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Re: [CQ-Contest] Doctor DX clone (if you never used it, you just don't "

To: Richard F DiDonna NN3W <richnn3w@gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] Doctor DX clone (if you never used it, you just don't "get it")
From: David Gilbert <ab7echo@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 29 Sep 2020 18:20:36 -0700
List-post: <mailto:cq-contest@contesting.com>

Very impressive!   Thanks!

For a modern implementation, any Morse code oscillator could just feed the sound card to provide the hardware interface for a paddle.

I wonder if a modern implementation could be written to extract propagation information from the RBN or various cluster spots, either current or historical, instead of having some internal database.  Seems like it might be simpler, but maybe it isn't extensive enough.

Take care es 73,
Dave   AB7E



On 9/29/2020 5:44 PM, Richard F DiDonna NN3W wrote:
So, the post I did earlier kind of summarizes what differentiate it from VE3NEAs program.

KR2Q or N6GQ or anyone can fill in gaps.  This program is 30 years old.

First, as I and KR2Q mentioned, this was basically a CW trainer that emulates the CQWW contest.

The program came from AEA and it worked with the Commodore 64 via a ROM cartridge that plugged into the back of the C64.  As I noted what was very novel was that you send CW not with function keys as you would with CT or N1MM or Wintest, but with your own paddle and keyer which you plugged into the back of the ROM cartridge through a RCA jack that was provided internally in the cartridge.

The program itself - again - emulated the CQWW CW contest.  You entered your call, your latitude and longitude, as well as the local time (which controlled atmospheric conditions), and the contest started.

You picked a band that you wanted to start on (160 - 10) meters and then it was up to you to contest.  You could S&P the band or you could try running.  IIRC, the stations down low were speed demons (e.g., N6MJ and CT1ILT), and the stations up high were guys who were novices or were lousy with code (e.g., KL2A).

Your ability to running was affected by your power output and where you were in the band.  Selecting between 200 watts, 20 watts, and 2 watts would affect how big your pile up could be.  It also affected scoring.  Similar to Field Day, you were rewarded with a multiplier factor for making low power or QRP contacts.

Additionally, your location on the globe as well as the time of day affected propagation.  So if you were in W3, you couldn't set up shop on 160 meters with 200 watts at noon local time and expect to work ZLs and Z3s.  The propagation was appropriate for fall contesting: get on 20 meters in the morning and work EU; get on 40 meters at dawn and maybe there are some JAs there.  I do not remember what assumptions were made with respect to solar flux so I do not remember how 10 and 15 meters acted.  I assume both bands were "open" since having two or three virtual bands would be boring.

I do NOT believe there were variable filter settings (1 KHz, 500 Hz, 250 Hz, etc.).  In addition, IIRC the callsign database was kind of random so you would get oddball calls. This program came out in the early stages of CT and NA so check partial and callsign databases were very young.

Scoring followed the standard CQWW format .... QSO points (along with the power weighting factor) x multipliers (zones + countries) gave you your score.

A new version of Doctor DX would have the aforementioned features but with the added wish list features of 1) variable receive bandwidth, 2) ability to do SO2R or 2BSIQ, 3) interface with SCP databases, 4) adjustable SFI which allows you to simulate operating when the SFI is 71 or when the SFI is 171.

As Doug KR2Q mentioned, it was way ahead of its time. The other programs are basically pileup programs.  Not downing them, but they are different.

73 Rich NN3W

73 Rich NN3W


On Tue, Sep 29, 2020 at 7:27 PM David Gilbert <ab7echo@gmail.com <mailto:ab7echo@gmail.com>> wrote:


    I don't understand why somebody couldn't come up with essentially the
    same thing for a current operating system.  I never owned a C-64,
    but as
    primitive as it was by today's standards replication of Doctor DX
    would
    seem possible if there were enough people interested in it.  I
    suspect
    that the issue is that there isn't.

    Does anyone have a comprehensive description of what it was
    capable of
    and how it worked?

    73,
    Dave  AB7E



    On 9/29/2020 12:08 PM, Douglas Zwiebel wrote:
    > Dr Dx was like sitting down at a real radio and actually tuning
    the bands
    > during a contest and working guys.  Other have explained this
    here, but
    > seems that the "alternatives" being offered are not just miles,
    but light
    > years off the mark.
    >
    > If you never sat in front of Dr. DX, you will never appreciate what
    > everyone else is talking about.
    >
    > It was way ahead of it's time (at least compared to what is out
    there now).
    >
    > de Doug KR2Q
    > _______________________________________________
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