RE: [amsat-bb] Help finding software

["Walls, Jim R" <WALLSJR@xxxxxxx>]

Samuel Barker asked:

> I've just recently become interested in operating through
> satellites, cutting my teeth on SO-35.  I decided that I'm
> hooked, so I might as well start doing some serious logging
> in case I can manage enough contacts for something like a
> VUCC.

Welcome to the wonderful world of amateur satellite operation.  I started
out just using logbook, and kept a spreadsheet based list of the states with
which ones were worked and confirmed on each of the (currently 6) analog
satellites (I don't use the HF birds).  It worked OK at least to get
started.  Now if you can get up on more of the birds.

> I need some advice on logging software.  So far, everything
> I've found that says it has satellite support is lacking in the
> fields they provide for such contacts, so:  

No kidding.  I went through the same question process a couple months ago
and got recommendations on LOTS of programs.  I downloaded a bunch of them
and played with any that gave any indication of support for satellite
operation.  I found that NONE of them came close to what I wanted a
satellite specific logging program to do.  Most were designed for HF
operation and it showed.  Even the few VHF/UHF programs had little or no
support for satellite operation.
The end result is that I am building a logging database using Microsoft
Access 97.  It is operational enough that I am now doing all my logging in
it, but it is not yet done.  There are still parts of it that will be
automated, that are not yet designed, but give me a few more weeks
(depending on available time) and it should be pretty close.  If you have
Access 97 I would be happy to send you the database and let you play with it
as long as you understand that it is a work in progress.  However, if you
enter contacts, they should be importable to later versions, and they will
(not yet) be able to export to the more commonly used formats for other
logging programs.

> What do you use?  What do you recommend?  Something
> that will work well for other bands/modes (hf, etc.) would be
> nice, but not a deal-breaker.

What I'm writing will be satellite specific.  I use CT for contest logging
and paper logbooks for my small amount of HF operation.

73
-------------------------
Jim Walls - K6CCC
k6ccc@amsat.org
http://home.earthlink.net/~k6ccc/
Ofc:  626-302-8515    FAX:  626-302-9999
AMSAT member 32537 / WSWSS member 395

----
Via the amsat-bb mailing list at AMSAT.ORG courtesy of AMSAT-NA.
To unsubscribe, send "unsubscribe amsat-bb" to Majordomo@amsat.org