DXtreme Station Log — Multimedia Edition

Version 6.2
Product Summary

The latest version of our Amateur Radio logging program!

Above: The DX Spot Checker and main DXtreme Station Log window running in 64-bit
Microsoft® Windows® 7.
DXtreme Station Log — Multimedia Edition runs in 32- and 64-bit versions of Microsoft Windows 7, Vista, and XP.

Take the DXtreme Station Log Tour!


  Overview

DXtreme Station Log — Multimedia Edition™ combines the features you'd expect in a ham radio logging program with the multimedia features you'd expect from DXtreme Software.

With DXtreme Station Log, you can:

  • Use the DX Spot Checker™ to check Telnet-based DX Cluster and DXSpider spots to see whether you need to work the incoming stations!

  • Have the DX Spot Checker tune your radio to the frequency and mode of the
    desired spot!1

  • Log the stations you work and retrieve the frequency and mode from your transceiver!1

  • Determine immediately whether the amateur radio operator you worked is a registered user of ARRL's Logbook of the World (LoTW)!2 You can use this information to decide whether to send and request a paper QSL, or simply rely on the anticipated LoTW QSL for verification of the QSO.

  • Get callsign and address information from Buckmaster™ HamCall™ or HamCall.Net™!3

  • Automatically obtain and save the Solar Flux, A-Index, and K-Index values in effect at the time of the QSO!4 You can run reports on this information later.

  • Import ADIF files using the included ADIF Import Utility!

  • Export log entries to ADIF files for uploading to the ARRL's Logbook of the World!

  • Record and maintain an audio archive of your QSOs!

  • Manage your outgoing and incoming QSLs ... including Logbook of the World QSLs!

  • Track the performance of your Amateur Radio station and FTP your Performance, Bands, and Stations reports to the Web automatically.5 FTPing your reports to the Web enables you to access your stats remotely. It also lets you show your friends how well you're doing!

  • Generate multi-QSO QSL labels automatically for cards being sent via an outgoing QSL bureau!6

  • Back up your database, QSL imaging, and audio files to two locations automatically whenever you close the program!

  • And much, much more!

To make a long story short, DXtreme Station Log™ makes it fun to maintain your electronic logbook and manage your QSLs!

1 — Requires installation and configuration of either Afreet Omni-Rig or Ham Radio Deluxe. Refer to "Rig Control in DXtreme Station Log" later on this page for important information.
2 — After downloading the free lotw.txt file from the HB9BZA Web site and importing it.
3 — Requires an optional subscription to Buckmaster HamCall.
4 — Requires an Internet connection.
5 — Requires an Internet connection with available Web space only if using FTP. You don't need to FTP reports to view them.
6 — Requires Microsoft® Word.


  DX Spot Checker™

Station Log includes a DX Spot Checker™ facility that lets you receive incoming DX spot announcements from Telnet-based DX Cluster and DXSpider servers.1

As each spot arrives, the DX Spot Checker checks your Station Log database and lets you know by means of colorful rich-text and audio whether you need a:

    QSO with the station for a new DXCC entity

    QSL from the station to confirm a DXCC entity

    QSO with the station for a new band-entity

    QSL from the station to confirm a band-entity

The audio announcements are particularly useful when you cannot see the DX Spot Checker window — like when you're busy working on your computer and forget to Alt-Tab between applications often enough, or when you're busy working on a project in the shack and you can't even see your monitor! The audio feature is there ... making sure that you don't miss the DXCC entities you need! A button on the DX Spot Checker toolbar lets you toggle the audio announcements off when you crave silence.

By the way, you can customize the rich-text messages and audio files per DXCC status so the DXCC announcements look and sound the way you want them to. You can even assign different font colors to each DXCC status message type to make the spots you really need to work stand out! We like red for spots representing new DXCC entities!

The DX Spot Checker also displays the mode status of each entity on its window. You can use this information to determine whether you need to contact the station for a new or verified mode-entity.

In addition, the DX Spot Checker lets you:

  • Recall spots in a separate window so you can view the history of spots for a single station in one place.

  • Send spot announcements to others by e-mail.

  • Perform Web-based, callsign lookups on stations spotted.

  • Tune your radio to the last-reported frequency and mode of a desired spot!2

  • Quickly check your DXCC status information without having to leave the DX Spot Checker window.

Further, the DX Spot Checker also lets you access your favorite propagation Web page with the click of a button.

And it lets you display the current content of its window in WordPad for scrolling through the history of spots received thus far. Once this information is in WordPad, you can save, send, or print it, if desired.

The DX Spot Checker has a separate Options dialog box that lets you specify server addresses, standard server commands, additional commands that can be sent from menus and Function key combinations, rig-control mode definitions, plus custom DXCC text messages, custom DXCC audio WAV files, and custom DXCC font and color attributes.

1 — Requires an Internet connection.
2 — Requires installation and configuration of Afreet Omni-Rig or Ham Radio Deluxe. Refer to "Rig Control in DXtreme Station Log" later on this page for important information.

Check out Spotlight on the DX Spot Checker for more information.


  All-Mode — Full-Spectrum Logging

Station Log lets you log all kinds of Amateur Radio stations! You can log contacts in any transmission mode across the entire radio spectrum — from VLF, to HF, to VHF/UHF, and beyond!

When Omni-Rig or Ham Radio Deluxe is installed and configured on your computer, Station Log enters the frequency and mode from your transceiver in the Frequency and Mode fields. Refer to "Rig Control in DXtreme Station Log" next for important information.

If you subscribe to Buckmaster™ HamCall™, Station Log obtains information from HamCall and includes that information in the appropriate fields. This information can include:

  • Operator name and address
  • QSL manager name, call, and address
  • Grid
  • Latitude
  • Longitude
If the latitude and longitude are included, Station Log calculates and displays the great-circle distance to the station you worked.


  Rig Control in DXtreme Station Log

To provide our users with a robust logging program that also provides a degree of rig control, DXtreme Station Log — Multimedia Edition integrates with Omni-Rig and Ham Radio Deluxe, both free-for-amateur-use rig control programs that are available over Web.

When Omni-Rig or Ham Radio Deluxe is installed and configured on your PC:

  • Station Log's DX Spot Checker can tune your rig to a frequency double-clicked on the DX Spot Checker window. The DX Spot Checker can also set your rig to the mode you specify for the frequency in the DX Spot Checker Options window.

  • The main window of Station Log enters the frequency and mode from your rig in the Frequency and Mode fields whenever you add a new log entry or double-click the Frequency field.

You can then use Omni-Rig or Ham Radio Deluxe to perform other rig-control functions provided for your radio.

While ...

Making maximum use of the advanced, general-purpose logging functions provided by DXtreme Station Log — Multimedia Edition, many of which are not provided by any other vendor on the market today.

With DXtreme Station Log — Multimedia Edition and either Omni-Rig or Ham Radio Deluxe, you'll have the best of both worlds!

Using rig control is optional. To enable it:

  1. Install a copy of Omni-Rig or Ham Radio Deluxe on your system.

  2. Configure it to work with your radio. (Omni-Rig makes it possible for users to create a rig descriptor file that provides rig control functions for a radio not currently supported; although, most popular radios are supported.)

  3. In the Preferences window of DXtreme Station Log, click the Afreet Omni-Rig or Ham Radio Deluxe option button as desired.
  4. In the case of Ham Radio Deluxe, invoke a single instance of it running in the background. It is not necessary to invoke an instance of Omni-Rig.

Refer to the Omni-Rig Web site or the Ham Radio Deluxe Web site for support when using their software with your radio.

Contact us for support on our integration with those products.


  Support for Logbook of the World (LoTW)

As you add log entries, DXtreme Station Log indicates whether the ham radio operator you worked is a registered user of LoTW. You can use this information to decide whether to send and request a paper QSL, or simply rely on the anticipated LoTW QSL for verification of the QSO.1

When the time comes to update the LoTW server, DXtreme Station Log outputs log entries in ADIF format so you can use the ARRL's TrustedQSL (TQSL) software to digitally sign them.

After you sign the log entries, you can upload them to the League's Logbook of the World server.

When Logbook of the World indicates that you have LoTW QSL records, you can use Station Log's LoTW QSL Update Utility to update your Station Log database with LoTW QSLs.

Refer to the DXtreme Station Log Tour for more information about Station Log's support for Logbook of the World.

Click here for more information about Logbook of the World.

1 — Must download the lotw.txt file from the HB9BZA Web site and import it using the LoTW Users module.


  Audio Archive Feature

Station Log's audio archive feature lets you record and play back audio clips of your QSOs.

Station Log saves the audio clips as WAV files in your audio repository. Later, whenever you browse your log, you'll be able to listen to and re-live your memorable contacts!


  Outgoing QSL Features

DXtreme Station Log can help you manage your outgoing QSLs. Specifically, you can:

  • Create customized single-QSO1 or multi-QSO2 QSL labels (and address labels) for the physical QSL cards you send by regular mail or via the bureau! Each label has precisely the format you want!

  • Generate multi-QSO QSL labels automatically for cards being sent via an outgoing QSL bureau!2 When the Auto Bureau QSL Generator is enabled, it produces QSL labels automatically for DX stations worked the first time:
    • Overall
    • Per band
    • Per mode

    This feature is ideal for contest operators because it generates bureau QSL labels automatically for the stations most likely to QSL you when the contest is over. If you optionally specify that no return card is required when you send the cards via the bureau, you can save yourself the time and effort of processing individual QSL cards as they "trickle in" months later. You can just as easily, of course, welcome reciprocal cards. It's entirely up to you!

    The Auto Bureau QSL Generator can be set so it operates in the ADIF Import Utility only, the main Station Log window only, or in both applications.

  • Send eQSLs to Web sites that specialize in the delivery of eQSLs!

  • Send eQSLs directly to hams by Internet e-mail!

  • Track relevant information about the physical and electronic QSLs you send! You can track the:

    • Date you sent the QSL.
    • Return postage you sent with it.
    • Method you used to send the QSL.
    • Entity to whom you sent the QSL.
1 — Requires Microsoft® Word or an external text editor.
2 — Requires Microsoft® Word.


 Incoming QSL Features

DXtreme Station Log can help you manage your incoming QSLs. Specifically, you can:

  • Scan your QSLs and save them as digital images using DXtreme Software's highly-acclaimed QSL Imaging™ facility!

  • Use the included LoTW QSL Update Utility to update your Station Log database with Logbook of the World (LoTW) QSLs.

  • Capture eQSLs and LoTW QSL records from the Internet and save them as digital images!

  • Display your scanned and captured QSL images on your screen!

  • Track relevant information about the physical and electronic QSLs you receive! You can track the:

    • Date you received the QSL.
    • Method used to send the QSL to you.
    • Entity from which you received the QSL.
Imagine how much fun you'll have with QSL Imaging and your Audio Archive! Whenever you browse your log, you'll be able to listen to previous contacts while you view related QSLs ... just the thing for re-living the thrill of a pileup chase or the warmth of a memorable conversation.

Refer to the DXtreme Station Log Data Sheet section of this Web site for more information and screenshots.


Reporting

Station Log has an array of reports that let you track the performance of your station.

You can run the following types of reports:

  • Performance — Lets you track the overall performance of your station.

    Performance reports show the number of contacts per subject and whether the subject is worked or verified overall and on each mode and band. You can produce Performance reports for each of the following subjects:

    • Entities
    • Continents
    • Counties
    • CQ Zones
    • Grid Locators
    • IOTA Numbers
    • States and Provinces
    • User-defined fields (UDFs)

  • Bands — Lets you analyze the performance of your station from a bands perspective. The Bands report shows the number of contacts you have made per band, overall and on each mode. The report also shows grand totals for all bands and for each mode.

  • Stations — Lets you see a list of the stations in your log.

Filter Reports

Station Log lets you filter your Performance, Bands, and Stations reports. You can run a report that contains:

  • All of the information in your log, or
  • Specific information from your log that satisfies criteria you specify.

For example, you can run a report that shows results for a particular:

  • Band
  • Mode
  • Date range
  • Rig, antenna, and/or power range
  • Solar Flux, A-Index, and/or K-Index range
  • And so on ...
Just the thing for seeing how well a particular rig, antenna, or amplifier is performing; for producing QRP reports; or for analyzing the effects of specific propagation conditions.

Output Devices

You can output the reports to the following devices:

  • Printer — To the printer you select.

  • Active Report Viewer — To the DXtreme Active Report Viewer. The Active Report Viewer lets you view and sort reports within Microsoft® Internet Explorer.

  • FTP — Upload your Performance, Bands, and Stations reports to the Web automatically, where you and your friends can access them remotely.1 When accessed from the Web, the reports appear within the Active Report Viewer.

Check out Spotlight on the FTP Report Upload Feature for more information.

And then refer to the "Monitoring Performance" section of the DXtreme Station Log Tour for screenshots and access to sample reports.

1 — Requires an Internet connection with available Web space.


Implementation Options

Station Log supports two implementation options.

1) Enter or Import all of your log entries.

You can enter all of your log entries manually, or use the ADIF Import Utility to import log entries in the ADIF format.

With this option, you will be able to run all of Station Log's reports, and use all of Station Log's features.

2) Enter your existing DXCC data and begin logging thereafter.

You can enter your existing DXCC data into Station Log's Entities module and then begin logging contacts thereafter.

This implementation option lets you avoid entering all of your contacts.

While you will not be able to run all of Station Log's reports, you will be able to run a subset of the reports. All of Station Log's other features will be available to you.


  But wait ... there's more!

DXtreme Station Log has other exciting features!

For more information ...

DXtreme Station Log runs on the following 32- and 64-bit operating systems:
  • Microsoft® Windows® 7
  • Microsoft Windows Vista®
  • Microsoft Windows XP

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