Hi All,

Earlier this week, Chris, Kimberly and I let you know that we released Amateur Contact Log 7.0.4. We are very excited to tell you that updates for all our contest logs are available now too!

The new features now available in all our contest software include:

- A world map (View > World Map)
- A gray line map (View > Gray Line Map)
- Easy access to hundreds of common help questions via our Juliet chat bot (Help > Ask Juliet)
- Notes (Ctrl H) added to Band Map (with rig interface enabled).
- Ability to enter a transverter offset value (Settings > Rig Interface)

In addition to the global enhancements above, we have upgrade the following specific contest logs as follows:

- ARRL Field Day Contest Log 6.2.2 - Removed option to disallow Class D to Class D for points, since allowing D to D stations for points is now a permanent rule change.
- Arkansas 2.4.2 - New scoring implementation
- Idaho 2.2.2 - In state multipliers do not include counties (software corrected to reflect existing rules)
- Michigan 4.4.2 In State and 4.3.2 Out of State - New, non serial number exchange
- Ontario 2.2.3 - Bonus station points calculation
- Wisconsin 4.5.2 - Digital and CW now independent for duplicate checking

All the details on the enhancements specific to the contest software and your free upgrade instructions follow. These words are very similar to the details we provided in Monday's announcement for Amateur Contact Log, so if you already read that announcement, you are all set!

Just be sure to click View > World Map before you start ARRL DX SSB this weekend and enjoy the ride as you work the world!

World Map

When you tab from the Call field, the world map will fly to and display the location of the station you are working with a red pin. When you enter the QSO, the red pin will turn blue. Pins will fade over the next 15 minutes. You can also optionally display DX Spots as purple pins. Click Settings > DX Spotting to enable DX Spots

The world map displays QSOs you have logged and DX Spots received since opening the map. Your station location display is based on the coordinates you enter in Settings > Setup. Remember, western longitude values are negative.

In the contest software, the pin location of the station you are working is based on Jim's AD1C country list prefix coordinates. After you press enter to log the QSO, if a USA or Canadian state, province or section is part of the exchange, the pin will move to the location provided in the exchange.

Keep in mind that most DX countries each have one set of coordinates in the AD1C country list, but it still gives you a neat idea of where in the world you are working! The contest programs don't have a callbook lookup feature because contest sponsors require the full QSO exchange to be completed over the air.

You can optionally display DX spots as purple pins. In addition, needed contest multipliers will have a red center. With rig interface enabled, you can click on the pin to tune your rig to the spot frequency. Right click any of the pins to remove them.

The world map use case philosophy for the contest software and AC Log may be different. For general logging, it is fun to see the stations we have worked in the last hour, but for contesting, with lots of DX spots rolling in, you may wish to use the "Hide Logged QSO" button at the top of the map.

The control buttons and band filters at the top of the map should be self explanatory. Just be aware you have three options for the DX Spots button: Off, On and Needed Only. When DX Spots Needed is selected, that will only will display DX Spots that are needed multipliers in the contest software.

A Gray Line Map

While our World Map also displays the gray line, you may be zoomed in to an area of the world, making it harder to keep track, so we have also added a separate gray line map which you can optionally display.

Easy access to hundreds of common help questions via our Juliet chat bot

Need help with a quick question? Juliet, our help chat bot, is happy, ready and willing to help! Over the last 9 months, Juliet has learned thousands of question phrasings for hundreds of commonly asked questions. Juliet is still learning, so if her answer doesn't seem quite right the first time, please try rephrasing your question. Very brief phrasings of just a couple words, such as "how to set up DX Spotting" work best. Of course, if Juliet is unable to answer your question, you can always e-mail us for help, but we will be very grateful if you would please start with Juliet first. Just click Help > Ask Juliet.

Notes (Ctrl H) added to Band Map (with rig interface enabled)

With a call in the call field and rig interface enabled, when you press Ctrl + H to add the call to the notes list, a DX Spot for the call and frequency will also be added to the band map. That makes it even easier to keep track of calls you wish to circle back to.

Ability to Enter a Transverter Offset Value

To enter a transverter offset value, click Settings > Rig Interface and enter the offset for your transverter.

Affirmatech Extensions Setup

The world map, gray line map and connection to our help chat bot Juliet use our new Affirmatech Extensions (AE) component, that allows us to integrate web tools right into our software. When you click on a function requiring AE, AC Log will offer to install it for you. Simply click yes to proceed, and AC Log will do the rest.

For our future plans, we need the ability to incorporate web technologies into AC Log / N3FJP Software to take advantage of these additional feature sets. This opens up a world of possibilities for our software that we are really excited about!

ARRL International Digital Contest Log Under Construction!

We have received numerous inquiries from folks hoping that we will support the newly announced ARRL International Digital Contest. Yes, we have already begun building the ARRL International Digital Contest Log and Lord willing, we fully expect to have it ready well before the June event. Stay tuned!

Upgrade Steps

As always, upgrades are free to registered users. If you are currently running a version of our software released after January 2021, it should detect the new upgrade and offer to retrieve it for you on start. If you have any problem with the automatic upgrade, or you are running an older version, you can uninstall the previous version from Windows Control Panel and then install the current version from our web site.

Enjoy!

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, Chris 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:

https://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, Chris and I really appreciate it!

73, Scott, Kimberly and Chris

N3FJP, KA3SEQ and KB3KCN
http://www.n3fjp.com

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

1 Peter 3 vs 15: Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect...