display.

Or the shortcut menu on the Grid Feed display.

In Options, you can define default functions for the first and last items on the shortcut menu.

Default functions appear twice on the shortcut menu of the Rich Site Feed display — once at the top, once at the bottom — so they're always right next to your mouse cursor for quick activation.

Access To Your DXCC Information

When using the DX Spot Checker, you may want to access your DXCC information to see the bands and modes you need for a given entity, perhaps before or after clicking a DX Query Command button or List Command entry.

In previous releases, the DXCC list box contained just the names of entities spotted. And it can still do that, if you desire, by clicking the Spotted Only option button.

But starting in DXtreme Station Log 15 SE, you can click the All Entities option button to have the DXCC list box contain all entities from the Entities module plus their standard prefixes in the neighboring list box.

To access DXCC information, type the first few characters of a desired DXCC entity name or standard prefix and press Enter on your keyboard, or click Exec.

The DXCC information appears:

And bearing data appears, based on the coordinates in the Entities module.

When using DX Spot Checker Options, you can also research your DXCC information on the Additional Commands tab to see the bands and modes you currently have for a given entity — and by their absence, the ones you need.

You might find doing so convenient when defining sh/dx queries for your DX Query Command buttons.

Here's how:

1. In the DXCC list box at the bottom of the tab, type the first view characters of the desired DXCC entity.
2. Click Show DXCC Information, or press Enter on your keyboard.



The DXCC information appears:



3. To dismiss the DX Info window, click Hide Information, or press Esc on your keyboard.

DX Atlas Integration

If you own a copy of Afreet DX Atlas⁵, you can perform a DX Atlas azimuth plot from your location to that of a spotted station via the menu bar or shortcut menus.

Plot colors and fonts are configurable in Preferences.

Your coordinates must be present in Preferences and a subscription to either HamQTH.com, Buckmaster HamCall, or QRZ XML Logbook Data is required to obtain the specific coordinates of the destination station. Whether the station's coordinates exist in the call sign subscription service is not guaranteed by DXtreme Software.

If you don't subscribe to a call sign subscription service, or if the station's coordinates are not available from the service you chose, you can perform an azimuth plot based on the default coordinates of the station's DXCC entity. These coordinates exist in the Entities module of Station Log. In this context, a subscription to DX Atlas is the only requirement.

DX Spot Checker Options

The DX Spot Checker has a separate Options dialog box that lets you specify server addresses; server commands; DXCC alert sounds, message font attributes, and message format text; rig-control mode definitions; shortcut menu default functions; spot display filtering services; and band plans for filtering spots by mode per band.

You can customize the rich-text messages and audio announcements for each DXCC status category so the messages and announcements look and sound the way you want them to. You can even assign different font colors to each DXCC status message that appears in the Rich Site Feed. We like red for spots representing new DXCC entities, blue for new band-entities, and gray for entities we don't need.

If you own a license for Afreet Band Master¹, you can invoke it via the Tools menu on the Station Log window by choosing the Needed Lists format you want.

Band Master opens with the appropriate needed lists loaded.

The needed lists, which include Entities and IOTAs, are based on your Station Log database, and Band Master uses these lists to indicate the entities and IOTAs you need. You can select needed lists for all bands and individually for the 160- through 6-Meter bands.

The needed lists do not refresh automatically, but you can re-click a Needed Lists format to rebuild them any time you want.

Band Master integration offers a graphical alternative to the included DX Spot Checker, and both clients offer features that the other client lacks.

For example, the DX Spot Checker is tightly integrated with Station Log functions and provides robust reporting of needed DXCC entities and VUCC grid squares. Plus it provides a way to send commands to the Telnet server.

Band Master offers an attractive band display, IOTA reporting, and the ability to connect to Web clusters.

Both Band Master and the DX Spot Checker can be used simultaneously, as long as they are not connected to the same Telnet server.

A delay setting in Preferences allows the needed lists to build prior to displaying Band Master.

¹ — A software license for Band Master is required only if you want to use Band Master. You can obtain a license from Afreet Software, Inc.
² — Requires an Internet connection.

The Station Log window has six tabs that organize and provide access to the fields of your electronic logbook.

Station Log Tab

The Station Log tab lets you enter information about the contact, such as the:

• Call sign and location of the station.
• Name of the ham radio operator.
• Date and time of the contact.
• Frequency and mode of transmission.

Note: When Afreet Omni-Rig is installed and configured on your computer, Station Log enters the frequency and mode from your transceiver in the Frequency and Mode fields. Refer to "Rig Control" for more information.

• Signal quality and propagation mode.
• Equipment you used to work the station. (Defaults for which can be set per band within the Bands module.)

The Station Log tab can also display information, such as:

• Bearing and distance.

When the latitude and longitude of a station are known to Station Log, bearing and distance from your QTH to the station logged appears.



The short-path bearing appears continuously; the long-path bearing appears as a pop-up when you mouse-over the field. Clicking the field displays a DX Atlas azimuth plot or Ham CAP propagation prediction depending on the default setting made in Preferences.

• Whether the amateur radio operator you worked is a user of Logbook of The World (LoTW), and the date and time the user last uploaded log entries to his or her account.²
• DXCC and VUCC status information.

DXCC, Band, and Mode fields display DXCC entity status information when the entity, band, and mode are known to Station Log. The entity status information that can appear includes New, Worked, and Verified.

Important: For best results, DXtreme Software recommends activating QRZ XML Logbook Data or HamQTH.com while using Station Log 15 SE because those call sign subscription services return the DXCC Entity Code for each station most often, thereby increasing the accuracy of DXCC status indications. If the entity number is not returned, the DX Spot Checker uses the Entities, Prefix Cross-Reference, and Call Sign Cross-Reference tables to determine entity-needed status. DXtreme Software is not responsible for the accuracy of information a call sign subscription service provides.

The VUCC field, for a different station, displays grid status by band when the Maidenhead grid locator and band are known to Station Log. The VUCC status information that can appear includes New, Worked, and Verified.



The scope of and captions for VUCC status are determined by the settings you make in Preferences, as described earlier in the "DX Spot Checker Facility" section.



DXCC status appears immediately after entering a valid call sign when Station Log has been configured to work with rig control. VUCC status appears immediately as soon as the grid locator is known.

If you have not configured rig control, DXCC and VUCC status appears after you type a frequency and select a mode.

The Station Log tab can also be used to:

• Drag-and-drop dynamically prepared Social Media Posts to your favorite social media sites to share your DX conquests with others.
  Note: Refer to "Social Media Posts" for important information.
• Change the frequency and mode of your radio directly.
  Note: Refer to "Rig Control" for important information.

¹ — Requires an Internet connection. DXtreme Software does not guarantee the availability of information from NOAA.
² — The LoTW Users Update module helps you keep LoTW user data up-to-date by importing the LoTW users file from the ARRL.

Station Information Tab

The Station Information tab lets you enter the postal address of the station you worked or its QSL manager. It also lets you enter or obtain the coordinates, Web, and e-mail address of the station. You only have to enter this information once because Station Log can recall it every time you work the station.

If desired, you can drag and drop address information from a Web call sign lookup page or any compatible Windows program. You can click the Call field at any time to perform a Web call sign lookup.

When you subscribe to HamQTH.com, Buckmaster HamCall™ or QRZ XML Logbook Data, Station Log fills the location and address fields automatically when you enter a log entry — if the information is provided by the call sign subscription service.

If a QSL manager is defined in the call sign subscription service, Station Log displays a dialog box that lets you confirm the call sign of the manager. Once confirmed, Station Log queries the call sign subscription service for the address of the QSL manager and enters that address in the fields of the Station Information tab. If the call sign subscription service doesn't know the identity of a QSL manager but you do, you can type the call sign and have HamQTH.com, Buckmaster, or QRZ XML Logbook Data populate the address fields for you.

The address information on the Station Information tab appears in the Create Direct Print QSL Labels window and the Create Word Template QSL Labels window so you can create address labels for your outgoing QSLs.

Station Log uses the coordinates to calculate the bearing and distance between your QTH and that of the station you contacted. Bearing and distance appears on the Station Log tab, and distance appears in Stations reports.

A Click for Street Map hyperlink lets you display a street or satellite map of the station you worked based on the coordinates, which are sent to the mapping web site specified in Preferences. The web page url must accommodate the coordinates passed.

Clicking the Web caption on the tab displays the Web page of the station using the general-purpose Web browser designated in Preferences; clicking the E-Mail caption displays a pre-addressed Message window in Microsoft Windows Live Mail, Windows Mail, Outlook Express, Mozilla Thunderbird, or Microsoft Office Outlook (Win32-based, desktop e-mail clients only).

The name of the audio archive file appears on this tab as well.

Verification Tab

• For Outgoing QSLs — You can specify:
• Whether you're sending a QSL.
• Date you're sending the QSL.
• Return postage you're sending with the QSL.
• Type of QSL you're sending (Card, LoTW, eQSL.cc).
• Entity to whom you're sending the QSL (bureau, QSL manager, etc.).
• For Incoming QSLs — You can specify:
• Whether you have received a QSL.
• Date you received the QSL.
• Entity from whom you received the QSL (bureau, QSL manager, etc.).
• Type of QSL you received (Card, LoTW, eQSL.cc).
• Name of the QSL image file.

The Verification tab also displays information.

On the Outgoing tab, it displays:

• DXCC and VUCC QSL Recommendations.

In the above illustration for a contact with South Orkney Is., the DXCC field on the Outgoing tab indicates while South Orkney Is. is not an All Time New One, it is unverified by a QSL. And the Band and Mode fields indicate South Orkney Is. is a new band- and mode-entity. These fields unanimously recommended a QSL be sent on 02/29/2020!

In the below illustration for a VHF contact with Cuba, the VUCC field indicates that while the Cuban grid of FL20 is not new on 6 meters, it is not verified. Hence the recommendation to QSL.



• LoTW QSO Record Status.

Whether the log entry, if uploaded, was received by the LoTW Server okay.

On the Incoming tab, it displays:

• LoTW QSL Record Status.



Whether our South Orkney Is. log entry was verified by a LoTW QSL record, even if it was already — and Officially — confirmed by a paper QSL.

The Verification tab is also where you can associate QSL images with log entries. Once scanned or captured, the Preview QSL Image display lets you preview images and access the resizable QSL Imaging application to see the images full-size. Refer to "QSL Imaging" for more information.

Comments Tab

The Comments tab has two memo fields that let you enter comments about the station and/or QSO.

User Defined Fields Tab

The User Defined Fields tab has 14 fields that you can define and then use to enter and track information important to you.

There are two kinds of user defined fields (UDFs): Text Box Fields and List Box Fields.

• Text Box Fields — Station Log's eight text box fields let you type the information you desire. (The information you enter can be retained over several log entries by selecting the adjacent Retain check box.)
• List Box Fields — Station Log's six list box fields let you select the information you desire from a list of items that you also define.

You define the UDFs in Station Log's Preferences window (described later). Defining UDFs involves:

1. Labeling two sections (each contains 7 UDFs).
2. Labeling each field.
3. Entering the list items you want to appear in each list box field.
4. Setting the field order by field type across two sections on the User Defined Fields tab of the Station Log window.

For example, you could define and use UDFs this way:

Improv Imaging Tab

The Improv Imaging tab is also where you can associate Improv images with log entries, like the single Yagi in the backyard you used for a moonbounce contact. Once scanned or captured, the Preview Improv Image display lets you preview images and access the resizable Improv Imaging application to see the images full-size whenever you want to. Refer to "Improv Imaging" for more information.

Last Log Entries Grid

If desired, you can display a grid on the Station Log window that shows up to 5000 of the most recent log entries you've added.

The grid can be placed above the tabbed set of fields.

Or below the tabbed set of fields.

Double-clicking a row in the grid displays its log entry in the Station Log window. And the grid's shortcut menu lets you sort its records in a variety of ways. A menu selection provides access to a Properties dialog box ...

Where you can:

• Change the order of columns.
• Set the maximum number of last log entries displayed (from 7 to 5000).
• Add or remove a border.
• Set font attributes for the grid's frame plus heading and data rows — one format for odd data rows, and another format for even data rows — throughout the program, not just for the Last Log Entries grid, but all grids in the system plus the Quick Find box.

This image shows alternating red and blue foreground colors over white backgrounds:



While this image shows alternating black and blue foreground colors over alternating silver and white backgrounds:

You can resize the Station Log window to make the Automatic LoTW Upload Progress Bar and Last Log Entries grid disappear and reappear any time you want. And you can specify 0 in the Max# field of the Properties window if you want to turn the feature off.

Last Log Entries Window

Even though you can scroll the Last Log Entries grid vertically and horizontally, sometimes you need more room to display all of the columns and their data. To say nothing of displaying additional rows.

For time like those, you can open the resizable Last Log Entries window.

The Last Log Entries window has all of the functions of the Last Log Entries grid, but it can be set wider and longer. You can display the grid and window together, or separately.

Fields and Maintenance Modules

Most of the fields on the Station Log window are drop-down list box fields that make entering consistent data easy. These fields are populated with list items that you can maintain in Station Log's maintenance modules (described later).

Menu Bar and Toolbar

Station Log's menu bar lets you access the other functions of Station Log. These functions let you access the DX Spot Checker and Band Master (if you own a copy), search for log entries, perform maintenance functions, manage QSLing, perform audio processing, perform QSL imaging, run performance reports, display maps — including azimuthal plot maps and propagation predictions if you own a copy of DX Atlas or Ham CAP respectively — and more.

Station Log's toolbar lets you quickly and conveniently access the functions you use most often.

Contest Duplicate QSO Checking

You can set Station Log so it flags duplicate contacts (dupes) per band and mode when you attempt to log them. A message box appears, giving you the option of whether to continue logging.

Dupe checking begins at the date and time you specify in Preferences, and continues until you turn it off.

You specify the name of the contest in Preferences, linking the name to one of your text-based user-defined fields (UDFs) if desired. At your option, you can also request the generation of incremental serial numbers, linking the numbers to another of your text-based UDFs. A provision to reset the serial number is provided.

This feature is intended for casual contest operators only. There is no output to Cabrillo due the number of different QSO templates required. Serious contesters should use a contest logging program, and then import their logs into DXtreme Station Log.

JT Log Entry Processing: How Station Log 15 SE manages interaction with the WSJT-X, JTDX, and JS8Call digital-mode applications.

WSJT-X and JTDX

The WSJT-X and JTDX worked-before features have the benefit of displaying worked-before status indications natively, letting you keep your eyes glued to the WSJT-X or JTDX interface while operating — which we consider important, especially when using quick modes like FT8, FT4, MSK144, and others.

As such, our approach to JT Log Entry Processing is unique; whereby DXtreme Station Log 15 SE manages the prepopulation of WSJT-X and JTDX log files and the addition of comprehensive log entries while WSJT-X and JTDX display worked-before status indications as you operate. No other software is required.

Prepopulation

WSJT-X and JTDX can be set so they distinguish between bands and modes when displaying worked-before status. Station Log 15 SE provides a prepopulation function that needs to be run only once (usually) to prepopulate the WSJT-X or JTDX log file with contacts made in multiple bands and all supported JT modes. You don't have to prepopulate again unless you use a different digital application to work JT-mode stations (not including JS8Call for JS8 contacts).

You do the following:

1. Whenever necessary, click the JT Processing button ...
   
   
   
   and then click Prepopulate WSJT-X Log File or Prepopulate JTDX Log File (as appropriate) to prepopulate the respective log file with previous contacts made in the bands and JT modes you are about to use, thereby enabling WSJT-X or JTDX to determine worked-before status (provided you have enabled such status on their Settings window).



2. On the Set Criteria for ADIF Export window, click the desired Range of Bands and the first JT Mode.



3. Click Run.



4. If desired, on the Set Criteria for ADIF Export window, click the second JT Mode.



5. The Append to File box is selected automatically. Click Run.



6. If desired, on the Set Criteria for ADIF Export window, click the third JT Mode.



7. The Append to File box is selected automatically. Click Run. (We're stopping at three JT modes, but you can continue prepopulating with more modes, if desired.)



8. WSJT-X and JTDX import the updated log file the next time you restart them, but only WSJT-X can import its log file right away if you press F2 and click the Colors tab, the Rescan ADIF Log button, and OK.

   If you're using JTDX, you'll need to close Station Log 15, restart JTDX, and start Station Log 15 again whenever you prepopulate.

9. If this is the first time you've prepopulated WSJT-X, on its Settings window, click the Reporting tab and select Prompt me to log QSO. Click OK. If this is the first time you've prepopulated JTDX, on its Settings window, click the Reporting tab and select Enable automatic logging of QSO. Click OK.

Now you're ready to make and log contacts made in the prepopulated band range and JT modes on the desired application.

Logging

1. Work the station in WSJT-X or JTDX.

2. If you're using JTDX with Enable automatic logging of QSO selected, skip Step 3. JTDX writes a bare-bones log record to its wsjtx_log.adi file automatically.
3. When the WSJT-X Log window appears, perform a quick click of its OK button to write a bare-bones log record to its wsjtx_log.adi file. Don't change any of the data on the window unless you want to.
4. In DXtreme Station Log 15, click the JT Processing button
   
   
   
   And then New WSJT-X Log Entry or New JTDX Log Entry to pre-fill the Station Log window with information from the bare-bones log record.

   

   Note: Only your most recent WSJT-X or JTDX contact can be logged using this method. If desired, you can start a log entry, begin a contact with another station, and finish logging the previous contact before the new QSO ends. For rapid-fire and contest operations, you might want to log in WSJT-X or JTDX and use Station Log's Import ADIF Utility to import log entries after you've finished. The Station Log 15 Help System explains how.

5. Finish the log entry by specifying the appropriate information in the remaining fields on the Station Log window and clicking OK.



That's it. Contact information is in the Station Log database as well as the appropriate wsjtx_log.adi file.

As part of saving the log entry, Station Log 15 SE populates the Digital Application Used field on the Digital Application tab as appropriate.

JS8Call

The JTP menu also provides logging from the JS8Call application. JS8Call communicates using an extension of FT8 called JS8 (Jordan Sherer designed 8-FSK modulation), which is an official ADIF mode.

Because JS8Call specializes in real-time conversational keyboard-to-keyboard QSOs, store-and-forward messaging, plus automatic and manual station queries and replies, the concept of worked-before status (whereby operators are discouraged from making more than one contact per band and mode) does not apply. Therefore, prepopulation of its log file is neither required nor provided.

Logging

After making a contact that qualifies as a two-way QSO, invoke the JS8Call Log QSO window. Type the signal reports sent and received along with any other data you want, such as comments and transmit power used. Then click Add to Log and JS8Call writes the log record to the js8call_log.adi file.

In Station Log 15, click the JTP button ...

And then New JS8Call Log Entry to pre-fill the Station Log window with information from the completed contact.

Note: Only your most recent JS8 contact can be logged using this method. If desired, you can start a log entry, begin a contact with another station, and finish logging the previous contact before the new QSO ends. For rapid-fire and contest operations, you might want to log in JS8Call and use Station Log's Import ADIF Utility to import log entries after you've finished. The Station Log 15 Help System explains how.

Finish the log entry by specifying the appropriate information in the remaining fields on the Station Log window and clicking OK.

That's it. Contact information is in the Station Log database as well as the js8call_log.adi file.

As part of saving the log entry, Station Log 15 SE populates the Digital Application Used field on the Digital Application tab with JS8Call.

Viewing WSJT-X, JTDX, and JS8Call Files

If you want to view or search an application's All.Txt or Log file, you can click the appropriate entry on the JT Processing menu. You might find these functions useful to search for decoded stations, entities, or grid squares without having to interrupt, or be interrupted by, new decodes on the application's window. JS8Call also has a Directed.Txt file you can view or search.

Solar Indices on the Station Log Window

On the Menu Bar

The Station Log window displays today's current SFI (Solar Flux Index), Ap (A-Index), and Kp (K-Index) values on the menu bar automatically every 30 minutes. Your Internet connection must be active, the acquisition of solar indices must be enabled on the Solar tab in Preferences, the solar information must be available from NOAA, and the Station Log window must be in Select mode (no log entry displayed).

You can click the display to update manually.

In the Solar Indices Area

When you click the New button or the JTP button to log a contact, the editable Solar Indices text boxes — entitled SFI, Ap, and Kp — display the solar information that is valid currently — provided your Internet connection is active, the acquisition of solar indices is enabled in Preferences, and solar information is available from NOAA.

The current solar indices are also displayed when you double-click the SFI, Ap, and Kp text boxes and when you tab out of the Call Sign, Date, Start, and Freq boxes. If server access to NOAA is slow, you might need to perform one of those tasks to display the indices. When you click OK, the software saves the displayed solar indices with the log entry.

If desired, you can type the solar indices manually for saving to the log entry. If you need to find solar information that is older than right now, you can click the Historic button to access a web page of relevant information (one is specified in Preferences by default).

When an existing log entry is on display, you can also modify the solar indices manually.

If you need to type solar indices often, in Preferences you can turn on Tab access to the SFI, Ap, and Kp text boxes as well as the Historic button.

You can run Performance, Stations, and Bands reports against the solar data.

Solar Indices in Preferences

Fields control the enabling of the Automatic Acquisition feature, Tab access to the controls in the Solar Indices area of the Station Log window, and contain the URLs of Historic and General solar indices web pages, which are accessible from the Station Log, DX Spot Checker, and ADIF Import Utility windows for your convenience and research.

Historic Solar Indices Update

The Historic Solar Indices Update facility lets you update log entries in batch with solar data valid at the time of the QSO, provided the QSO took place on or after January 1, 1997 and the information is available from NOAA.

Running this update is useful after performing an ADIF Import. It is also useful when solar values were not available from NOAA at the time you logged your QSOs.

The solar data appears in the Solar Indices area of the Station Log window.

Solar Indices in the ADIF Import Utility

The ADIF Import Utility has solar indices fields that mimic those on the Station Log window.

When the Station Log window is displaying solar indices in its menu bar, you can click the C button in the Solar Indices area to display those indices in the SFI, Ap, and Kp boxes for writing into each imported contact record. If the values are not available due to a NOAA outage, or if Automatic Acquisition of Today's Solar Indices From NOAA is not enabled in Preferences, you can type the appropriate values manually.

If you are importing contacts several hours after their QSOs occurred, you can click the H button to access a web page of historic solar indices information (one is specified in Preferences by default) to perform research and type the appropriate SFI, Ap, and Kp values for writing into each imported contact record. Alternatively, you can run an Historic Solar Indices Update after the import finishes.

When adding or displaying a log entry, Station Log prepares an announcement of the contact and displays it on the Social tab...

... where you can drag the social media post to your favorite social media web site(s) and drop it to share your contact news with others.

Here's how:

1. Select the social media post.



2. Drag it to the appropriate text box on the social media site and drop it.



3. Commit your post by following the instructions on the social media web site.

The social media web site must be capable of accepting drag-and-drop operations. For sites that do not, copy the announcement to the Clipboard and paste it into the appropriate text box.

Social Media Scripts

Using the Script Editor window, you can create and edit social media scripts that format your social media posts. The Editor button on the Social Media Post tab provides access to the Script Editor.

And the browse button on the Social Media Post tab lets you select the script you want to use. Seven sample scripts come with the software.

QSL and Address Labels

You can also use the Social Media Post facility to create QSL and Address labels for printing via DYMO® LabelWriter® printers.

Here's how:

1. Start DYMO QuickPrint and select the desired label layout. (You may have to create a specific layout for your labels within the DYMO Label application. Some experimentation may be required. Refer to the DYMO documentation for instructions.)
2. In DXtreme Station Log 15 SE, add or display a log entry. Then click the Social Media Post tab.
3. Click browse and double-click the Dymo QSO social media script we created.
4. Select the social media post.
5. Drag it to DYMO QuickPrint and drop it. Position the cursor at the end of the label text and press Enter on your keyboard (this action is necessary so QuickPrint registers the text). If desired, edit the label text.



6. On the QuickPrint user interface, click Print.
7. To print an address label, in DXtreme Station Log 15 SE, click browse and double-click the Dymo Address social media script we created and follow Steps d through f.

DYMO® and LabelWriter® are registered trademarks of Newell Rubbermaid.

Automatic Club Log Record Creation

At your option, you can create Club Log records automatically when adding or modifying log entries.

While you're adding or modifying a log entry, the Busy indicator appears on the Club Log toolbar button:

When the record has been created in the Club Log workfile, the Done indicator appears on the button:

Club Log records accumulate in the workfile per database until you upload them.

Only qualified modifications are allowed to an existing Club Log record, such as changes to the call sign, DXCC entity, date, time, band/frequency, mode, and QSL status (as in Yes or No).

Note: You can also create Club Log workfile records manually by turning off automatic creation in Preferences.

Club Log Workfile Viewing and Editing

Should you need to view or edit the Club Log workfile, you can click the arrow next to the Club Log toolbar button and then View/Edit Club Log Workfile.

Notepad appears with the workfile loaded.

After you make ADIF-compliant changes to the workfile, on the File menu in Notepad, click Save without changing the file name or location.

Club Log Workfile Upload

When you're ready to upload the workfile:

1. On the Station Log toolbar, click the arrow next to the Club Log toolbar button and then Create/Upload Club Log Records.



2. Click Yes to confirm, and Station Log 15 SE creates an upload file in the Exports folder, which by default is:
   
   c:\DXtremeStationLog15\Exports
3. When the Club Log Web site appears, upload the {Name of Database}_ClubLog_Upload.adi file from the Exports folder. Refer to the Club Log Web site for upload instructions.

Batch Upload to Club Log

Batch Upload to Club Log is useful when Club Log does not contain all your log entries. Thereafter, the automatic (or manual) method, described earlier, is recommended.

When you're ready to perform a batch upload:

1. On the Station Log toolbar, click the arrow next to the Club Log toolbar button and then Batch Upload to Club Log.



2. When the Criteria window appears, specify a date, a range of dates, or other criteria to select log entries to upload.
3. Click Run. Station Log 15 SE creates the Club Log records and writes them to a database- and batch-specific upload file in the Exports folder, which by default is:
   
   c:\DXtremeStationLog15\Exports
4. When the Club Log Web site appears, upload the {Name of Database}_ClubLog_Batch_Upload.adi file from the Exports folder. Refer to the Club Log Web site for upload instructions.

Searching Club Log

You can search another ham's Club Log by adding or displaying the desired log entry, clicking the arrow next to the Club Log toolbar button, and then clicking Club Log Search: Worked Station.

You can search your Club Log by clicking Club Log Search: Me.

The Log Search page on the Club Log Web site appears. Follow Club Log instructions to search the log.

Creating Club Log Records During ADIF Import/LoTW QSL Update

The Create Club Log Records check box lets you specify whether to create Club Log records as you import ADIF files and update your database with LoTW QSL records.

The import/update utilities append the Club Log records to the same workfile as that used for automatic and manual Club Log record creation on the Station Log window (as described earlier), leaving the workfile open for the non-batch creation of additional records.

The Club Log toolbar-button menu items also appear on the main Station Log menu.

DXtreme Station Log 15 SE integrates with Afreet Omni-Rig, a free-for-amateur-use rig control program available over the Web.

When Omni-Rig is installed and configured on your PC:

• You can tune your rig from the DX Spot Checker or the Tune tab on the Station Log window.
• When you add log entries or double-click the Freq field, the Station Log window automatically captures the frequency and mode from your rig.

How Tune Works

To change the frequency, type a new frequency in the Freq box and click Set or change the mode. Or in the Increment list box, click the desired increment and use the up/down arrows next to the Freq box to tune incrementally in kHz. Increments of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 10, 100, 1000, and 10000 kHz are available. Alternatively, you can use the up/down arrows far right of the Freq box to tune incrementally by tenths of a kHz.

To change the mode, click the desired mode in the Mode list box.

The Get button lets you reacquire the radio's frequency if the radio was tuned — manually or via the DX Spot Checker — to a different frequency after the Tune tab was clicked.

If your rig works with VFO A and B tuning, the VFO A and VFO B buttons allow you to tune the preferred VFO. Some radios work fine with VFO A and B tuning, but others do not. If yours does not, the VFO A button lets you tune the VFO currently selected on your radio.

Configuring Rig Control

Using rig control is entirely optional. To enable it:

1. Install a copy of Omni-Rig on your system.
2. Configure it to work with your radio. Most popular radios are supported.
3. In the Preferences window of DXtreme Station Log, click the Afreet Omni-Rig option button and then select the VFO Tuning option that works best with your radio. Some experimentation is necessary.

Refer to the Omni-Rig Web site at http://www.dxatlas.com for software downloads and support with their software.

Note: If you don't want to use rig control, you can add the Keep? check box to the Station Log window, which, when selected, retains the frequency and mode between log entries until you clear the check box or click Cancel.

Station Log's audio archive facility lets you record and play audio clips of the stations you work.

Intrinsic Audio Toolbar and Sound Recorder

The audio toolbar on the Station Log window ...

... lets you quickly and easily record and play WAV audio as you are logging a station.

Station Log also integrates with the Windows Sound Recorder to let you edit and compress audio files.

To use Station Log's audio archive facility, your computer must have sound capabilities that are supported by Windows® 11, 10, 8.1, 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista® or Windows XP. Connect your radio to your computer using typical amateur practices.

Third-Party Audio Integration

Station Log 15 supports the use of a third-party audio application, supplied by you, to provide recording, playing, and editing of audio clips in a variety of audio formats. A third-party application, like Audacity®, is the most convenient way of recording audio from a USB-connected radio.

Note: For ease of playback, the executable file of the application you select must be capable of accepting, as a command-line argument, the name of an audio file.

To Record an Audio File and Link It to a Log Entry

After the application is specified in Preferences, click the Access Third-Party Audio Application button in the Signal Quality, Propagation, and Audio area of the Station Log window to invoke the application.

When the third-party application appears, refer to its documentation to record and process audio from the desired source.

When you have finished recording, in the third-party application, save the audio file in the desired format into the Audio subfolder of Station Log 15, or any other location you want.

In Station Log 15, add or display the log entry to which the audio file will be linked. In the Signal Quality, Propagation, and Audio area, click the Browse for an Audio File button.

On the Select Audio File window, navigate to and select the third-party audio file you want to link.

If the file resides outside the Audio folder specified in Preferences, Station Log 15 copies the file into that folder. The linked file is then backed up when you close Station Log provided automatic audio backups are configured in Preferences.

Click OK to save the log entry with the linked audio file.

To Play and/or Modify the Audio File

If necessary, display the desired log entry. In the Signal Quality, Propagation, and Audio area, click the Access Third-Party Audio Application button.

When the third-party application appears, refer to its documentation to play and/or modify the audio file.

Contesting and data-mode programs (like Fldigi, JTDX, JS8Call, and WSJT-X) let you output log entries in the Amateur Data Interchange Format (ADIF). DXtreme Station Log has an ADIF Import Utility that lets you import these log entries.

Note: Optional DXtreme Interchange can digitize paper logbooks (or other non-ADIF sources) using a combination of essential data entry; dictation, type, and paste; and active-importation. Its resulting ADIF-based project files can be actively imported into a DXtreme Station Log database by means of the ADIF Import Utility. Read the DXtreme Interchange Data Sheet for more information.

Options

Options on the ADIF Import Utility window let you specify:

• The ADIF tag from which to import states and provinces.
• The digital application used to make all contacts being imported (if any).
• Default UDF information, signal reports, and propagation mode values not in the ADIF.
• Whether to:
• Perform call sign lookups on each station being imported (if you subscribe to HamQTH.com, Buckmaster HamCall, or QRZ XML Logbook Data).
• Approve each entity selection the utility makes based on standard and special prefixes when ADIF DXCC tag numbers, which identify entities, are not in the ADIF. If DXCC tag numbers are in the ADIF, entity selection occurs automatically.
• Suppress deleted entities from being considered when the ADIF does not contain DXCC tag numbers.
• Prompt you for the CQ zone when the ADIF file has no CQ zone information and the entity has more than one CQ zone assigned. (When the entity has a single CQ zone assigned, or when a state or province has a single CQ zone assigned, the utility selects the appropriate zone automatically.)
• Prompt you for a state or province when the ADIF file has no state or province information.
• Indicate the number of months it typically takes to obtain a QSL. The import utility uses this information to set an approximate QSL received date when the ADIF file contains QSL information but no <QSLRDATE> tags.
• Create Club Log records as you import the ADIF file. The import utility saves the Club Log records in a special workfile, and keeps the file open for the creation of additional Club Log records.
• Create eQSL.cc records as you import the ADIF file. The import utility also saves the eQSL.cc records in a special workfile, and keeps the file open for the creation of additional eQSL.cc records.
• Produce QSL labels or ADIF QSL Records (if the Auto Bureau QSL Generator is enabled in Preferences) for DX stations worked the first time:
• Overall
• Per band
• Per mode

This feature is ideal for contest operators because it generates bureau QSL labels or ADIF QSL Records automatically for the stations most likely to QSL you when the contest is over. If you optionally specify that no return card is required when you send the cards via the bureau, you may save yourself the time and effort of processing reciprocal QSL cards as they "trickle in" months later. You can just as easily, of course, welcome reciprocal cards. It's entirely up to you.

Microsoft® Word is required for the generation of physical QSL labels.

Note: A pre-sort facility comes with ADIF Import Utility. The facility pre-sorts the source ADIF file by call sign instead of by date and time. This action ensures that the maximum number of multi-QSO QSL labels will be generated because the incoming log entries will be contiguous by call sign.

More About ADIF QSL Records: When Automatic Bureau QSL Generation is enabled for the ADIF Import Utility, the utility generates (at your option during import, and in lieu of Microsoft Word labels) ADIF QSL Records for submission to third-party Web sites that — for a fee — will print and mail your physical QSL cards to outgoing QSL bureaus. This third-party Web site will likely be the Outgoing QSL Web Service you specify on the Outgoing QSLs tab of Station Log's Preferences. At the time of this writing, DXtreme Software recommends QDure at https://qsl.ure.es/en/. Microsoft Word is not required for this feature.

• Create Variables-Based Delimited Records (VBDRs) as you import the ADIF file. This facility enables you to output station reports and delimited exports of your own design to suit your own purposes. The VBDR facility is described later in this data sheet.

When It Runs

As the ADIF Import Utility runs, it:

• Determines the entity of each imported station in this manner:
  1. When a DXCC Entity Code is present in the ADIF file for a station, the utility uses it to obtain the entity from the Entities module.
  2. When a DXCC Entity Code is not present in the ADIF file for a station, the utility polls QRZ XML Logbook Data or HamQTH.com (if obtained by you and activated) for the entity code. If a code is returned, the utility uses it to obtain the entity from the Entities module.
  3. If neither QRZ XML Logbook Data nor HamQTH.com are activated, or if they fail to supply the needed entity code, the utility uses the standard prefix (if present) of the call sign to obtain the entity from the Entities module.
  4. If the call sign has a non-standard (special) prefix, the utility uses the Prefix and Call Sign Cross-Reference modules to obtain the entity.

  Note: DXtreme Software is not responsible for the accuracy of information supplied by call sign subscription services or by the Country.Dat file, the source of Prefix and Call Sign Cross-References.

• Writes default information into each imported contact record, such as the rig, antenna, accessory, power, and digital application (if any); the QSL type; the QSL Via entity; and the return postage.
• Produces a report that indicates for each contact:
• DXCC Entity Status: overall, by band, and by mode.
• VUCC Status when the Maidenhead grid locator is included in the ADIF file.
• Whether the amateur radio operator is a user of Logbook of the World.

ADIF Tags Recognized

The import utility recognizes the following ADIF tags:

• <ARRL_SECT>
• <BAND>
• <CALL>
• <CNTY>
• <COMMENT>
• <CQZ>
• <DXCC>
• <FREQ>
• <GRIDSQUARE>
• <IOTA>
• <PROP_MODE>
• <MODE>
• <NAME>
• <QSL_RCVD>
• <QSL_SENT>
• <QSL_VIA>
• <QSLRDATE>
• <QSLSDATE>
• <QSO_DATE>
• <QTH>
• <RST_RCVD>
• <RST_SENT>
• <STATE>
• <TIME>
• <TIME_OFF>
• <TIME_ON>
• <VE_PROV>

Sample Report

The following is a sample report generated by the utility after every import operation. The New Entity Status, Grid/VUCC Status, Propagation Mode, and LoTW User information appear in bold for emphasis.

Station: VE2/WA1Z
Entity: Canada
DXCC Entity Tag: 1
CQ Zone: 05
County:
State/Prov: QC
IOTA:
Grid: FN35
Date: 01/20/2020
Time: 20:05
Freq: 50150
Band: 6
Mode: Phone
Rig: Elecraft K3
Ant: 5-El Yagi
Acc: None
Power: 100
DXCC: No
Band: Yes-QSL
Mode: Yes-QSL
VUCC: New
Propagation Mode: F2
LoTW User: Yes

LoTW Support includes:

• Indication of LoTW Users.
• Your choice of LoTW uploads:
• Automatic LoTW Uploads of single log entries.
• Semiautomatic LoTW Uploads of batches of log entries.
• Or both.
• Database Update of Incoming LoTW QSLs.

LoTW User Indication

Spots of hams who are LoTW users appear in unique fonts and colors on the DX Spot Checker window, making it possible to tell at a glance whether the ham is using LoTW.

When you add log entries, the Station Log window indicates whether the ham you contacted is a user of LoTW.

When you import log entries using the ADIF Import Utility, a report indicates LoTW users.

These indications help you decide whether to request a paper QSL or rely on the anticipated LoTW QSL.¹

Automatic LoTW Upload Facility

When you add a log entry, you can have Station Log 15 SE upload it to LoTW immediately and automatically.

In addition, when you display an existing log entry, you can submit/resubmit it to LoTW immediately from the Verification tab. A Warning message box appears when you're resubmitting a duplicate log entry, giving you a chance to reconsider before uploading.

The Automatic LoTW Upload Progress caption and bar at the bottom of the Station Log window displays progress during the upload, including the capture of LoTW QSO Record Status information from the LoTW server (see Notes). You will not be able to perform other logging activities during the slight delay that ensues (typically 4 to 8 seconds), but if logging contacts more quickly is important to you, you can disable automatic uploading and upload contacts to LoTW semiautomatically in batches later (see the next section).

Notes

• As part of the upload operation, Station Log 15 SE captures, displays, and saves LoTW QSO Record Status from the server, which indicates whether the log entry made it to the LoTW server okay. If the expected status fails to appear above the progress bar or on the Verification tab, you can attempt to recapture status and, if necessary, resubmit the log entry and/or fine-tune the system.
• The Automatic LoTW Upload Progress caption also displays your active station location in parentheses prior to upload.



• You can place the progress caption and bar above the Last Log Entries grid if desired (as long as the grid is positioned at the bottom of the window). Doing so may be preferred if you choose not to display the Last Log Entries grid.
  
  
• When you click Properties, the LoTW tab of the Preferences window appears so you can quickly change your active station location if and when necessary.

Batch LoTW Upload Facility (Semiautomatic and Legacy Manual)

The Batch LoTW Upload facility creates LoTW-specific .adi files containing one or more log entries and passes them to TQSL for processing.

• The facility's Semiautomatic mode not only commands TQSL to sign and upload .adi files to the LoTW Server, but it also captures, displays, and saves LoTW QSO Record Status from the LoTW server, which indicates whether the batch of log entries made it to the server okay. If the expected status fails to appear above the progress bar on the Batch LoTW Upload window, you can attempt to recapture status from the window before closing it and, if necessary, upload the log entries again and/or fine-tune the system.
  
  In addition, unless you select the new Duplicate Protection Override check box on the Criteria window, Semiautomatic mode will not let you upload log entries indicated as "On Server" in the Station Log 15 SE database.



• If you prefer, you can select the facility's legacy Manual mode, which directs TQSL to create a .tq8 file in your current Station Log database folder. You can then upload this .tq8 file manually via the LoTW Web site or e-mail (following the instructions provided by ARRL). No LoTW QSO Record Status is captured in Manual mode.

You select the mode of batch processing you want on the LoTW tab in Preferences (displayed earlier).

Performing a batch LoTW upload is useful when you don't want to upload log entries to LoTW automatically. It is also useful after you import ADIF files from another program, like a contest logging program or digital mode program.

Note: The Automatic, Semiautomatic, and Manual LoTW upload modes do not set the QSL fields on the Verification/Outgoing tab because doing so would prevent users from running reports for other QSL Types they may favor, such as Cards. You can set the Outgoing fields manually to indicate a QSL Type of LoTW if you want, but if you don't and no other type of QSL is indicated as sent and/or received on the Verification tab, the LoTW QSL Update Utility (described next) will automatically declare LoTW as the official Outgoing and Incoming QSL Type for matched records as part of its processing.

Incoming LoTW QSLs

When Logbook of the World indicates that you have LoTW QSL records, you can use Station Log's LoTW QSL Update Utility to update your Station Log database with LoTW QSLs.

The utility sets LoTW QSLs as the Official Incoming QSL Type only in those log entries that are not already verified by paper QSLs or eQSL.cc records. Likewise, it sets LoTW QSLs as the Official Outgoing QSL Type only in those log entries where a QSL has not been sent. In other words, the utility doesn't override what you've already done.

And should your database not have corresponding log records, the utility lets you import those LoTW QSL records as new, verified log entries.

A Create Club Log Records check box lets you specify whether to create Club Log records as you update your database with LoTW QSL records. The update utility appends the Club Log records to the same workfile as that used for automatic and manual Club Log record creation on the Station Log window, leaving the workfile open for the non-batch creation of additional records.

The utility produces a verification report after every update operation. The following is a sample.

Station: EA6/KA1BAM
Entity: Balearic Is.
CQ Zone: 14
State/Prov:
County:
IOTA: EU-004
Grid: JM08
Date: Mar 16 2021
Time: 06:44
Freq: 1812
Band: 160
Mode: CW
New Entity Status fields before LoTW QSL:
DXCC? No
Band? Yes-QSL
Mode? No

LoTW QSL Record Status Feature

As part of its processing, the LoTW QSL Update Utility automatically saves LoTW QSL status information for each matched record.

The status information appears in the LoTW QSL Record Status field on the Verification/Incoming tab of the Station Log window as LoTW <QSL DATE> where <QSL DATE> is in the form yyyymmdd, as derived from the QSL field of each LoTW verification record. For example:

The LoTW QSL Record Status feature is useful for accessing the LoTW QSL Record Status of every processed record, including those records that have already — and Officially — been confirmed by paper QSLs or eQSL.cc records.

Searches and Reports

On the Search menu, you can click LoTW QSL Record Status to search for stations verified by LoTW QSL records both officially and unofficially.

And you can perform Advanced Searches and run reports against LoTW QSL Record Status from the Criteria window.

¹ — The LoTW Users module helps you keep LoTW user data up-to-date by importing the lotw.txt file from the ARRL.

Overview

The Outgoing QSL Web Service facility lets you send official QSL cards via a third-party QSL bureau web site, such as "QDure" at:

https://qsl.ure.es/en/

At the time of this writing, DXtreme Software recommends QDure.

Note: As part of setting up an Outgoing QSL Web Service in Preferences, you type the name of the service you want to use and that name appears in menus throughout Station Log 15 SE (hence the name QDure in our screen shots).

How It Works

When a Log Entry is On Display

You begin by adding, modifying, or displaying a log entry. Then, on the Verification/Outgoing tab, make sure the Outgoing QSL Sent box is set to Yes either manually or automatically as determined in Preferences. If necessary, click OK.

Note: Because you will likely pay for the QSLs you send via an Outgoing QSL Web Service, and to avoid sending QSLs by mistake, Station Log 15 requires setting the Sent box to Yes before appending QSL records to the Service workfile.

Next, on the Station Log toolbar, click the Process Outgoing QSL Web Service button.

Or click the arrow next to the button and then Create/Upload {Name of Outgoing QSL Web Service} Records.

Station Log 15 SE creates the Outgoing QSL Web Service record and prompts you for the next action to perform.

Click the appropriate button.

When a Log Entry is Not On Display

When there's no log entry on display, if desired, you can click the Process Outgoing QSL Web Service button to upload pending workfile records to the server.

Or click the arrow next to the button and then Create/Upload {Name of Outgoing QSL Web Service} Records....

Station Log 15 SE prompts you for the next action to perform.

Click the appropriate button.

Whenever You Upload Records

Station Log 15 SE displays the Outgoing QSL Web Service site in your web browser where you must submit the upload file manually. (The Outgoing QSL Web Service site provides upload instructions.)

Viewing the Workfile

You can click the arrow next to the Process Outgoing QSL Web Service button and then View/Edit the {Name of Outgoing QSL Web Service} Workfile whenever you want to see or edit the records in the workfile.

Preferences

On the Outgoing QSLs tab of Preferences, the Outgoing QSL Web Service Properties area lets you specify the options you want.

The Notes text box lets you type text that will appear on all bureau QSLs by means of the NOTES ADIF tag.

The QSL Msg text box lets you type text that will appear on all bureau QSLs by means of the QSLMSG ADIF tag.

Outgoing QSL Web Service functions are also accessible via the QSLing -> Create menu on the Station Log window.

Outgoing QSL Web Service records are managed per database.

• Annotate images.
• Alter, crop, and delete images.
• Copy, cut, and paste images to and from the Clipboard.

Formatting Functions

• Change the brightness, contrast, hue, color saturation, and gamma of images.
• Sharpen, resize, reverse, rotate, flip, and shear images.

Filing Functions

• Print images on your printer.
• Send images to others by e-mail.
• Save images in a variety of formats, including:
• BMP
• JPG
• PCX (multipage)
• PNG
• TGA
• TIF or TIFF  (multipage)

WAS Analytics is a window-based tool that lets you analyze your Worked All States (WAS) data and quickly access the specific log entries upon which you need to take some kind of action, such as submitting or re-submitting a QSL or e-mailing the ham you contacted.

You begin by selecting a desired mode, or all modes. WAS Analytics then goes to work, building and displaying a record set showing the number of band states Worked, Verified, and Worked But Not Verified (labeled Delta) for each band and for all bands. (As an option, Power From and To boxes let you filter your analysis by the output power you used; you can specify a single power level, or a range of power levels.)

When you double-click a Worked, Verified, or Delta data element for a desired band, or for all bands, you see a list of states that satisfy the element you chose, along with the number of QSOs in each state.

When you double-click a desired state, you see a list of its QSOs, including the band and date. You can sort this list by Station, Band, Date Ascending, or Date Descending.

You can then Get one or Get All all of the QSOs and load them into the Station Log window so you can perform the desired action on them ... while the WAS Analytics window persists for further analysis.

WAS Needed List

After double-clicking a Worked or Verified data element for a desired band or for all bands in the Band WAS Summary area, and after the WAS List area displays its list of states, you can click the WAS Needed List hyperlink to generate a list of states you still need for the mode, data element, and band(s) clicked.

If you want to retain your WAS needed lists, on the File menu of Notepad, click Save As and save each list to the desired location using a unique file name. Alternatively, you can print each list.

Previous State List (PSL) Feature

WAS Analytics works with lots of data, so if your database has thousands of QSOs, give it some time. The results are worth the wait. When you want to work with a WAS list over several days, you can use the Previous Entity List (PEL) feature, which is described next.

When you build a state list, particularly a time-consuming one, WAS Analytics saves the list to a local file, enabling you to reload its data later to continue working with it.

This feature is intended for users who want to work intermittently on a state list that took several minutes to build. They may have, for example, built a state list (like Delta All Modes All Bands), started to work with it, and then shut down Station Log to go to work or school. When they return home, they can reload the desired PSL (previous state list) file and pick up where they left off.

To reload a previous state list, click the PSL button. The Select Previous State List window appears to let you select the state list you want to reload.

You can then continue to work with it.

Maintaining module information enables you to make consistent entries when you manage your log, import ADIF files, or run reports.

Station Log has the following modules:

• Abbreviations
• Accessories
• ADIF Import States and Provinces Tags
• ADIF Propagation Modes
• Antennas
• Bands (access screenshot below)
• Call Sign Cross-Reference¹
• Closing Expressions
• Digital Applications
• Define List Commands
• Entities
• Grids
• HTML Elements
• IOTA²
• LoTW Users Update³
• Modes
• Postage
• Power
• Prefix Cross-Reference¹
• QSL Type
• QSL Via
• Rigs
• States and Provinces
• Suppress DXCC Exceptions
• Symbols and Special Characters

Where applicable, DXtreme Software populates these maintenance modules with pertinent information prior to shipment.

¹ — Lets you import the country.dat file you download from the AD1C Web site.
² — Lets you import, add, modify, and delete the list of IOTA™ numbers you've obtained for personal use, after having formatted the list in compliance with our rules (IOTA-Number<space>Description<crlf>, one record per line). DXtreme Software cannot distribute the IOTA list.
³ — Lets you import the lotw.txt file you download from the ARRL.

More Information

If you'd like more information...

• Take the DXtreme Station Log 15 tour.

Note: The tour covers the First Edition only.

• Write to us with any questions you may have.

Pricing

Worldwide Internet Download

• Internet Download for New Users Worldwide — Only $92.99 USD
• Internet Download for Upgrading DXtreme Station Log V15.0 (First Edition) Users Worldwide — Only $10.99 USD
• Internet Download for Upgrading DXtreme Station Log V14.0 Users Worldwide — Only $51.99 USD
• Internet Download for Upgrading DXtreme Station Log V11.0 and V12.0 Users Worldwide — Only $61.99 USD

All prices include e-mail support. There is no sales tax.

Note: There was no DXtreme Station Log 13. Why? Well, we're not superstitions or anything, but we didn't want to jinx the new solar cycle. Why take chances?

Upgrading Users: What's New in Station Log 15 SE

Click Here See Release Notes for DXtreme Station Log 15!

Click Here See Release Notes for DXtreme Station Log 15 SE!

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