Multi-op/Issues/Editing serials

If you have a machine on the network crash during the contest, if other stations continue making QSOs, your log at your operating position will be out of sync. The danger with such a scenario is that you may mistakenly work what you thought was a mult but may actually have been worked by another station on the network during the crash. Another problem is that serial numbers might be out of sync at the various operating positions.

Please note that log synchronisation is a feature planned for version 3 of Win-Test, expected 2006.

Overcoming out-of-sync scenarios

The ideal solution if you have a crash on a computer on the network would be to copy a log file from another machine on the network and replace your [now out of sync] existing log with a complete log from another operating position. The quickest and easiest way to do this is to use Microsoft Windows file sharing, and setup read-only sharing on all machines so that shuld such a problem occur, you can copy the log file (example.wtb) to your machine.

So, what's the problem with this 'solution'? Well, you may have copied the full log from another computer on the network but operators at other operating positions on the network may have continued making QSOs. So already your log will be out of sync! To prevent such mishaps the outcome would be to tell everybody to stop making QSOs whilst you copy the log. It is up to you whether you employ such a system but you are losing time and may lose run frequencies etc!

So, what to do?

That's a good question. You could, potentially, enter the QSOs manually after copying the log from another operating position, make a note of the QSO number and then before exporting/merging logs, ensure all is OK. However, again, this is a fairly arduous process and takes time that you should be spending on-air. On the other hand, it is only essential to do this if your log is missing a mult which may have been worked at another operating position whilst your machine was crashed/down - most people now work dupes rather than rejecting them, so entering normal (non-mult) QSOs to the log is probably not important.

Of course, the only other problem that you will encounter is if you have a crash during a contest with serial number exchanges (e.g. Russian DX, IOTA, CQ WPX, ...) and you will now discover that the serial numbers will be out of sync. Luckily Win-Test caters for such situations...

Editing serial numbers

There is a menu option within Win-Test to edit (i.e. re-sync) serial numbers. Use this option with care, however. You will find this option on the Edit->Edit serial number... menu. The screen will look a little something like this:

Preventing crashes mid-contest

Win-Test is a very stable contest logging application - it was built with stability in mind because, let's face it, everybody hates logging program crashes midway through a contest!

As a result, a crash is most likely to be a result of a conflicting program on the operating system (of course there are exceptions, but very rare). It is highly recommended you close all unnecessary programs.

Common programs left running (which, nontheless, are still totally unnecessary) include instant messaging programs (e.g. Windows/MSN Messenger, ICQ, Skype etc), audio program 'agents' (e.g. Winamp agent, RealPlayer agent, ...) etc. Please close everything not required for your contest operation.