After spending as much time as you can in 48 hours over a weekend to participate in a ham radio contest, there is plenty to do when the clock hits 0000z and the contest comes to an end. I use N1MM for contest logging and I use Ham Radio Deluxe as my general logging program and where I import all contacts into if logged in N1MM.
Here’s what I do after the contest ends. Depending on the number of contacts made, the initial wrap up takes about 30 mins for a small contest to 2 hours or so for a larger contest, not counting writing out paper QSL cards.
Within N1MM:
1) Rescore the current contest to make sure everything is up to date.
2) File / Export the contacts in a ADIF file.
3) File / Export the Cabrillo log file.
4) File / Export the Score Summary sheet.
5) Go to http://www.hornucopia.com/3830score/ , select the contest at the top, and submit my claimed score using the details within the N1MM Score Summary sheet.
Loading contacts into Ham Radio Deluxe:
1) Create a new logbook (database)in Ham Radio Deluxe to import the contest contacts into.
2) Logbook / Import the ADIF file exported from N1MM.
3) Bulk edit the data to remove the Name which might have been imported as well as the [Grid] Locator. Info from QRZ is better then what I might have cached in N1MM from previous contests.
Updating the imported data:
1) Using Ham Radio Deluxe Utilities (HRDU) by WD5EAE, I update My Station data using the info pulled from my default logbook.
2) Using HRDU, I then update all the imported records based on the QRZ data that matches that call sign. You need to have a QRZ subscription which covers their XML access. It populats the name, location info, QSL info and locator if provided on the QRZ.com site.
3) Change mode from SSB to LSB/USB based on band.
4) I then run a SQL script in MS Access to compare the main Ham Radio Deluxe (HRD) database to the contest one to see if there’s any stations I don’t have a grid locator for that I previously found one for. I update those in the contest database.
5) For all remaining contacts that don’t have a grid locator, I use a page I wrote at http://www.levinecentral.com/ham/grid_square.php and enter in the callsign of a station and it grabs address info from QRZ and using Google Maps geocoding determines the latitude/longitude of the location and plots it on a map along with displaying the 6 character maidenhead grid square locator.
6) For any record which didn’t find a match on QRZ.com, I use other sources such as Hamcall.net or Google searches to try and find info.
Merging the logs in Ham Radio Deluxe:
1) Within the contest logbook in Ham Radio Deluxe (HRD), File / Export all records in ADIF/HRD format to an ADIF file.
2) Open the main logbook and File / Import the ADIF file to consolidate the contest info into the main logbook.
QSLing:
1) Filter all records in the main (merged) logbook for any records where LotW Sent = No and that shows all new records just imported.
2) Select every record in Ham Radio Deluxe (HRD) and send to eQSL.
3) Select every record and send to Hamlog.net.
4) I set the US and Canada contacts to QSL Sent = Ignore. I will respond to any that come in but I don’t normally send paper QSLs to US or Canadian contacts.
5) I run another QSL script in MS Access to list out any stations contacted in the contest for which I’ve previously logged (listed in the main logbook) and I set those QSL Sent = Ignore.
6) I scan through the QSL Via field of the remaining records and see if any say Direct Only or LoTW only, etc and if I don’t need to confirm them for a new entity, I set the QSL Sent = Ignore.
7) I run Ham Radio Deluxe Utilities and have it upload all new contacts to LoTW.
8) Filter records in the logbook for QSL Sent= No and those are the ones I likely write out paper QSL cards for. Writing out the paper QSL cards takes a few evenings to get done.
9) After the contest and usually every day, I launch HRDU and import in any new LoTW QSLs which updates the status in HRD.
Final steps:
1) Review the specific log submission requirements in the contest rules and submit the log to the contact sponsor.
2) Send off the score summary info to my club’s newsletter editor for the info to be posted in the next monthly issue.
3) Write a blog entry about the contest.
4) Take a nap.
73,
K2DSL