[MacLoggerContest] Contest entry screen specification

[B. Scott Andersen]

Good evening. I'm sure I've not addressed everything,
but I've tried to expand upon my previous explanations
and clarify my thinking on those points you've raised.

Lots of stuff in-line below.

-- Scott (NE1RD)


On Jan 24, 2009, at 6:24 PM, David Ferrington, M0XDF wrote:


> Ok, macloggercontest it is. As I said to Don, this is intended to be  

> constructive criticism and not a moan, however, I will find myself  

> jumping around quite a bit as it is - at least until AppleScript is  

> enabled and I can use XKeys to move around.

> Please see my embedded comments below:

> -- 

> It is almost impossible to carry the torch of truth through a crowd  

> without

> singeing somebody's beard. -George Christopher Lichtenberg,  

> scientist and

> philosopher (1742-1799)

>

> On 24 Jan 2009, at 17:53, B. Scott Andersen wrote:

>> Below is the very specific suggestions that I gave Don for the  

>> contest data entry screen.

>> The data entry screen is a little more "busy" than some contest- 

>> only logging programs

>> might demand, but the extra information (name, QTH info, etc.) are  

>> helpful when logging

>

> Yes it may be. And after playing a little, if I clear the fields and  

> turn off lookup, the field labels don't really get in the way. In  

> most of the contests I've done, and I admit its not many, you can't  

> use aids like Internet lookup unless you are prepared to move into  

> an assisted section.


Use of a local copy of the Super Check Partial database or the QRZ CD  
ROM is not cheating.
Further, logging programs often present information associated with a  
call sign gathered from
previous encounters (such as the exchange given in last year's  
contest).  None of these will
put you in the "assisted" category since they do not assist you in  
finding people on the air;
they simply help collaborate information you have received on the air.

>

>> Now to the right side.

>

> Picking out the serial number I have to send (assuming everything  

> else is rubberstamp) is not so easy when the field is in the middle  

> of two other fields and to the right of something with text, and I  

> find contesting hard enough as it is :-(


My suggested design put it so the eye could glance to the right edge  
and see the serial Number.
As for it being to the right of something with text, all the labels  
are positioned to the left of the
field they label. I am not sure what alternative you would suggest.


>

>> The design I sent Don follows. Questions about why I asked Don for  

>> these

>> specific things are best sent to me, probably. After all, Don just  

>> did what we (I)

>> asked. {grin}

> More below....

>>

>> Here's the thing I sent Don:

>> 1. Tabs move between the following fields:

>> 	Call --> Recv text --> Recv S/N --> Sent text --> Sent S/N -->  

>> RSTR --> RSTS

>>

> OK, we must work very different contests, because although I'm  

> searching & pouncing, not running, in every contest I've ever been  

> in (and I admit not that many), the sequence is

> Recv Call -> Recv RST (normally 59, but in VHF, not always) -> Recv  

> S/N -> Recv text (or something, sometimes 2 or 3 bits of into)

> Then I reply with

> Sent RST -> Sent S/N -> Sent text  --> Log it

>

> So 'I' would prefer the fields to be in that order and the tab to  

> follow it/

>

> Since the contesters are on here, would other people chime in and  

> describe their typical exchange please. I've straw polled the UK  

> Contest reflector and replies indicate that the exchange is more  

> likely to be as stated by me above. However, they also acknowledge  

> that we do tend to fill in fields as we hear them, so being able to  

> jump straight to a field with a hot key (function key as described  

> below) is good too.


Perhaps we do work different contests. When I am able (which has not  
been often recently)
I work CQ WW, ARRL SS, CQ WPX, CQ VHF, NAQP, NEQP, ARRL 10m, and some  
other
QSO parties. For these and others the RST sent and received is 59 or  
599.
That is: the RST is set at 59 or 599 before the contest and is never  
touched.  Everybody is 59.
So, there is no reason to tab around and even touch these entries  
during most/nearly-all contests.

Whether S/N or Text Exchange should be first after the call sign is  
something that could be debated.
I spent some considerable time thinking about this and made good  
arguments for both. In the end,
I decided that more contests exchange text and only text than exchange  
only serial numbers. For
those contests that expect both, Shift-Tab can move you back. Ugly, I  
know, but if we are only
given one screen and tab configuration we will have to make  
compromises and some contests
will have smoother entry sequences than others.


>

>> 2. CMD-K (clear) clears call, Recv text, and Recv S/N. Focus is  

>> left in Call.

> OK, but if we could use Return as well as tab and Return on the last  

> field completed, would log and go to Call, it's even easier and  

> faster. CMD-K is not a simple keystroke (especially if your left  

> handed) and you still have to use cmd-shift-L to log first, that's  

> even harder and now two keystrokes. If on the last field that needed  

> completion, the return logged and cleared fields and took you to  

> call entry, you've done it all in one big (literally) key-press. And  

> Tab remains to go back around the fields again. Return will always  

> log as soon as all required fields as complete (brings us back to  

> being able to configure which fields we need). This was also a  

> comment from UK-Contest.


My suggestion was consistent with the current keystroke mappings of  
the Pre-Cocoa MLDX.
I have worked both contests and DXpeditions with the CMD-K type SHIFT- 
CMD-L and found
Don's original keyboard shortcut definitions to be satisfactory. Well,  
that's one man's opinion
I guess. It isn't clear to me why one who is left-handed would find  
any particular keystroke
combination more-or-less difficult than someone right-handed. Why  
would that be? I always
thought touch typing with fingers on both hands fully engaged was an  
equal art for both
righty's and lefty's!

I do believe that logging and clearing should be two different  
operations. When running
one might log AB1HB and then the calling station comes back and says,  
"Negative, negative,
the calls is AB1HD!" At that point you do NOT want to re-enter all the  
captured information,
you really want to just update the call and log again. Automatic  
clearing would preclude this
use case. It happens often enough that a deliberate clear is  
warranted, IMHO.


>

>>

>> 7. Power could be set elsewhere (preferences panel?) or set here.  

>> In some ways,

>> having it set elsewhere might be preferable -- just reminding the  

>> operator of the

>> category they are playing in.

> Or as with K3, reads what I've actually set it too - nice if I could  

> set it in MLDX and have K3 change, but that's not important right now.


I don't really care who sets the number. I just thought it would be  
helpful to see what
power was nominally used.


>

>>

>> -=-=-

>>

>> So: here's how a QSO would go.

>>

>> CMD-K clears Call, Recv text, and Recv S/N. Focus left in Call

>> The clock continues to tick while I call CQ

>> Somebody answers my CQ. I type in the call.

>> I hit CMD-L to lookup. All that great data gets filled in.

>> Tab. I copy his exchange data into the Recv text area. OR!

>> Tab Tab. I copy his exchange serial number into the Recv S/N area.

>> Shift-CMD-L to log it.  This clears call, Recv text, and Recv S/N.  

>> Focus is left in Call.

>> I'm ready to go again.

>>

>

> Ok, for me, who S&P, it's -

> use PowerMate to move up and down band

> hear a CQ, maybe get part or all of callsign, or some other part of  

> the exchange (locator for instance)

> use cmd-k to get into detail panel (easiest way) and tab to right  

> field for that data or mouse to it (too many keyclicks away from  

> field, no function keys to get there and no Apple Script yet)

> move to call sign field since that's likely to be what I hear next

> complete rest of details, fill in and send outgoing exchange

> log it with (well in Classic, a script to Log, Clear fields and move  

> to VFO) - sorry, but cmd-shift-l is not a key combo I like - why not  

> something much simpler, like cmd-return or even just enter (enter  

> being on a keypad), why not a number of possible keystrokes?

> go back to VFO to move up or down band again - no point clearing  

> fields, the next call may be close or in same locator

>

>> I toyed with the idea of making the focus change from Call to Recv  

>> S/N

>> selectable with a checkbox option--and it still might be a good  

>> idea--but

>> this gets us close.

> please don't bother, you never can tell what one hears first, I'd  

> rather have function keys to get to each field I have to enter - yes  

> XKeys helps, but because it has to launch an apple script, it takes  

> time - I'd rather have assignable function keys for each field I  

> need to go to.

>>

>

>

>> Users can repeatedly log QSOs without touching the mouse--just  

>> keyboard,

>> keyboard, keyboard. That's good. If your hand needs to leave the  

>> keyboard

>> during a contest is should be going for the radio, not the mouse.

> Sure, but I defy someone not to touch the mouse sometime! :)


Obviously this is a goal.


>

>>

>> The data handling (using the ADIF STX, SRX, STXn, and SRXn fields) is

>> unchanged from the current incarnation of MLDX. There is little  

>> incentive,

>> therefore, to alter the current Cab-converter approach of consuming  

>> an

>> exported ADIF file. So, my world will remain the same.

> That's fine, but without at least one more field, not all contests  

> can be achieved (I've been considering getting in touch to add a lot  

> more RSGB contests to CC and to find out what I need to do, to do  

> it, it will require a different output format too).


One of the worst for tedium is the ARRL SS exchange:
* serial number
* precedence
* callsign
* check (last two digits of first year licensed)
* ARRL/RAC section

and all this goes into the STX / SRX fields (in an order specified by  
the Cab-converter manual).
I would be delighted if these were broken into separate fields, but as  
it stands today we have
MLDX and Cab-converter handling this contest, even with all this stuff  
in one field. If there is
another contest even worse than this one (besides those contests where  
they read back
previous QSOs) I'd like to know about it. Then again, don't bother,  
Cab-converter isn't going
to support it anyway. {grin}



>>

>> That is my thinking on the design. Your thoughts?

> As above. However if you want to pursue this, don't go on the above,  

> I'll write an RFC.

> 73 de M0XDF

>

>>

>> -- Scott (NE1RD)


B. Scott Andersen           | "Magic is real, unless declared integer."
bsandersen -atsign- mac.com | -- The collected sayings of Wiz Zumwalt
Acton, MA (NE1RD)           | http://www.bsandersen.com



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