Hi Tom,
The FRIEND.INI file that is shipped with Write Log is a older list
of active RTTY operators by callsign and name.
The file format allows easy editing and/or replacement with a list of
callsigns you wish to greet in some special way during a contest. It
is an ASCII text file as shown in the example below:
[HI]
AA0ZZ=CRAIG
AA1LL=PAUL
AA5TA=LARRY
AA5YX/2=JOHN
AA7QU=RUSS
AA8IV=RICH
W5XD=WAYNE
The following syntax must be met in the file:
1. The first line contains [HI] (or whatever you indicate in your
WRITELOG.INI file) to indicate the section of the file you wish to use.
The default section is called HI and configured in the WRITELOG.INI
file with a line such as:
HI_SECTION=HI
You could have sections, for example, SSB, CW, QCWA, QRP, etc. all in
the same FRIEND.INI file and select the one you wish to use for a given
contest by editing the single line in the WRITELOG.INI file to indicate
the appropriate section of the FRIEND.INI file.
2. The second and each successive line of text in the FRIEND.INI
file contains the callsign, an equal sign (=) and the text you wish
to bring up for that call (usually their name). Avoid any extra spaces
in each line as they increase the file size unnecessarily. Note that
the callsign and equal sign will NOT be part of the text that is given
when you make a QSO with someone who is in your FRIEND.INI file. All
the text AFTER the equal sign will be available for your greeting.
3. The second and successive lines in the file (all the calls and
names) are to be sorted in alphabetical order. This speeds the search
process that WriteLog must do in order to determine if the callsign
you worked is in the file and if so, provide the name or other text
from the FRIEND.INI file.
4. Be cautious to avoid any control characters or binary in the file
as Write Log will not deal with it well! The Windows NOTEPAD or other
simple ASCII text file editor is usually best to edit this file with.
Word processor programs often imbed data in their output files that
will cause problems with an ASCII text file.
- - -
OK - You now have this list of friends in a file but how do you get
Write Log to use it.... First, the FRIEND.INI file must be located
in the WRITELOG PROGRAMS folder or directory. Second you must add
%H at the appropriate place in your message buffer(s).
As an example, suppose my ARRL CW DX exchange message buffer looks
like:
%C 5NN TX
This would send the other station's callsign followed by 5NN TX.
If I wish to say W5XD WAYNE 5NN TX when W5XD answer's my CQ
I would need the above message buffer to look like:
%C %H 5NN TX
Note that if the callsign being worked is NOT in the FRIEND.INI
file, then the %H doesn't add anything to the message buffer.
This is a neat feature particularly for small contests where
the benefit of this personalized touch outweighs the disadvantage
of reducing your QSO rate to send the added information.
If you work me in an upcoming contest - - I may remember your name
- or- Write Log may remember it for me! Am I LIVE or is it Memorex?
73,
Bob Helms, AF5Z
af5z@arrl.net
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