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Hi All, As a follow up, as I wade through all these e-mail, I'm dismayed that ARRL is blaming AC Log. One user writes: " I just got off the phone with ARRL and got royally chewed out for even calling them since it was an "ACLog issue". Apparently he's had over 100 calls so far is getting fed up with the problem, but still no excuse to be rude. " Many folks have received the canned ARRL e-mail response: "LoTW does not support logging software. If you have problems using your software with LoTW please consult your logging software page for support." This is ridiculous and utter nonsense. AC Log worked fine with LoTW until they began to implement their server changes. To direct all these e-mail towards us when the problem is clearly their is extremely disappointing, disheartening and may well affect future support of LoTW. If you continue to have problems with LoTW, please e-mail lotw-help@.... 73, Scott N3FJP Scott & Kimberly Davis wrote:

Hi All, I am receiving hundreds of reports of problems with LoTW. The following is from www.arrl.org: "Glitch Delays Launch of New ARRL Web Site (Mar 24, 2010 [REVISED Mar 25, 2010 13:55 ET]) -- The ARRL’s launch of a new Web site has been delayed following problems that appeared as the huge computer programs were being transferred to their main Web server. Normally the Web site connects ham radio operators around the world, dynamically presenting the services that ARRL offers the ham radio community at www.arrl.org. "When we tried to switch over to the new Web site today, we encountered unanticipated technical issues during the process of transferring to the new Web site," said ARRL Chief Operating Officer Harold Kramer, WJ1B. "It appears that with all of the new technology and vast simultaneous hits to the site, the code had problems keeping up. We are working to fix the issues and should be online very soon. We have temporarily switched back to the old Web site until these issues are resolved. Obviously, we are trying to complete this transfer as quickly as possible and we will keep you informed of our progress." Apparently ARRL's problems are extending to LoTW. This is a problem with LoTW, not AC Log. This information is from the LoTW User group Site (Bert - W0RSB): In AC-Log go into the LoTW page and go into "LoTW Server Settings" and change the LoTW Download URL to: https://p1k.arrl.org/lotwuser/lotwreport.adi?login= Keep in mind that we may need to change it back or to something else as the ARRL keeps working on the new servers. - (so make a note of the original URL). AC Log has been working fine with LoTW. This is an issue with LoTW / ARRL and something they will have to correct, finalize and communicate to us. So far, they have not contacted me at all. Hopefully the above fix will continue to work, but if you continue to have trouble, please contact the LoTW folks at lotw-help@.... 73, Scott N3FJP Serving the Amateur Radio Community with general logging and contesting software since 1997.

Hi All, CQ WW DX Contest Log 2.8 and CQ WW DX Network Log 2.5 are now available! As many of you know, it came to light following last weekend's CQWW contest that the robot was looking for a LOCATION tag with your ARRL section in the Cabrillo file. I have upgraded both of these programs to provide that tag. As always, these upgrades are free to registered users. The CQ folks contacted me in the spring requesting an Email tag, which I included in the April upgrades, but the Location tag was a complete surprise. In fact, if you visit CQ's current Cabrillo example: http://www.cqww.com/logs_cabrillo.htm it does not show a location tag (or e-mail tag for that matter). Cabrillo Plans I had previously mentioned that I was planning on modifying all my contesting software to output according to the Cabrillo 3.0 specs. It sounds easy enough - add a few fields, change the output code and all's good. Unfortunately, there is more to it than that including form modification / design, saving and retrieving the newly formatted data, recompiling the software, testing, uploading, updating the website, etc. I'm estimating that I could do two programs per weekend on average, so with nearly 50 programs that would take about half a year! That's a heck of a lot of effort to put into a project that in most cases is already working fine as is. Given that the current Cabrillo format is still being accepted and as far as I know will continue to be (in fact, CQ's current example is 2.0), and the huge issue that Cabrillo in general is a moving target as this past weekend confirms, a complete modification of all programs simply doesn't make sense. Instead, my plan is to modify the software on a case by case basis as new tag requirements come to light. What that means is occasionally, when unexpected changes like the one the past weekend come along, we may have to modify our Cabrillo files in Notepad and resubmit them to feed the whim of the robot. I will of course modify the software on a case by case basis as these changes come to light and get new versions out as soon as possible. Package Upgrade Information If you have registered one or more individual programs and would like to upgrade to N3FJP's Software Package ($39) or N3FJP's Software Package and CD ($49) for full use of all our Amateur Radio software, we would be glad to apply the amount that you have registered so far as a credit towards that purchase. Please send us an e-mail directly at snkdavis@..., and we'll let you know your balance. N3FJP's Software Package now includes over 50 programs for contesting, net management, general logging, upgrading your license and other Amateur Radio related applications. In addition to full use of all these programs, registered package customers are also entitled to receive passwords for any new software that is added to the package and free upgrades to existing programs. Solar Collector Update The above concludes the latest on the software announcements. If you aren't interested in solar you needn't read any farther. Many of you have expressed interest in my solar electric, hot air and hot water projects, so I wanted to pass along the latest collector that my family and I built over the summer: This collector is 24' X 8', built about 100 feet from the house and uses PEX instead of copper tubing. I won't take up anymore bandwidth here, but I have lots of pictures and other details of the entire construction process for this project, as well as my solar electric and solar hot air projects here: http://www.n3fjp.com/solar/ I've also set up an e-mail group for brainstorming easily implemented solar projects that you are welcome to join: http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/simplysolar/ Thanks! As always, thanks for your kind words, support and spreading the word about our software. Kimberly and I really appreciate it! 73, Scott & Kimberly N3FJP & KAS3SEQ www.n3fjp.com Serving the Amateur Radio Community with contesting and general logging software since 1997.

Hi All, I am receiving reports that they've added an optional LOCATION field this year for CQWW and users are receiving that alert, but the robot reply has indicated your log will be processed if that tag is not included. Cabrillo seems to be a moving target. Keep in mind that you can always open the file in Notepad, edit it and resubmit it if you like. That doesn't appear necessary in this case as the reports I've seen have said the log was processed okay. I'm planning to modify the program to accommodate the robot once things settle down over the winer season, hopefully sooner, and I apologize for any inconvenience until then. 73, Scott N3FJP

Hi All, I purchased an Ultimeter 2000 home weather station from Peet Brothers around the turn of the millennium and wrote some software to read and display the data. The code is rough - I never really intended to put this program out, but I began to get requests from folks running Ultimeters who wanted to use their home weather stations with WXSpots. I decided to blow the dust off the old code, set it up for interface with WXSpots and make it freely available. If you have an Ultimeter and would like to download the free software, please click this link: Download Peet Brothers WX Station Software 1.0 or visit www.wxspots.com Instructions: After you download the installation file, just double click it to install it (you can also click run if your browser gives you the option when you click the link above). You should then be able to start the program by clicking Start > All Programs > N3FJP Software > Peet WX Station Software. Using this software, you can set up WXSpots to integrate with your home weather station. Current data from your home weather station can be pulled from the routine formatted report form and reports of strong winds (30 MPH for routine and 50 MPH for severe) are sent automatically. In addition, between 3:00 AM and 3:30 AM local time, your station will send an automated nightly report. Leaving WXSpots running and connected to your weather station is a great way to provide severe weather alerts, even when you are sleeping or not home. The more observers with weather stations that we have continually connected to WXSpots, the better our severe weather monitoring system will be! This software will read the output of the Ultimeter in data logging mode or full record mode (see your Ultimeter's manual for setting the modes). Once per minute, it writes a file of the current data in two places: c:\temp\realtime.txt c:\Program Files\Peet WX Station Software\realtime.txt From WXSpots's menu options click Settings > Home Weather Station Data. On the form that appears select Cumulus Weather (my software's output is formatted the same as Cumulus). Then enter one of the two paths above. To make sure everything is working, from WXSpots's main form click Routine Formatted Report and then click the command button to get your home WX station data. If you have a different weather station than Peet, WXSpots will also integrate with the free Cumulus Weather software (which supports lots of stations), La Crosse Weather Stations, Virtual Weather Station and Weather Display. Whatever brand and model of weather station you have, it's very likely your weather station will interface with one of those packages! Looking forward to seeing your data on WXSpots! Amateur Severe Weather Forecasters are still needed for Coast to Coast Weather: If you haven't already done so, please check out the severe weather community website we are creating (best viewed with a wide screen monitor at high resolution): www.coasttocoastweather.com Even if your area of the country already has a forecaster, we would welcome several amateur forecasters from each area to keep the job light for all! Of course, suggestions for additional website content are welcome from the Contact Us form as well. Enjoy! 73, Scott N3FJP www.n3fjp.com www.wxspots.com

Hi All, WXSpots 2.2 is now available! WXSpots is still all about enabling weather enthusiasts to connect in a community environment with a focus on severe weather and an emphasis on actual observations, but I've also added code to interface with your home weather station and automatically report severe winds. It works like this: The current output data from your weather station is read once per minute. Wind speeds of 30 MPH or more will automatically trigger a routine report. Wind speeds of 50 MPH or more trigger a severe report. Once a report is sent, the program will not automatically report again for 20 minutes. Leaving WXSpots running and connected to your weather station is a great way to provide severe weather alerts, even when you are sleeping or not home. The more observers with weather stations that we have continually connected to WXSpots, the better our severe weather monitoring system will be! To use the new feature, just click Settings > Home Weather Station Data from the menu options and follow the directions on the form that appears. Reminder - Please upgrade to WXWarn 1.3! WXWarn is designed to download and parse real time weather data and severe forecasts published by the NWS. The weather data is displayed based on criteria that you can select. The weather data feed that the National Weather Service provides and WXWarn 1.2 accesses is scheduled to be eliminated sometime in 2009. Once that happens, WXWarn versions 1.2 and earlier will not work. I have updated the software to pull from the new NWS data feed. WXWarn 1.3 will also optionally display the current NWS weather feeds right in WXSpots (WXSpots versions 2.1 and later)! Download / Upgrade Information: Both WXSpots and WXWarn are completely free and can be downloaded from www.wxspots.com. You'll also find lots more information and screen shots for both programs there too. Download links are provide here as well: To get the latest version of WXSpots: To update your existing version please: - Close the program - Click this link: http://n3fjp.ky1v.com/WXSpotting.exe - Replace the .exe file in c:\program files\Wx Spotting log (or c:\program files\WXSpots, depending on your original installation date) If you didn't download the new sound file with 1.8, you'll also need to download it and put it in the working directory (you may have to right click on it and click Save As): http://n3fjp.ky1v.com/qc.wav - Start the program. The title bar will say 2.2. If you have never installed WXSpots, you can download the full installation package from this link: http://n3fjp.ky1v.com/WXSpot.exe To get the latest version of WXWarn: To update version 1.2 please (if you have an older version, please uninstall from Windows Control Panel and do the full install below): - Close the program - Click this link: http://n3fjp.ky1v.com/WXWarning.exe - Replace the .exe file in c:\program files\Wx Spotting log - Start the program. The title bar will say 1.3. If you have never installed WXWarn or your version is older than 1.2, you can download the full installation package from this link: http://n3fjp.ky1v.com/WXWARN.exe Again these files are also available for download from www.wxspots.com. Web Guru? A couple other folks and I have been kicking around the development of a National Weather Community web site. My HTML coding knowledge is minimal. We are wondering if there is someone who would be interested in taking the current WXSpots data (the last 12 hours are uploaded here with each report: http://mysite.verizon.net/snkdavis/WX/MapData.txt), parsing that data and creating a nice web page display. This is just for fun. Please let us know if you have the interest, expertise and would enjoy helping us with that part of the project. As always, thanks everyone for your kind words, encouragement suggestions and spreading the word about our software. Kimberly and I really appreciate it! 73, Scott N3FJP www.n3fjp.com www.wxspots.com What's for dinner tonight? Find quick and easy dinner ideas for any occasion.

Hi All, It sounds like there will be a great turnout for Field Day again this year, but I've also been hearing from more folks than usual lamenting that for various reasons they can't make it to a Field Day site. Even if you can't make it to a Field Day site, you can still participate from home as a 1D station and have a super time! As I type this note, there are many thousands of folks, all across North America, working hard to set up their stations. They are eager to make as many contacts as they can and they will really appreciate your contact and having you in their log! If you are operating from home on commercial power, you are in the Delta class. You can contact all Field Day stations except other Delta class stations. The exchange for a single home station is Call, 1D and your section. For exampe: W1AW, 1D, CT. It's easy. While many folks are trying to make as many contacts as they can (there are no section multipliers), it can also be fun to go for the "sweep" and see if you can work all the US and Canadian sections during Field Day. My software displays all the sections and they change color when they are worked, so it is easy to keep track. That's a great primer for November Sweepstakes! If you have emergency power at home such as a battery, generator or solar power, you can operate in the Echo class and work all stations including other Delta and Echo stations. That's what I'm doing here using the nearly 500 watts my solar panels are cranking out (http://www.n3fjp.com/solar/solarelectric/solarelectric.htm). For more Field Day information, here are the complete rules: http://www.arrl.org/contests/rules/2009/fd.html By the way, I've received several messages this morning from folks at Field Day sites who have Internet and are running WXSpots. They are using this opportunity to spread the word about the free WXSpots software to their local community and get more folks on board, which is super! For more details on this free weather logging / community software that I've created, please visit www.wxspots.com! Enjoy Field Day and please listen for Kimberly and me! 73, Scott N3FJP www.n3fjp.com Save energy, paper and money -- get the Green Toolbar.

Hi All, It's almost Field Day! Even without a calendar, it's easy to tell since Kimberly and I are swamped by all the typical questions surrounding setting up the Field Day Network version of the software. More and more folks are using the Network version, which is super! Having everything tied together really adds to the Field Day Fun! The following answers most of the common questions. I also have made some major enhancements to WXSpots and those details with screen shots are below too! Field Day Network Tips The following are some tips that should help smooth the setup for the Field Day Network software: - For the messaging features to work properly, the path to the log file from the computer hosting the log should NOT route through the network. The client's path must route through the network and begin with \\ (the \\ tells the software that it is a client and which PC to connect to as the server). For example, the server's path might be: C:\FD\FDLog.mdb and each of the client's paths would be: \\Develop\C\FD\FDLog.mdb (assuming the PC hosting the file was Develop). - Because some versions of Windows can be particular about accessing files in the c:\program files directory via the network, it is best to create a separate directory outside of program files on the PC hosting the log file such as c:\FD. - Make sure that all PCs and your router or hub are on a UPS (uninterruptible power supply)! If your PC or router loses power when your generator runs out of gas you are tempting fate! - A backup of all your data is written to every PC connected to the log file every 15 minutes. Even if the PC hosting the log file has a catastrophic failure, you can recover your log from any other PC on the network by clicking File > Combine or Restore from Backup. - Don't wait until the Saturday morning of Field Day to install and test out the software on your network! If you haven't already done so, get the PCs together before Field Day, hook them up and make sure that each PC is able to access and update the common data file. Problems solved very easily in a relaxed atmosphere can seem insurmountable when the clock is ticking. It seems that we have been receiving more questions this year than ever along the lines of: I have (list of PCs / List of Operating Systems) that I'm trying to connect by (list of networking hardware) to set up as a LAN for Field Day. Can you help me set up my LAN? I really wish I could, but I'm hardly a LAN expert (my son Chris keeps ours going) and that is not an easy thing to do remotely. It's not hard to set up a LAN, but different routers have their own nuances (I hear) and you really need to be in front of the PC on site to be helpful in a efficient way. Of course I'm happy to help with my logging software in any way that I can, but I just don't have the expertise and time to extend support to LAN setup / maintenance. If you don't have someone locally that can assist, there are lots of books and Internet resources to help. This Wired Home got us going when we first set up our LAN. We are really looking forward to Field Day! We have four, 123 watt solar panels cranking out nearly 500 watts and charging a 200 amp hour battery this year, so we plan to operate from home as 1E with zero generator noise or refueling interruptions! If you are interested in more description, pictures and a schematic of our home solar electric setup, please visit: http://www.n3fjp.com/solar/ and then click on the Solar Electric link. Kimberly and I hope to work you next weekend! WXSpots 2.0 Now Available! WXSpots has been given a whole new look! The QuickChat message area has been significantly expanded. The main form has optional displays of either severe weather lists or Internet graphics that can be selected by the user. You can add links to any Internet graphics that you like! The browser view will display animated graphics while the picture view will resize the images to the display area. The software will cycle through four images of your choosing! Pictures tell the story better than words, so here are a few screen shots of version 2.0: The Main Form with the Picture Display Option Selected The Messenger Window Also Displays the Current Image Click on the Picture and to see a Full Screen Image See Four Images Simultaneously on the Image Selection Form There are lots of other smaller, miscellaneous enhancements as well! As always, WXSpots is completely free software! To update your existing version please: - Close the program - Click this link: http://n3fjp.ky1v.com/WXSpotting.exe - Replace the .exe file in c:\program files\Wx Spotting log If you didn't download the new sound file with 1.8, you'll also need to download it and put it in the working directory (you may have to right click on it and click Save As): http://n3fjp.ky1v.com/qc.wav - Start the program. The title bar will say 2.0. If you have never installed WXSpots, you can download the full installation package from this link: http://n3fjp.ky1v.com/WXSpot.exe Enjoy, and please say "Hi" on Quick Chat! Please tell a friend about WXSpots! The full installation download package for new users is freely available from www.wxspots.com as well. 73, Scott, N3FJP www.n3fjp.com Serving the Amateur Radio Community with general logging and contesting software since 1997. A Good Credit Score is 700 or Above. See yours in just 2 easy steps!

Hi All, I added a quick chat feature to my free WXSpots program. The quick chat feature will display messages to all users on the main form that are sent in the main form's quick chat window. The other group / individual messaging features on the separate group messaging page have not changed in any way. The quick chat message feature is a handy way to chat with other weather enthusiasts on WXSpots. It's less formal, so the program won't move to the front if you are working on another application when a message comes in. To communicate with specific people or groups, you'll still want to continue to use the separate message form. After you start the program, either wait 30 seconds or press the Esc key. The quick chat message display on the main form will appear where the banner is. If you are new to WXSpots, please click this link to download the full installation package: http://n3fjp.ky1v.com/WXSpot.exe If you already have a previous version of WXSpots installed, to update your existing version please: - Close the program - Click this link: http://n3fjp.ky1v.com/WXSpotting.exe - Replace the .exe file in c:\program files\Wx Spotting log If you are upgrading, you'll also need to download the sound file and put it in the working directory (you may have to right click on it and click Save As): http://n3fjp.ky1v.com/qc.wav - Start the program. The title bar will say 1.8. Enjoy, and please say Hi on Quick Chat! This is the end of my software announcement update, but for those of you who are interested in sharing your weather interest with others, please read on: A Very Successful Weather Group Model - Gulf Coast Weather! I've received e-mail from folks who have expressed interest in either finding a local/regional weather group to be part of or growing their own group. One very successful regional model to consider joining or emulating is Gulf Coast Weather: http://www.gulfcoastwx.com/ipb/ While their name references the gulf coast, the group is very pertinent to anyone who is affected by hurricanes, including all of us along the eastern seaboard. I'm in Maryland and very happy to be a part of the group. Gulf Coast WX welcomes anyone with a weather interest, regardless of location. Gulf Coast WX recently moved their site. They were up to 1,121 members before the move and they are already back to 297 members and growing daily. Why is this site so successful? In my humble opinion, here a just a few of the many reasons: 1. The group is very welcoming and works hard to build a sense of community. They keep it fun and friendly. They use on-line forums for all members to communicate and stay connected with each other. They host social events and have speakers, etc. 2. The group has a very solid core of serious weather folks including meteorologists, meteorology students and advanced amateurs. 3. All are made to feel welcome and a part of the group. The emphasis isn't Skywan or Emcomm or Amateur Radio - it is the common interest of weather. All who share a weather interest have equal status. 4. The site is constantly updated with the latest radar images and alerts, so there is plenty of reason to visit often for the latest information (in addition to the community appeal). 5. Hurricanes are serious business, affect a lot of folks and represent a common focal point. All of us in the southern and eastern US are paying attention to a specific storm at the same time, and eager to share thoughts on what is happening. With just over nine days until hurricane season, the site is growing particularly quickly now. 6. There is a lot of educational information available and the folks there are eager to help you learn and understand weather intricacies. 7. The group is strongly encouraging the use of WXSpots among all their members (not that that has anything to do with their growth, but just one more piece of evidence that this is a sensible group) ;) As a large regional site, this is a great one, especially for those of us in the southern and eastern US. This model could certainly be adopted for other areas such as a northeastern site, midwestern site, etc. Perhaps some of you would like to get together and make that happen. If you would like to find others to work with you, please feel free to put the word out here on the WXSpots e-mail group. For those who aren't looking to build regional sites and would be thrilled to have a dozen or so folks they could count on in their own county, I think many of the same rules apply. Large or small, build a welcoming community. Use forums or e-mail groups like this one to keep your group connected. Keep communication going even in quiet times. Have regular meetings using WXSpots. Organize a cookout. Provide some weather education. Keep your group fun, interesting and informative and you will enjoy the same success that Gulf Coast WX is experiencing! As always, thanks for your kind words, suggestions and spreading the word about our software. Kimberly and I really appreciate it! 73, Scott N3FJP www.n3fjp.com www.wxspots.com Gadget of the Year: Peek. Unlimited email on the go & no contracts.

Hi All, Following the Florida State QSO Party contest this past weekend, it has come to light that the FQP folks must have modified the Cabrillo robot. Consequently, I've been receiving a flood of e-mail from users having trouble submitting their logs. Most folks have been able to modify the Cabrillo file header manually by opening it in Notepad and making the changes that the robot recommends in its automated response, but I have gone ahead and updated the program. Version 2.0 should keep the FQP robot happier. If you are having trouble submitting your log and want to use 2.0 to create the Cabrillo file, please do this: - Download and install version 2.0 of the Florida State QSO Party log. You'll find it by clicking on the State QSO Party Logs link on the main page at www.n3fjp.com. - After you install the program, make sure it starts okay. - Close the program. - Using Windows Explorer, copy the log.txt file from version 1.9's working directory to version 2.0's working directory (c:\program files\FL State QSO Party 2.0) Note - Vista users: I don't know how this operation will work with Vista. - Go ahead and start 2.0. Your log should appear. - Write and submit your Cabrillo file as you did with 1.9. Please let me know if you have any questions. 73, Scott N3FJP http://www.n3fjp.com/ Serving the Amateur Radio Community with contesting and general logging software since 1997. An Excellent Credit Score is 750. See Yours in Just 2 Easy Steps!

Hi All, Kimberly and I wanted to let you know about a couple updates. CQ Contesting Programs Upgrades The folks at CQ requested I make a minor change to the Cabrillo output file. As a result, the following 5 programs have been upgraded and are now available. Please be sure to upgrade and use these versions before the next CQ contest: CQ 160 Meter Contest Log 2.4 CQ WPX Contest Log 2.6 CQ WPX Contest Network Log 2.4 CQ World Wide DX Contest Log 2.7 CQ World Wide DX Network Log 2.4 As always, upgrades are free to registered users. WXSpots Log 2.7 Now Available Enhancements include: 1. A separate window to monitor all traffic on the message form. In addition to messages, this also includes observations that appear on the main form. 2. The enhanced ability to create and invite others to an impromptu chat. To invite one or more stations to a chat group, just click the Invite Others to Your Group button at the bottom of the messaging form and follow the prompts. Please give this a try. 3. The message form now appears in the task bar so it is more quickly and easily accessed. I also moved it to a primary menu option. You can also press Ctrl M or click on the Status bar to display it. Please download the latest version from www.wxspots.com WXSpots Support & Planning Forum Up and Running! The WXSpots Planning and Support forum that another user (Scott in Louisiana) created is out of test status and up and running! Please click here to check it out: http://www.wxspots.proboards.com/ You'll find that Scott has created sub forums for all 50 states! Just click on your state to see if there are any posts describing activities and contact info for your area. The forum also includes maps, announcement updates and more! I really appreciate all the work that Scott put into the site! The forum is just out of the test phase, so if you don't see any posts for your area, either check back soon or go ahead and create your own. Odds are there isn't yet a coordinator for your county. Even if there already is, that will come to light as you spread the word about the software or during the next severe weather event. Both you and the other coordinator will be very pleased to have additional observers on board! To see what I set up for Northeast Maryland, just click on the Maryland link when you get to the forum. Package Upgrade Information If you have registered one or more individual programs and would like to upgrade to N3FJP's Software Package ($39) or N3FJP's Software Package and CD ($49) for full use of all our Amateur Radio software, we would be glad to apply the amount that you have registered so far as a credit towards that purchase. Please send us an e-mail directly at snkdavis@..., and we'll let you know your balance. N3FJP's Software Package now includes over 50 programs for contesting, net management, general logging, upgrading your license and other Amateur Radio related applications. In addition to full use of all these programs, registered package customers are also entitled to receive passwords for any new software that is added to the package and free upgrades to existing programs. Thanks! As always, thanks for your kind words, support and spreading the word about our software. Kimberly and I really appreciate it! 73, Scott & Kimberly N3FJP & KAS3SEQ www.n3fjp.com Serving the Amateur Radio Community with contesting and general logging software since 1997. Check all of your email inboxes from anywhere on the web. Try the new Email Toolbar now!

Hi All, CQ WW 160 Program 2.3 Now Available! I have updated the CQ World Wide 160 Meter Program to accommodate these new rule changes: http://www.cq160.com/rules.htm The coding changes in version 2.3 are focused primarily on accommodating the CQ Zone as an added part of the exchange for DX contacts. I also added the Assisted option for the Single Operator category. As always, upgrades are free to registered users. Package Upgrade Information If you have registered one or more individual programs and would like to upgrade to N3FJP's Software Package ($39) or N3FJP's Software Package and CD ($49) for full use of all our Amateur Radio software, we would be glad to apply the amount that you have registered so far as a credit towards that purchase. Please send us an e-mail directly at snkdavis@..., and we'll let you know your balance. N3FJP's Software Package now includes over 50 programs for contesting, net management, general logging, upgrading your license and other Amateur Radio related applications. In addition to full use of all these programs, registered package customers are also entitled to receive passwords for any new software that is added to the package and free upgrades to existing programs. Thanks! As always, thanks for your kind words, support and spreading the word about our software. Kimberly and I really appreciate it! We'll be listening for you in next weekend's November Sweepstakes SSB contest! 73, Scott & Kimberly N3FJP & KAS3SEQ www.n3fjp.com Serving the Amateur Radio Community with contesting and general logging software since 1997. AOL Search: Your one stop for directions, recipes and all other Holiday needs. Search Now.

Hi All, Kimberly and I have a couple of quick announcements: November Sweepstakes UTC Offset Reminder Just a quick reminder that the change back to standard time will occur during the November Sweepstakes CW contest this weekend. The Sweepstake program checks your UTC offset setting on startup, but not continually. If you operate or leave the program running through the night, you'll need to change the offset manually. To do that, click Setup from the menu options and enter the new value in the Hours Added for UTC field after the change to standard time. Solar Hot Air Collector Efficiency Program 1.0 Now Available! This program requires a little explanation. Other than the possibility of heating your shack with solar hot air, this is not directly related to Amateur Radio. If home brewing solar hot air panels doesn't interest you, please skip this section. A couple weeks ago, my son Brad, KB3MNE, and I completed a 13 inch high by 24 foot long, "low profile", (neighborhood friendly) solar hot air collector project (http://www.n3fjp.com/solar/solarhotair.htm). After putting the web page up, I had several folks e-mail me directly with plans and pictures of the hot air collector projects that they are working on. That got me to thinking that it might be worth setting up an e-mail group specifically for brainstorming easy to build, neighborhood friendly, solar hot air projects.: http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/SimplySolar/ From there, we began the fun and interesting process of calculating the efficiency of our collectors (total BTUs generated / total BTUs striking the panel from the sun) to get an idea of which designs work best. I created an Excel spreadsheet to do the calculations, but since some folks don't have Excel, I wound up writing a program to perform the same functions. Both the Excel spreadsheet and the program are free and they can be downloaded from: http://www.n3fjp.com/solar/ Package Upgrade Information If you have registered one or more individual programs and would like to upgrade to N3FJP's Software Package ($39) or N3FJP's Software Package and CD ($49) for full use of all our Amateur Radio software, we would be glad to apply the amount that you have registered so far as a credit towards that purchase. Please send us an e-mail directly at snkdavis@..., and we'll let you know your balance. N3FJP's Software Package now includes over 50 programs for contesting, net management, general logging, upgrading your license and other Amateur Radio related applications. In addition to full use of all these programs, registered package customers are also entitled to receive passwords for any new software that is added to the package and free upgrades to existing programs. As always, thanks for your kind words, support and spreading the word about our software. Kimberly and I really appreciate it! 73, Scott & Kimberly N3FJP & KAS3SEQ www.n3fjp.com Serving the Amateur Radio Community with contesting and general logging software since 1997. Plan your next getaway with AOL Travel. Check out Today's Hot 5 Travel Deals!

Hi All, Kimberly and I hope that everyone had a great summer, and that you are looking forward to the fall contesting season! 10-10 Contest Log 2.5 is now available! This version was updated at the request of the 10-10 contest coordinator to show the number of members and non-members worked in the Cabrillo header. As always, upgrades are free to registered users. Please download the latest from www.n3fjp.com before the next 10-10 contest! WXSpots Log 2.6 is now available! WXSpots is a program that functions along the lines of DX Spotting, except instead of DX, it distributes real time actual weather observations to everyone logged on. Those of you following along with WXSpots' development know that for a while I was also sending automated NWS data from my WXWarn program through WXSpots. Many users preferred not to receive the automated data through WXSpots, as the actual observed reports were getting buried. Even so, there were also a number of folks who missed seeing the automated data in WXSpots. We recently did a poll on the WXSpots users e-mail group. While 2/3 of the folks on that group preferred WXSpots to only display actual observed reports, I went ahead and came up with a way that will hopefully satisfy everyone. By default, WXSpots will function and appear as it always has (displaying only actual observed reports), but if you click Settings > Display Automated WXWarn Data, the Observations list will shorten and a separate list will appear for the automated data. The automated data is not saved on the server, so you will have to wait for new NWS posts before you see activity there. Both WXSpots and WXWarn are free and can be downloaded from www.wxspots.com. With Tropical Storm Fay approaching, now is a great time to install WXSpots! Package Upgrade Information: If you have registered one or more individual programs and would like to upgrade to N3FJP's Software Package ($39) or N3FJP's Software Package and CD ($49) for full use of all our Amateur Radio software, we would be glad to apply the amount that you have registered so far as a credit towards that purchase. Please send us an e-mail directly at snkdavis@..., and we'll let you know your balance. N3FJP's Software Package now includes over 50 programs for contesting, net management, general logging, upgrading your license and other Amateur Radio related applications. In addition to full use of all these programs, registered package customers are also entitled to receive passwords for any new software that is added to the package and free upgrades to existing programs. As always, thanks for your kind words, support and spreading the word about our software. Kimberly and I really appreciate it! 73, Scott & Kimberly N3FJP & KAS3SEQ www.n3fjp.com Serving the Amateur Radio Community with contesting and general logging software since 1997. Looking for a car that's sporty, fun and fits in your budget? Read reviews on AOL Autos.

Hi All, Kimberly and I hope that everyone had a great Christmas and New Years! Just a quick note to let you know that I have updated the Georgia QSO Party log for the new rule changes that added additional bands and section multipliers. The latest version is 1.8. You can download the program from the State QSO Party page at http://www.n3fjp.com. As always, upgrades are free to registered users. Enjoy! 73, Scott N3FJP http://www.n3fjp.com/ Serving the Amateur Radio Community with contesting and general logging software since 1997. ________________________________________________________________________ More new features than ever. Check out the new AOL Mail ! - http://webmail.aol.com

Hi All, I received a response back from Sean Kutzko, ARRL Contest Branch Manager, regarding the problem with DX entries for the ARRL 160 contest. Apparently they have been trying to fix the robot but are unable to. Here is Sean's reply: “DX” is going to have to be added to the Cabrillo file as a filler. I’ve been on the phone all morning with my superiors trying to get this fixed long-term. For now, though, make sure your users edit the Cabrillo file and add “DX” as a location for all DX QSOs they made. 73, Sean Kutzko, KX9X ARRL Contest Branch Manager 225 Main St. Newington, CT 06111 (860) 594-0232 skutzko@... You can open your Cabrillo file in Notepad, add DX to the DX contacts, resubmit your log and you will be all set. If ARRL is unable to get this fixed long term as Sean indicates they are trying to do, you can be sure I'll certainly update the software accordingly in the next release. 73, Scott N3FJP http://www.n3fjp.com/ Serving the Amateur Radio Community with contesting and general logging software since 1997. More new features than ever. Check out the new AOL Mail!

Hi All, I didn't operate the ARRL 160 Meter contest this year myself, but I'm getting reports that the robot is kicking out the DX contacts because they don't have DX as the section. It wasn't required in the output in years past and I haven't changed the output from previous years, so apparently the robot has been tweaked for this year's contest. I've just sent an e-mail to ARRL to see if they can set the robot back to normal. Assuming they can, you can either wait to submit your log until they do, or just open the Cabrillo file in Notepad and add DX for the section. If they can't, you'll have to add the DX designation. Thanks for your patience. I'll let you know as soon as I hear anything and I apologize for any inconvenience. 73, Scott N3FJP http://www.n3fjp.com/ Serving the Amateur Radio Community with contesting and general logging software since 1997. More new features than ever. Check out the new AOL Mail!

Hi All, Kimberly and I hope that everyone is well and gearing up for an exciting contest season! Just a quick reminder. The CW November Sweepstakes contest occurs during the time change this year. The November Sweepstakes Log checks the time offset on startup, but if you don't close the program before your time changes and then restart the program afterwards, the time in the log will be incorrect. PLEASE make a note to either change the offset time manually if you operate through the time change, or be sure to close the program if you log off before the change so that the program will detect the new offset when you start back up. Please let us know if you have any questions. 73, Scott & Kimberly N3FJP & KA3SEQ www.n3fjp.com Serving the Amateur Radio Community with contesting and general logging software since 1997. See what's new at AOL.com and Make AOL Your Homepage.

Hi All, As you may remember, a couple of months ago I floated the idea for a program on the N3FJP_Software_Users group that would function much like DX Spotting, except that the reports would be for observed severe weather. The response was very enthusiastic, and literally hundreds of hams and weather enthusiasts joined the WXSpots development e-mail reflector. In fact, during the beta development period, we have already had more than 850 users create login accounts! After a couple months of hard work and lots of great suggestions from the beta development team, we are ready to move out of beta, and version 1.0 is now ready for download! As a quick recap, WXSpots is software that runs on your PC and connects to a server. All reports of severe weather are relayed to everyone connected. Reports can be screened by State, County or a list of Counties. WXSpots is a tool in the tool chest for SkyWarn operations and those interested in severe weather observations. By it’s very nature of dependence on the Internet, it can't provide data from a severely affected area. On the other hand, WXSpots can quickly communicate data from those observers just outside it. It also provides the means to help monitor local severe weather as it unfolds with many more observers able to communicate what they are seeing. WXSpots provides: The ability to disseminate observations quickly and efficiently anywhere. The ability to add the eyes of SkyWarn enthusiasts who aren't Amateur Radio Operators. An automated, historical record of recent observations. Audio alerts that can be specified by the user based on location. A messaging feature to allow for communication with other members of your organization (and other connected users). WXSpots software is free. For more information and a link to download the software, please visit www.wxspots.com. I hope that you enjoy the software! 73, Scott N3FJP http://www.n3fjp.com/ Serving the Amateur Radio Community with contesting and general logging software since 1997. Email and AIM finally together. You've gotta check out free AOL Mail!

Hi All, In addition to Amateur Radio, I've always been very interested in weather. I've had an idea for a while now (I think I may have mentioned it before) about a WX Spots server that would function very much like DX Spotting. It would give everyone the opportunity to monitor and post, real time weather information along the lines of SkyWarn protocols. We continue to hear that with all the automated data available today, there is no substitute for real time observations during severe weather. On Monday July the 16th, we had a very minimal tornado touch down a couple miles from our home. The damage wasn't too bad, but it did wind up closing a major roadway for over a day due to trees and power lines down. Watching that process unfold on the news, it became obvious how necessary visual reports really are to quickly assess the extent of storm damage, and it got me thinking about this idea again. In a nutshell, here is the idea: - Everyone (the clients) connect to a server, which relays real time observations back to all clients - The clients have the option to display all data, or screen by state or county - Audio alerts can be specified by the user based on the location - A messaging feature is available to allow for communication with other members of your organization (and any other connected users). I shared this idea on the N3FJP_Software_Users group a few weeks ago and the response was enthusiastic, so between the code that I have already written for the WOTA server and modules for the logging software, I've cobbled together the basic client and server to perform the described functions. We've been beta testing for about two weeks, and I'd like to get more users on the server to give it a good run through. You won't find it on the website yet, but if you have an interest in this project, please download the installation file by clicking on this link: http://n3fjp.ky1v.com/WXSpot.exe If you are involved in Skywarn or something similar, right now is a great opportunity to have the other members of your group to also give it a try since, while in BETA testing, reports are assumed to be fictitious. Everyone is encouraged to try sending reports and other features to get comfortable with the software. Please try all the features and let me know of any bugs that may come to light. Since this project is a little different than my "regular" logging software, I have set up a separate e-mail group for this project: Click to join WXSpots WXSpots-subscribe@... After you subscribe, please send e-mail regarding this project to WXSpots@.... One of the goals of this project is that support will be provided by the user community. As always, thanks for your support and kind words, and in advance for trying out this program! 73, Scott N3FJP http://www.n3fjp.com/ Serving the Amateur Radio Community with contesting and general logging software since 1997. AOL now offers free email to everyone. Find out more about what's free from AOL at AOL.com.