Editorial note:

This is the second review written by John, ON4UN. The first version was withdrawn because the company selling the product he referred to by name objected to some of the comparisons made. John offered to rewrite the text without referring to that product by name, and add his most recent experiences with the beta copy he has been using. We expect to make the new features he mentions part of the next version which will be distributed soon. Users who purchased older versions will, as usual, be able to download free upgrades from this web page. --- Paul, KK4HD

ON4UN and DX4WIN, 2 months later

1. Meeting DX4WIN.

My first contact with DX4WIN was one of the many mails that appeared on the DX-reflector in the weeks after Dayton. Apparently everyone had been waiting for Dayton to see the long awaited Windows version of some of the well established logging software vendors. One of the messages said "Why don't you guys give DX4WIN a try? It has everything you want, including perfect service, N6TR-style", the message said. The same night I was playing around with the demo version that I loaded down from (their web site). I was impressed. I played with it a few nights, but still had some questions. I sent them to Steve, N4JF, by e-mail and got response the same day! Some responsiveness!

2. Getting my own copy of DX4WIN.

Two days later I decided to buy my copy of DX4WIN. How? Via e-mail of course. I send him my credit card number, and within 1 hour he sent me the zipped file containing all the files. Two hours after having decided that I wanted the software, it was mine! And the price was right: just 69$, which is roughly half of what you pay for the long awaited Windows of one of the major logging software vendors.

3. Importing my old log

First thing I did is importing he 130,000 QSO's from my old log program. DX4WIN has provisions to import from just about any imaginable logging program. It has the standard conversion keys, but you can change them as you like. I had noticed that, while my old DOS-style logging program had just one REMARK field, DX4WIN has two very distinct remark fields. One is linked to the call, the other one to the particular QSO. In the first one you might want to write the name of the operator, and his QTH. This information is then shown in that remark field for all QSO's with that same station. the second remark field should be used to store data related to that particular QSO. I use it to store info about contest QSO's (e.g. "CQ WW CW as OT7T"). When importing the data from DX-Base, you should set the import filters of the DX4WIN program in such a way that the Remark data are imported into the QSO-related remark field (this is NOT the standard). Later you can move some of the data from one field to the other (names), but this will have to be done manually. The two distinct remark fields inside the same (QSO) window are very helpful indeed. While importing my 130,000 QSO's DX4WIN checks the data from the original log (country, zone etc.) and compares it to what it thinks it should be. Any discrepancy is logged into the QSO-related remark field. Very smart. You can later investigate and make changes if necessary.

4. Log size, memory use.

Then came my first surprise: While my log file was 39 Mbyte with my old DOS logging program, it was only just over 9 Mbyte with DX4WIN! Some logging programs write every QSO or change to the disk, after each QSO or change. DX4WIN does NOT. It works like for example Word, which saves your working file at regular intervals (which you can specify) to the hard disk. In DX4WIN, all log data are loaded into RAM memory. In case of my 130,000 QSO log, over 9 Mbyte of RAM memory is used to store the log. It means you need a bit of Ram memory! But it also means that access to the data is virtually instant. On the other hand, it take approx. 30 seconds to load the data (130,000 QSO's) into RAM when starting up the program (depending on the speed of the hard disk and the clock frequency of the computer). DX4WIN saves the the complete log and country database every few minutes. This takes only a second or so even though the complete log and country database are written out. Obviously their is a risk involved: if you lose AC power, you will loose the QSO's since the last saving. This is true for most Windows based programs, such as Word (which most of us use). If you got a really bad AC supply, I would suggest to invest in a UPS (uninteruptable power supply) to solve the problem. The alternative would be to save after every QSO. This solution was opted for with another well known Windows logging program. In that program saving to the hard disk takes 3 to 5 seconds, depending on the speed of the hardware, which is unacceptable for fast QSO logging (contest-style).

5. Setting up DX4WIN

In the main menu you find PREFERENCES. This is also where you will enter your name and registration number. This is where you set up packet, communication with your transceiver and even RTTY. Yes you can even do RTTY right from DX4WIN!

6. A windows program

DX4WIN is a windows program. It runs well under Windows 95 (and NT, according to the author), but also under Windows 3. It is written in 16-bit code, which makes is run under windows 3 as well. One of the newest Logging programs on the market, is written in 32 bit code, which makes it run ONLY under windows 95 and NT. The choice of using 16 bit code was intentional, according to the author, in not only to reach the hams having Windows 95 or NT on their shack computer. Although the present version of DX4WIN is an order of magnitude faster than one of the latest competitors (programmed in 32 bit code!), it is likely that the authors will, at a later date, market a 32bit version, which should be another 3 to 5 times faster than the present 16 bit version.

7. The windows

You can have over a dozen windows open at the same time under DX4WIN. I would not recommend you to do that unless you have a large screen monitor though. The main window holds the main data: Call, Country prefix, Country name, Date, Time, Band, Mode, etc. etc., including the two remark fields. In total there are some 44 fields, too many to enumerate. But you don't have to worry about these 44 fields. You can reduce the size of the main window (in steps) and show only the main fields. A very nice feature is that you activate each of the fields individually. The only field you cannot de-activate is the call field (obviously!). If you like to operate "contest-style", just activate the Remark (1) field, where you type the name of the operator. The cursor will now only go to the call field and to the remark field. If you have a radio link between the computer and your transceiver, the frequency will entered automatically, just like the time. The program will log your default RS(T). Neat! Again, all is this is fully customizable, as you like it. Changing it takes only seconds, no complicated set-up files to handle, it is all done right from inside the program.

The number two window is the Log Window. It lists the log in tabular form. Listing can be in any imaginable order (by time, by call, by country or whatever), and you can include whatever fields from the main window you want. Flexibility unlimited!

The "Same Call" window is a nice feature. When you type a call in the main window call field, this window will immediately show all QSO's you have had with this station before. Also, if you noted his name in the (call-related) remark field, his name will pop-up in the main window as soon as the call is typed, as well as the state, county grid and IOTA information. Nice to be able to great the guy by his first name. That's how you build a reputation of having a good memory for names...

Other windows are: Country Window (shows you which bands/modes you have worked the country you are logging), a Sunrise/Sunset Window, An IOTA Window, a State Window, A Zone Window, a Grid Window (for VHF-ers) and last but not least a CW window.

The latest Beta version of DX4WIN has added another window: the Master Lookup Window. It is very similar to the Super Check partial feature from CT, and it can use the Master.DTA file from CT. There is a command to convert this file or any other file containing callsigns. The Master Calls window shows all calls in a Master log based on the characters entered in the callsign field of the QSO Window. For example, when the callsign field contains 'KK', all callsigns in the Master log starting with 'KK' will be shown. The use of a '?' (question mark) is allowed, for example, 'W?L' will find calls such as W3LPL,'W9LZ' etc. When the callsign fields starts with a question mark, the letter combination can appear anywhere in the callsign. For example, '?KK' will find calls such as 'KK4HD' but also 'AB4KK'. This is an excellent feature that will be appreciated by anyone who likes to operate "contest style", something DX4WIN is ideally suited for. It makes an excellent piece of software for taking on a DX-pedition as well!

8. CW from DX4WIN

You can do CW from the keyboard from inside DX4WIN, and use a parallel (printer) port,or the DTR line on the radio (serial) port just like with CT, NA , and many of the other contest programs do. Five pre-canned messages can be programmed into F1-F5, and any text can be typed in the CW window. Not that I think that a real CW op will use this feature a lot, but the F1-F5 can be used just like any memory keyer, with the advantage that the call of the station you work (logged in the main window "Call" field" can be part of any pre-canned message (as well as the received report and serial number). You also see the text scrolling in the CW window while it is being transmitted. Letter spacing and weight control are fully adjustable.

9. DX-Cluster

The DX-Cluster feature has all the bells and whistles one could imagine, and more. The best I have seen so far. There are two windows. One (split) window shows all the incoming data at the top (good for monitoring), and whatever you typed (commands etc.) in the bottom part. Once the DX-cluster is up and running, you can hide this window and pay all attention to the separate window that lists the DX-spots. You can listen to the DX announcements via your sound-blaster system. The latest Beta version now also has CW announcements. By double clicking with the Mouse on a given announcement in the DX-spot window, your transceiver will automatically be switched to the correct frequency and mode, and the station's call will be entered in the log. All you need to do is work the station, and press enter, and the QSO will be logged.

You can also specify certain messages to be sent to a special window (the "Announcements and talk messages", which will show up on top of any program you run at any time while DX4WIN is running. You can specify up to 4 warning patterns (certain strings of words) which will be sent to that window, such as "ON4UN DE *:*, or YOU HAVE NEW MAIL, or WWV*. With these examples the announcement window will pop up immediately when a new mail message has been sent to you, or when someone is "talking" to you via the DX cluster or when a new WWV report has been sent.

10. Searching your log.

The search facilities in DX4WIN are unlimited. If you want to see all the QSO's that you made on 160m, in CW and for which you have not received a QSO, just press F8 from the main window, type 160 in the band window, CW in the mode window and N in the Cnfm window, and press enter. Within a fraction of a second the log window will now only list the selected QSO's. If you look for a given call you can define an "exact" match, a "substring match" (when I enter K2UO I will also get K2UOP) or a fuzzy match where I will get anything that has some resemblance with K2UO. Nice feature for using when you get a QSL card and the exact call is not in your log. If you logged anything that's even close to the right call, this "fuzzy" match option will find it for you.

11. Reports.

DX4WIN will generate reports for DXCC, WAS, WAZ, IOTA, WPX, US Counties, TenTen, VUCC etc. Reports can be generated for all bands, single band, with our without deleted (DXCC) etc., lists can be made for "needed" countries etc. The report generator is very complete.

12. The country data base.

But a report is only accurate if the data base containing the basic reference data is OK. This is where DX4WIN really excels. DX4WIN contains a country reference file that takes into account dates. You can access the file from the opening window and make changes in full window style. Complete lists of aliases are shown. The feature that I like best is that this reference data base is updated, whenever you log something that is different from what the reference data base says. Assume you log VK0IR. DX4WIN will tell you (as soon as you enter the call that it is Heard Island). But the guy you work says he is on Macquarie island. You just change the country to Macquarie in the relevant field in the main (logging) window, and log the QSO. At this time the reference data base will now register that starting this date VK0IR is Macquarie Island. You don't have to manually update the data base, it is done each time you tell the program something different from what the current data base says. And if you made an error, you can easily access the data base and make changes as required.

13. The labels

The QSL label generator can generate labels with a single QSO or with multiple QSO's. The software contains an impressive data base of commercially available labels of all sorts of dimensions. You can also design your own label, or even export the label data to an ascii file and use it with your own QSL label program. In short: very complete, and well done.

14. QSL Managers

DX4WIN contains a data base with 4854 QSL managers. This data base can very easily be viewed and altered. When you type a call in the QSDL manager field when entering a QSO, this call will automatically be added to the data base, with the date. A given call can have various QSL managers depending on the date of the QSO. The data base, as supplied is comprehensive but not without errors. It can easily be changed.

15. External Callbook support

When you have a CD drive, you can access various callbooks on CD, such as the well known Buckmaster.

16. Rotator control

If you are one of the fortunate guys that have a rotator with a PC interface, and an extra free computer port, DX4WIN will handle that as well. Really, all you will have to do, is make the QSO. DX4WIN will virtually automate your entire station.

17. Log files and Group-names.

DX4WIN is not limited to a single log file. If you operate from different places with different calls, you can create different log files, just like you create different files in a word processor program. In addition to that you can specify group numbers. Group numbers can be used to divide your log in different logical sections, allowing you to indicate changes in operating conditions such as change of QTH, callsign, a specific contest etc. When you open a log, the program will use the default Selection which simply covers all QSOs in the log. When you specify a Selection, DX4WIN will only show the QSOs matching the Selection.

18. Contest mode

If you want to play around in a contest, without being too serious and don't feel like starting up N6TR or CT or NA, then DX4WIN can act just like a non-sophisticated contest program. In contest mode you will need to specify the start and ending time of the contest. The program will generate sequential numbers in CW when asked, and will alert you when you are working a "dupe". Together with the Master Lookup Window this is very nice feature for entering a contest for a few hours.

19. Service

This is another area where DX4WIN excels. You have a problem, a question or a suggestion, send an e-mail to either Steve Bookout , NJ4F or Paul van der Eijk, KK4HD. You are guaranteed an answer within 24 hours, as well as action. Let me illustrate this: when I asked Paul if he could possibly integrate a "super check partial" system using CT's MASTER.DTA file, he answered within 24 hours by sending me a Beta-version program which did it! No promises, but action!

20. Conclusion

If you are considering switching to a high performance logging software under Windows, at a reasonable price, this is your product. I am impressed with the product, and last but not the least by the service and responsiveness of both Steve and Paul who are responsible for this excellent product.

John Devoldere, ON4UN

Sept 18, 1997