Hi All,

The ninth program in my C# rewrite project is now available!

November Sweepstakes Contest Log 5.0 is Now Available!

You'll find the new November Sweepstakes Contest Log software on the November Sweepstakes Contest Log page at www.n3fjp.com. As always, upgrades are free to registered users and of course this includes our N3FJP Software Package users!

Until November Sweepstakes Contest Log 5.0 has a contest under its belt, you'll find both the new version and the older, tried and true VB6 version on the web site. November Sweepstakes Contest Log 5.0 is brand new, better, has additional features not found in the VB6 version and represents the future of N3FJP Software. It is also completely new code - every single line of it! While the template has been tested extensively and the new, C#.NET versions for the major contests this year have performed very well, this will be the first use as applied specifically to this contest. It is quite possible that a contest specific bug or two remain to be found, so I want to give you the option of using the VB6 version if you prefer.

Field Day is just 42 days away! Have you downloaded and installed the new versions that supports the new Ontario sections yet?!

Field Day (http://www.arrl.org/field-day) is right around the corner and this will be the first Field Day contest using the new Ontario sections! Everyone must use either the latest C#.NET version (http://www.n3fjp.com/fieldday.html) or newly archived VB6 versions (http://www.n3fjp.com/archivedVB6.html) released after last year's contest, so everyone should be installing new software for this year's contest. If you do not use these new versions, you will be unable to log the new Ontario sections, which will surely be frustrating to your team.

If you aren't sure whether to use the new C#.NET version or older, VB6 versions, here are some important considerations: (http://www.n3fjp.com/rewriteFD.html)

Hopefully, you have already installed the new Field Day software, tested out all your PCs and network. You definitely do not want to wait until the week of Field Day to do so. With the additional security in later Windows operating systems, it is more important than ever to make sure that you have your drives / directories properly shared, so that all the PCs can access the data file. This is quick and easy in a relaxed setting, but can seem insurmountable moments before Field Day when you are seeing errors and the clock is ticking. Relax and have fun on Field Day by making sure your software and network are ready to go well in advance!

Sadly, K7RE RTTY is Not Presently Available.

K7RE RTTY needs a website home, at least for distribution, if not future development. If you would like to host the distribution of the software, please contact Brian, briank7re@gmail.com.

Here is Brian's announcement to his users. Brian writes:

To All Past and Present and Future K7RE RTTY Users:

I find that I can no longer support the program.

Scott is doing a fabulous job updating all of his programs to the new .NET programming language. Unfortunately the new .NET language will not support the older VB6 language, in which K7RE RTTY was written. In addition some of the programming plug in's used in the RTTY program will not work with .NET, and even so are not supported either.

I find that have no ambitions to learn, at my age, an entirely new programming language. In addition, I have developed new interests within Ham Radio, since the K7RE RTTY program was begun in 2005.

I have offered anyone who cares to try to take over the program everything that I have done, but have had no takers at all since we posted the request several months ago. Greg DeChant W8GCD attempted to take it over, but he ran into serious health problems and was unable to continue. This is why there is no longer a Web page for the program, as Greg has discontinued his Yahoo Groups as well as his Web page.

I still have the source code and all other files available. But keep in mind, as Scott moves all of his excellent programs over to .NET, the program, as now written in VB6, will not work with his newer apps.

All software has a life span, and the K7RE RTTY has reached it's limit I am afraid.

So in summary, someone needs to help out Scott if possible. I will try and offer very limited support to users who have already been using the program. If someone wishes to set up a Web Page for K7RE RTTY, I would be glad to send them everything that I have, all that I ask is that you offer it for free.

Thanks for All of Your Support Over the Years,

Brian K7RE
briank7re@gmail.com

Back to Field Day for a Final...

I've got to quickly share that I had the pleasure of catching up with Ed Roberts, WA3IHR last Wednesday after at least a decade, possibly two, since our last visit. Back in 1976, when I was 14, Ed (Mr. Roberts to me at the time) invited Dad and me to some sort of radio event that he called Field Day. Of course, sitting behind the microphone, working station after station with antennas strung about and hum of the generator as backdrop was magic to this 14 year old!

That one evening set the course for a very big portion of my life. Had Ed not invited us to Field Day, I wonder if I ever would have discovered Amateur Radio, had the opportunity to learn to write software and what I would be doing right now. It was also magic to look Ed in the eye last Wednesday and tell him what a profound effect his Field Day invitation had on my life.

As you are planning Field Day this year, please be sure to welcome the young folks in your circle. You never know where that simple invitation may lead!

And in response to the questions we always receive when we neglect to include the following in our e-mail announcements...

Package Upgrade Information...

If you have registered one or more individual programs and would like to upgrade to N3FJP's Software Package or N3FJP's Software Package and CD for full use of all our Amateur Radio software, we would be glad to apply the amount that you have registered so far as a credit towards that purchase. Please send us an e-mail directly and we'll let you know your balance.

N3FJP's Software Package includes approximately 50 programs for contesting, net management, general logging and other Amateur Radio related applications. In addition to full use of all these programs, registered package customers are also entitled to receive free passwords for any new software that is added to the package and free upgrades to existing programs. You'll find all the details on the Register Now page at www.n3fjp.com.

Donations are Gratefully Accepted!

And in response to the often asked question for which Kimberly and I are very grateful...

"I know your upgrades are free, but I also realize how much time and effort coding these enhancements and new programs take and that your pricing policy doesn't fully reflect that. Can I send you something to show my appreciation for your continued efforts?"

Yes, thanks so much, your continued support in any amount is very welcome and deeply appreciated! You can use this page:

http://www.n3fjp.com/donations.html

or send your contribution by mail, payable to Affirmatech Inc., to:

G. Scott Davis
118 Glenwood Road
Bel Air, MD 21014-5533

Thank you so much for your continued support!

Thanks!

As always, thanks for your kind words, support, linking to our web site and spreading the word about our software. Kimberly and I really appreciate it!

73, Scott
N3FJP
http://www.n3fjp.com

Serving the Amateur Radio community with contesting and general logging software since 1997.