SkookumLogger v5.1 now available

Bill Myers, K1GQ has released the latest version of the contest logging software SkookumLogger for macOS.

SkookumLogger is a contest logging program for macOS 10.15 (Catalina) or later, available on the App Store. The app is self-contained, except that you will need to install drivers for your serial hardware if it uses a type of USB-serial adapter not supported by macOS.

The SkookumLogger Guide documents everything about SkookumLogger. The guide is available in the Help menu. You can interact publicly with me and other users via the SkookumLogger group at groups.io.

If you are experienced with other contest logging software, beware. SkookumLogger is not like other loggers, and you may become confused and frustrated. Consult the Introduction and Setup sections in the SkookumLogger Guide to get started. Also, ask questions on the groups.io SkookumLogger forum.

Some SkookumLogger Features

• Any number of QSOs per log
• Two QSO entry boxes supporting interleaved SO1R, SO2V, SO2R/2BSIQ with one keyboard
• Duplicate and needed multiplier checking as callsigns are entered
• Exchange pre-fill from log and from Exchange Archive (personal call history file)
• Partial callsign matching against log, Exchange Archive, and Super Check Partials (SCP) database
• Integrated download of the SCP and cty.dat databases
• Separate activity table windows (like band maps) for each contest band
• Multiplier checksheets for countries, regions, prefixes, zones, grids, other
• Time Tracker and Rate Tracker panels
• Score window with band breakdown and scoring for most contests
• Bidirectional DX Cluster packet spotting interface, with skimmer and QSX support
• CW call type-ahead and CW keyboard mode
• Context-sensitive, queued message sending for CW, SSB (using radio DVR), FSK/PSK (using radio encoder)
• Magic Message, like ESM with user-defined trigger key
• Stateless ESM triggered by the return key
• Voice Keyer using text-to-speech and Personal Voice Apple technologies to send SSB messages
• Audio recorder for QSOs, entire contests, arbitrary snippets
• Great circle maps with target vector, terminator and antenna pattern overlays
• SkookumNet networking for multi-operator/multi-transmitter configurations
• Amplifier standby/operate and drive power controls
• Rotator direction display and control
• Panadapter and mini-pan displays with graphical known-activity overlays and radio frequency control
• K1EL WinKeyer with KEY1/KEY2 management
• YCCC SO2R Box+ and YCCC SO2R Mini interfaces, including their WinKeyer emulations
• YCCC MOAS antenna switch interface
• XK-24 Keypad interface with red/blue backlights status indicators
• Cabrillo export for submitting log entries
• Automatic Cabrillo upload to support SCP
• ADIF and CSV export for moving contest QSOs to a general-purpose logger
• Automated log submission via Apple Mail and via web browser
• Statistics report for post-contest analysis of your contest log
• CW Practice mode for SO1R and SO2R/2BSIQ, simulating run and pounce pileups with realistic propagation

Changes in version 5.1 (40090) 2024012027

Radios

• Added new code for all supported ICOM radios, dropping 746Pro, 756, 9100.
• Added support for IC-7610 spectrum scope data with either UART or LAN connections. Thanks K3LR for loaning me a radio that was essential for testing.
• Added support for IC-703 radio. Thanks G7PVZ.
• Added support for IC-9700 including Panadapter. Thanks AI6W.
• Changed the Type of the Flex radio item to SmartSDR. Still uses the TS2000 protocol.
• Changed the UI for Radios window and radio comm settings windows.
• Changed PhantomRadio to track changes to mode, mainReceiveFrequency, and subReceiveFrequency, and recall that state, per radio, when enabling a PhantomRadio instance. State is remembered across restarts.
• Fixed a crash when a radio is disconnected by yanking out the USB cable while in use.
• Fixed version 5.0 bugs managing Radio connections, in particular, for SO2R.
• Fixed failure to track VFO A for K2. Thanks KA1IS.
• Fixed mis-handling of computer sleep that caused the radio enabled state checkbox to get out of sync with the actual connection state. Thanks JH5GHM.
• Note: If K4 TCP refuses to connect with a “no route to host” alert, check that SkookumLogger is enabled in System Settings > Privacy & Security > Local Network. Thanks W2CS.

Voice Keyer

• New Editor window with per-message voice, pitch and rate properties. Thanks JH5GHM.

Panadapter

• Fixed a crash in discovering video capture devices by removing obsolete code. Thanks N1JM.
• Fixed panadapter grab cursor behavior and added a table in the Guide listing the options.

Log

• Changed use of Log > Correct Last QSO in SO2R to apply the corrections to the most recently logged QSO for the radio with Keyboard focus. Thanks JH5GHM.
• Changed the location of the partner overlay from the bottom of the run partials pane to the top of that pane to avoid obscuring the most-likely fuzzy match. Thanks GØDVJ.
• Fixed a potential crash by limiting the length of SCP calls to 16 characters. Thanks W6FB.
• Fixed failure to clear partials pane when logging a QSO. Thanks JH5GHM.
• Fixed blinking of partials pane content and loss of call field background color cue for matched calls, when rapidly toggling keyboard focus as in 2BSIQ. Created separate queues for each entry controller, and bypassed partials update when contest doesn’t have rovers. Thanks JH5GHM.

Contests

• Added Radio and Run columns to CSV export when log has SO2R QSOs. Thanks W6FB.
• Added sorting of the Countries table in the Statistics Report on country codes. Thanks WA1Z.
• Added a CSV statistics report listing per-band multiplier totals at each hour throughout a contest. Presently not exposed in the UI. Thanks DM5EE.
• Changed rules for OK-OM contest, for entrants outside OK/OM. Thanks CT1DRB.
• Fixed a bug in tagging suspects for outside entrants in ARRL DX. Thanks JH5GHM.
• Fixed failure to guess info field value for ARRL International DX Contest Outside.

Practice Mode

• Added: Sending back-to-back calls not matching a caller’s call now causes that caller to shut up.
• Added: Show all calls sent in Notes when logging a practice QSO.
• Added: Guide documentation for “hidden” preferences.
• Added: Optional logging to help diagnose lid behavior issues.
• Fixed a 2T2R practice bug that caused chaos by mis-identifying the radio when logging a QSO.
• Fixed generation of powers for synthetic stations in ARRL DX Outside.
• Fixed sending wrong message when ending an alternating CQ sequence.
• Fixed application of type-ahead to the wrong radio.

Internal

• Fixed nullability warnings in MessagesController.h. Should do this for all header files that reference pointers, but a lot of code uses nil pointers as flags, so not a trivial task.
• Changed code for displaying SkookumLogger version to show both CFBundleShortVersion string and CFBundleVersion; eg 5.1 (40090). Appears at startup and in various exported files.
• Removed temporary code for doing voice keyer PTT via a particular SO2R device.

The latest version of SkookumLogger is available free of charge for download here or visit the App Store.