[MacLoggerContest] [DogParkList] Finally! a CT like logger for the Mac!

[Don Agro]

Hi David,

On 23-May-09, at 6:04 AM, David Ferrington, M0XDF wrote:


> I don't have the time to do all the things I'm supposed to be doing  

> right now and wouldn't know where to start, freely admit that  

> writing a driver is something I've never done or contemplated.


It takes less time than posting to the email reflectors :) I am sure  
that someone will write one for your radio and digiKEYER. It's not  
rocket science.


> I have never installed a custom font on any mac I've used - I just  

> tried to do this one and it doesn't appear to be working correctly


Installing a font in OS X is trivial.


> maybe you can clear something up - do I put the entire folder with  

> the fonts into the /Library/Fonts dir or just the individual font  

> file? Were does the local.conf go?


Google is your friend: http://www.myfonts.com/support/help_install_mac.html


> My point is, despite my lack of knowledge, I haven't had to install  

> a custom font for any of the other 100's of PD/Free/Shareware I've  

> used in the past.


There are probably a lot of things you haven't done on a Mac - doesn't  
make them bad. I assume K1GQ chose the font because of it's easily  
identifiable zero character. Makes perfect sense to me.


> I wouldn't know that, I have never used CT logger or heard of Bill,


Again, Google is your friend - "K1GQ" and "CT Contest Logger" I think  
it's a safe bet that 99% of all serious contesters have used CT at one  
time or another.


> I freely admit I'm relatively new to amateur radio and maybe people  

> in NA know of CT & Bill more than I do.


That is also a safe bet.


> No disrespect to Bill intended. I didn't say it wasn't a good  

> application - I said I didn't think it would make a lot of  

> contesters happy.


Hopefully you don't mind if I disagree totally with you on that one  
too. I know from almost 10 years of emails that this is exactly what  
many Mac contesters are looking for.


> I can do more with Contest Window of MLDX right now.


For years, many, many people have been asking me for a CT like logger  
for the Mac but not being a serious contester I have always considered  
it beyond my comfort zone. Now K1GQ has gone and done the heavy  
lifting for you and your first reaction is negative and defensive. I  
am at a loss to understand why.


> Well, in terms of do better, although not tried, I've read of lots  

> of loggers that support multiple hardware and multiple contests  

> across bands, HF/VHF/UHF etc. unfortunately only one for Mac so far.  

> I tried to get RUMlog working and had a problem with MySQL install  

> that I didn't get resolved - my fault, but with no time to get  

> anything done, I did have time to investigate what I have done wrong  

> in installation.


I think you are missing the point entirely. This is the first logger  
on the Mac that is intentionally designed to operate like CT. The  
minor issues you are focusing on are trivial to add, K1GQ has done the  
hard part for you already.

So lets see - it's designed to operate like CT. It's native cocoa. He  
has offered to add new contests in one hour. It was written by a  
serious contester. It's free and the source is available... where is  
the down side ?


> So I guess I want it all on a plate, I want a logger that I can just  

> install and use, not have to install additional fonts, additional DB  

> software or write a driver for my rig. Am prepared to write a config  

> file for configure it for a specific contest and to make that  

> available to anyone.


That is very generous of you David but it pales in comparison with the  
thousands of hours K1GQ has already spent on this.

Only in the contesting world would I end up defending a competing  
program <sigh>

Unlike many other failed attempts in the past K1GQ has modeled his  
effort on the gold standard of contesting rather than try to foist his  
own idiosyncratic view of what a contest logger should be on the Mac  
Ham community. I really think he is on the right track here.


> I understand that naturally, something written in the US is going to  

> support US and World contests first. At present I'm only into UK  

> ones and obviously they aren’t supported yet. And the format for VHF/ 

> UHF logs (at here) is REG1TEST, so I'd need to convert the format.


As K1GQ mentions on his web page it takes him about an hour to add a  
contest.


> And since this only supports K3 and requires a WinKeyer, I don't see  

> how it makes all those who don't have a K3 or Winkeyer happy - I  

> have downloaded it and at least run it - there are no UK Spider  

> sites listed and no obvious way of adding one. I can't see how to  

> choose any particular contest - perhaps I've misunderstood how this  

> works and maybe if I knew CT it would help (but I don't, and in my  

> book, you shouldn't have to know any other application to use  

> another, unless they are intended to interface to each other).


Ask any serious contester - CT by K1EA is the standard by which all  
other contest loggers are measured.

http://www.k1ea.com/

Your argument fails completely when you accept that most contesters  
already know how to use CT, therefor the learning curve when switching  
to Skookumlogger on the Mac will be drastically shortened compared to  
any idiosyncratic solution that anyone else might come up with.


> I will read the docs and try to get this working - however, I don't  

> see it connecting to my K3 via the DIGIkeyer, it might work via my  

> KUSB interface.

>

> Working via µH Router would be a great step forward. Maybe Bill  

> would be open to providing more Spider sites, additional contests  

> etc. If I can get to first base I'll contact him.


He is not selling this - he is giving it away - so I hope when you  
contact him you will be less critical and recognize that he has put a  
lot of work into this.


>> Frankly David I find your reaction nothing short of astonishing.

> Well, I guess I'm picky.


I guess that is one way of putting it. If nothing else it serves as a  
reminder why MacLoggerDX is not called MacLoggerContest :)

I think we are probably at the nausea limit for most non-contesters on  
the lists so I would ask you to reply (and I know you will) to the  
MacLoggerContest List only.

I was just trying to notify my users of an exciting new development in  
the Mac Ham contesting world. I guess it is true - no good deed goes  
unpunished :)

73 Don Agro VE3VRW