Hi All,

I hope that everyone had a wonderful Christmas, New Years and holiday season!

I am being asked these questions a lot (especially now that the ARRL Grid Chase is underway), so I thought I would send along the following:

Can I use Amateur Contact Log for ARRL's International Grid Chase 2018 event?

Yes! Like the ARRL's Centennial QSO Party in 2014 and the National Parks on the Air (NPOTA) event in 2016, scoring for ARRL's International Grid Chase is handled by ARRL's Log Book of the World (LoTW). Amateur Contact Log worked just fine for the ARRL Centennial QSO Party, NPOTA and it will be fine for ARRL's International Grid Chase in 2018 too. Grid Chase scoring is handled by upload to LoTW and Amateur Contact Log has all the features you need for that.

To keep your Grid Chase score updated, you only have to upload your Grid Chase QSOs to LoTW, just as you would any other QSO record. You don't even have to log the grid! LoTW will determine and confirm the grids you work based on the LoTW records of the stations that confirm on LoTW. You can see the Grid Chase leader board here.

It isn't necessary to track the grids you work in AC Log since LoTW is performing that function, but you can always display the grid field to do that too if you like. To display and customize the location of the grid field, click Settings > Edit Fields Displayed. To see your AC Log grid total, just click Awards > 10-10, Grids, Etc., enter the starting record for the time period of interest, enter an L in the Confirmed By field (to only return QSOs confirmed by LoTW) and then click calculate.

Complete details on the ARRL Grid Chase are here.

Step by step instructions for using AC Log with LoTW are here.

If you wish to display your grid field on AC Log's main form, details on customizing AC Log are here.

In summary, to participate, just make as many QSOs as you can! No specific exchange is required and contest contacts count too. For example, we have a great opportunity to collect a lot of grids in ARRL RTTY Roundup this weekend. Then upload your QSOs to LoTW!

How can I interface WSJT-X with Amateur Contact Log?

Using JTAlertX as the intermediary, when you click Log QSO in WSJT-X, the QSO will immediately log right in AC Log. In this configuration, there is no need to transfer your QSOs later via ADIF!

If you haven't already, go ahead and download JTAlertX from http://hamapps.com/ and connect it to WSJT-X. While you are there, install the database as well by downloading the database .exe file and running it.

When installing JTAlertX for WSJT-X, during the install it will ask you which software you want to create JTAlerts icons for and list 6 programs. Only click the WSJT-X box (unless you have the other programs installed).

Then connect JTAlertX to AC Log by following the directions detailed here.

Enjoy the ARRL Grid Chase and lots of FT8 QSOs in 2018!

I hope that you have a safe, happy, healthy and blessed new year!

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 more than one hundred 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.