Release Notes V3

Release information (3.3.5) (Sep 20, 2006)

General

CAUTION : New network protocol version 1.15 released Reminder : If you use WT in a networked environment, you must have the same WT version on all machines !

New Features

• Added support for the Yaesu FTDX-9000 radio. Tks VE6SH, OM7ZZ.

• Added support for the Yaesu FT-2000 radio.

• Added support for the Yaesu FT-857. Tks M0CRY.

• Icom radios: CI-V mode is back again as an option (you can now decide if you want to poll the radio or use the CI-V mode). This option is available in the "Interface configuration" window. Tks W9ZRX, K3LR.
• Programming an Icom radio is now more reliable (a check is done to ensure that the radio got the protocol) and more faster. Tks W9ZRX, K3LR.
• New option to start (resp. stop) wtDxTelnet when WT is started (resp. stopped) automatically in the Options / DX cluster menu. wtDxTelnet *must* be installed in the same directory as WT (which is its default installation directory).
• New RESTART text command, to (guess what ?) restart Win-Test.
• QSX are now parsed from the packet stream and are handled in the bandmaps and the DX cluster spots wnd (Alt-A). The split freq is also handled when spots are entered by the op with Ctrl-Enter (or Ctrl-J). Tnx K3LR.
• CQWW Contest : RTTY leg implemented. This implementation is not totally complete but is fully usable to take part in the competition. It will be improved later, especially when the new databases designs (including multi-field guessing) will be implemented.
• Child wnds : Font size : New menu items added to get larger and smaller font by one point, and a new "Other..." item to set a non-listed font size. Tnx W9ZRX @ K3LR.
• CheckPartial and N + 1 files can now be different of the "database" DTB file associated with the contest.

• WT now accept SCP (stands Super Check Partial) plain text files (one callsign per line - no ordering required), DTA CT files and DTB files for compatibility.
• The preferred format is SCP (plain text).
• Furthermore, WT now also accepts specialised CheckPartial files by band and by mode for a given contest. This improves log accurancy and QSO rates.

Please, read: http://download.win-test.com/files/checkPartial/%23_READ_ME_%23.TXT for more informations.

• CheckPartial (F8) and N+1 (F12) wnds : New contextual menu item to list the used files for the searches.
• WAE Contest : EU Side : The new multiplier warning now claims "New multiplier" instead of "New prefix". The multiplier indicator in the bandmap status has also been changed from C (Country) to M (Mult). Tnx DL1MGB.

Bugfixes

• Bugfix : SAC contest : In M/M category only, the serial numbering is different for each band. Tnx SM6DYK.

• Bugfix : SAC contest : The CW variable $SERIAL wasn't included in the default messages. Tnx I2WIJ and F5IN.

• Bugfix : Internal CW keyer : If a message was interrupted by ESC while a burst was sent, the speed didn't revert to the original speed. Tnx OH2UA, OH1JT and F6IFY.

• Bugfix: IC-7800 was not controlled as expected. Fixed. Tks W9ZRX, K3LR.

• Bugfix: under CW autosending mode, pressing ESC was disabling this feature in any case which was not always wished. From now,pressing ESC will disable autosending mode as soon as the key in not pressed when the radio is transmitting or if the caret is not in the callsign field. Tks ES5TV, UA6AA.

Release information (3.2.0) (Aug 30, 2006)

General

• CIS contest : Adapted to the new rules 2006 (bands : 160m to 10m). The Contests of the month faeture is also updated. Tnx F5IN.
• RDA Contest : Cursor positioning after exchange guessing modified, depending on the guessed region or district and the callsign. Tnx HA1AG, UA6AA.
• TOEC contest : It is now held in September instead of August. Thus, the "Contests of the month" checkbox feature is updated. Tnx F5IN.

New Features

• CheckPartial (F12) and N+1 (F8) windows :
  New option in the contextual menu to limit searches to the available space of these windows. It is only useful for very slow configurations : For a given callsign, once the window is filled, no more search is performed, even if the window is resized.
  By default, this option is disabled, meaning that if more matching callsigns are available (because [+n] is displayed), you can now display them by enlarging these windows on the fly.
• New network protocol advanced settings dlg in the interface settings dlg.
  

CAUTION: Modifications of the default settings must be considered with an extreme attention. It is reserved for very particular configurations or purposes, mainly used by expert users. You're on your own!

We offer some preset example configurations :

• Silent time master : Can be used if the computer is used to *only* distribute an accurate clock. It will not appear in the status wnd of the other networked computers, but it will be listed in an INVENTORY command. Note that NO QSO will be recorded on (and sent from) this machine with this preset.
• Silent backup : Can be used if the computer is *only* used for this purpose : It will not appear in the status window of the other networked computers, but will be listed in a INVENTORY command.
• Packet sharing : Can be used if different stations are networked with different callsigns, do not want a common log, but want to share a commun packet stream. Can be used for several single-ops stations for example.
• Silent log rebuilding : Can be used if you need to rebuild from scratch a complete log from networked stations, without appearing in the status wnd of the other networked computers, but will be listed in a INVENTORY command.

• User interface : You can now drag any child wnd (except the RTTY windows) by using the Ctrl key (held down) and left-click anywhere in the wnd. It avoids to click strictly in the title bar region.
• New feature : Flexible and powerful bandplans management. See (among others) the Options / Bandplans menu item.
• Partner wnd : You can now enter data from the secondary radio wnd. Tnx OH4JFN.
• Partner wnd : New "No band/mode filtering" contextual option added. Might be useful in some unusual cases.
• New options in the integrated voice keyer settings to mute or not the microphone input.
  Reminder : These settings can be modified on the fly with thefollowing text commands :

• MIC : Enables the mic input when the VK is not playing
• NOMIC : Mutes the mic input when the VK is not playing (*)
• MICWHENPLAY : Enables the mic input when the VK is playing
• NOMICWHENPLAY : Mutes the mic input when the VK is playing (*)

(*) Default settings.

• Band changes Alt-F1/F2 : WT is now compliant with WL and CT :
  ALT-F1 Next lower band 20 -> 40 -> 80 -> 160 -> 10 -> 15 -> 20
  ALT-F2 Next higher band 20 -> 15 -> 10 -> 160 -> 80 -> 40 -> 20
  "Lower" means "Lower frequency"... The menu item labels, and the toolbar tooltips are consistent with this behaviour. Tnx I2WIJ, DL4NER, F6BEE.
• New Options / Windows / Default opened windows feature. This dialog allows you to select the default windows which are opened when a new contest log is created.
• Check partial wnd (F12) and N+1 (F8) wnd : A double click on a callsign inserts it in the callsign field. Tnx F6IRF.
• New extra informations window (Alt-X => Stands for eXtra). This window displays data included in .xdt (eXtra DaTa) files. These files are textual and have a very basic "Callsign Data" syntax.
  The # TITLE directive is used to display a title in the wnd.
  You can set up to 10 default extra data files by a new menu (Options / Data files / Default data files). : These files will be opened with every log. They must be located in the WT installation directory.
  You can also add log-specific extra data files by using the "Extra files..." item in the contextual menu of this wnd.There is no limitation to the location and the number of these log-specific files.
  Some usages of this new feature :

• VHFers can have a database of stations QRV on such or such band, to ask for a QSY.
• Operators names
• List of WT users ;-)
• etc...

This feature is tailored to deal with few thousands of callsigns only. Don't try it with millions of lines !

If you modify an .xdt file while it is in use, you must reload it by using the "Reload files" item menu.

The # VARIABLE directive allows you to sent the extra information in a CW message by using a variable name. The variable name *must* begin with the $ character.

Example : # VARIABLE $OPNAME will substitute the $OPNAME string in the CW messages with the extra info included in this file, if the sent callsign has matching data.

CAUTION : The variable subsitution only works with the internal CW keyer for now.

• To enhance CT compatibility, Alt-F5 saves the current mode and freq as the Run freq/mode. It means you can use this command to "store" these data without using the F1 key.
• ADIF export : If a power level is set in the contest setup dialog, this string is exported in the TX_PWR field of every QSO record. Tnx W4TME.
• ADIF export : New option to include the contest name in the NOTES field of every QSO. Tnx W4TME.
• Cabrillo export : New option to exclude modes in the Cabrillo file. Tnx TM0HQ.

Bugfixes

• Bugfix : CheckPartial wnd (F12) : In some cases, the result list was wrong if the pattern started or ended with a question mark.
• Bugfix : N+1 wnd (F8) : If the wnd width was smaller than one resultcell, WT crashed. Tnx DJ3WE.
• Bugfix : CheckPartial wnd (F12) : In some cases, the result list was truncated, although there was more available empty space.
• Bugfix : Some frequency fields (especially in dialogs) didn't accept the dot character.
• Bugfix : Partner wnd : Ctrl-# (exchange current callsign with line #) was crashing partner WTs.
• Bugfix : WAEDC : After entering the keyboard mode while the QTC window was opened (Alt-L), WT was crashing on the first keypress Tnx DL1MGB.
• Bugfix : Internal CW keyer : Speed modifications by Alt-F9/F10 during the +/- "bursts" *should* work now. Tnx OH2UA, OH4JFN, F5VIH and others.
• Bugfix : Check country wnd (F10) : The geographical and timezone exceptions included in the CTY_WT_MOD.DAT weren't used in the WAE, RGSB 15/10 and PACC contests. Tnx F5IN.
• Bugfix : After entering a freq, and hitting Alt-Up, the keyer sent the freq instead of the callsign ! Tnx F6BEE.

Release information (3.1.0) (Jul 27, 2006)

General

• CAUTION : New network protocol version 1.14 released. Reminder : If you use WT in a networked environment, you must have the same protocol version on all machines !

New features

• Reverse mult check (Shift-F10) : If the mults are mode-dependent, (IOTA contest, ARRL 10 for ex.) worked stations are ordered by band and mode.
• Check mult wnd (F10) : When automatic update is engaged, any modification in the received exchange field updates this wnd accordingly. Tnx OH4JFN.
• Check mult wnd (F10) : New CQWW DX display policy for all displayed bands. Tnx OH4JFN.

1. The exact callsign is searched
2. If not found, the same country with the same zone is searched
3. If not found, the same country whatever zone is searched
4. In all cases a zone indicator is also displayed :
   • 'Z' means the current zone is already worked in the current country.
   • 'z' means the current zone is already worked in another country.

• Contest settings dlg : New button to help filling the exchange field.
• COM properties dlg : New button to set default settings depending on the COM port usage. Must be tested in the real world !
• New Tools / Data entry / Remap slash to portable in VHF+ and FD option. This only works for callsign field in the log, for all VHF+ (DXPed included) and Field Day contests.
• Automatic and on-demand backups (Options / Automatic backup) : You can now get one different timestamped file per backup. Tnx DL5MLO @ DA0HQ.
• Backups : If a backup fails, you are asked if you want to disable the next automatic backups, if any.
• Partner wnd : When a QSO is entered, or got from the network, the logged callsign is checked against the content of the partner wnd, and accordingly removed from it. Tnx DL1MGB & DL6RAI @ DA0HQ.
• Partner wnd : When automatic exchange guessing is enabled, any grabbed callsign from the partner wnd is checked and exchange field is filled accordingly. The check partial and N+1 windows are now also updated. Tnx DL1MGB & DL6RAI @ DA0HQ.
• Sked wnd (Alt-B) : Pops up for a hot sked only if the main WT window is not iconic, to avoid visual annoyance.
• Commands / Remote command menu item added. Only enabled if there are several stns on the network.
• Remote command dlg : You can now also locally apply the entered command.
• Send gab dialog (Alt-G) : If the text starts with "/me", it is replaced with the station name, and the text is emphasized with leading and trailing star character (*), a la IRC.
• Status Wnd (Alt-J) : You can now enable (or disable) logging a summary of the network activity. Might be useful for network basic troubleshootings. This log uses the .ntk (stands for NeTworK) file extension.

Bug fixes

• Bugfix : Under some circonstances, when a sync was in progress, multipliers tables were totally messed up ! Tnx TM0HQ and DA0HQ
• Bugfix : Automatic backup dlg : Setting the backup file path was disabling the automatic backup. Tnx DL5MLO @ DA0HQ.
• Bugfix : Merge progress bar title was corrupted. It now displays the master file name.
• Bugfix : If clocks were not in sync, the offtime timer could display negative time ! Tnx TM0HQ.
• Bugfix : INV (or INVENTORY) command : All networked stations were getting back the status, although only the sender was supposed to.
• Bugfix : Sked wnd (Alt-B) : Under some circonstances, the scrollbar was not initialized as expected.