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Common Settings and POTA

 

I'll be doing POTA once winter's grip has loosened. I'm already?
putting together my POTA "go bag" (a very large duffle) that?
will carry everything. Plop it in the car and put it in Drive.
?
I plan to use a separate log for each activation, which will be imported
into the master log afterwards. When it comes to the settings (Ctrl+S)
for each activation, should I change those so that they?reflect the correct
location such as long/lat, state, and grid square for the park? It would?
seem this would be true, but I wanted to ask.
?
Brian Warner
WB0NWZ
 

Brian,
You can go to Settings>Edit fields displayed, position and tab order>Load a saved configuration...there should already be a basic pota form with the common fields for your pota logging.? As far as the CTRL+S, yes you would change your settings there but I believe you would also need to add a setting for your TQSL with the grid information too prior to uploading.

Steve
KD2X


On Fri, Feb 14, 2025 at 2:33?AM Brian D. Warner via <Brian=[email protected]> wrote:

I'll be doing POTA once winter's grip has loosened. I'm already?
putting together my POTA "go bag" (a very large duffle) that?
will carry everything. Plop it in the car and put it in Drive.
?
I plan to use a separate log for each activation, which will be imported
into the master log afterwards. When it comes to the settings (Ctrl+S)
for each activation, should I change those so that they?reflect the correct
location such as long/lat, state, and grid square for the park? It would?
seem this would be true, but I wanted to ask.
?
Brian Warner
WB0NWZ
 

This is true when/if he uses LoTW, but for POTA the points / contacts only count it the activator uploads to POTA.app?
-Kevin (KK4YEL)?
 

I use N3FJP for my "source of record" - my official log.? But for POTA I prefer using a dedicated app, then import into N3FJP which I have set up permanently using the POTA template with some tweaks concerning field order and location on the screen.? I have tried three and I can't really decide which one I like more.? They are all a little different.? If you go this route, try all 3 to see which has the best interface and workflow for you.? You can't go wrong with any of them.?
?
? <- Runs on Mac OS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android; first POTA-specific logger to hit the market
- iOS and Android only
<- Web app that runs in any modern browser.? This is the one I'm currently using.? Can "install" it as an app on desktop/laptops which will work when off-line.? Not sure if it can be "installed" on iOS or Android.? Instructions:
?
I'm more of a hunter but you do want separate logs for each activation.? One or more of these apps even help get the file name in the correct syntax when you export to upload to pota.app.
 

开云体育

Sooooo – welcome to the FUN.

YES – for best use the SETUP screen (control-S) should be set up correctly for each location you operate from.? However, there are a few notes to help you make better sense of it and avoid a couple of pit-falls.

#1 – the Latitude and Longitude location doesn’t need 10-digit precision.? The only thing that this is used for is to give you a general beam heading if you are using a directional antenna.? So for portable work, LAT/LON probably doesn’t matter unless you are using a directional antenna.

#2 – state does matter.? There are some POTA entities that cross state lines.? If your log contains the proper ADIF tag for state, when you upload to POTA the log uploader will pull the state from your log.

#3 – county might not matter.? POTA doesn’t care about county.? But if you will be uploading your log to LoTW or QRZ as well, please do include the correct ADIF tag for county.

#4 – grid does not matter for POTA.? But again, if you will be uploading your log to LoTW or QRZ as well, please do include the correct ADIF tag for grid.? NOTE:? If you set up a location in LoTW with a 6-digit grid, and in setup you include a 4-digit grid or an 8-digit grid you will get an upload failure notice.? Pick a standard and stick with it; most use a 6-digit grid.

Just so you know……… you do not need to start a separate new log for each part.? I personally run three log files.? One here at home is my MASTER LOG.? I also run a PORTABLE USA log, and a PORTABLE EUROPE log.? Each contains thousands of contacts.?

When I go out to activate, I just chose the log (USA or Europe), pre-set the SETUP form for the location I’ll be in, then log as I go in the park.? When I get home I just RIGHT-CLICK on the last contact I made, scroll down to the first contact from the park and press SHIFT-RIGHT-CLICK on that, selecting all the contacts from that park.? Then click FILE – EXPORT ADIF – SELECTED CONTACTS.? I name the exported file CALLSIGN@... and save it.? BTW – the xxxx is the park number and ST is the two-letter STATE abbreviation.? And YYYYMMDD should be obviously 4-digit YEAR, 2-digit MONTH and 2-digit DAY.

I hope this helps.

BTW – a “classic” duffle-bag as I knew them in the army might not protect your gear well.? This is how I do it.? Drag this from the JEEP to a picnic table and bring along a drink and we are good to go.? This kit allows me to use all-modes 160m – 6m, plus 2m and 70cm.? I also carry 1.25m and 23cm FM-only.



Any other questions, ask away.? Feel free to contact me direct if you like.

?

Vy73 ?– ?Mike ?– ?KD5KC – WRFF851 – ?El Paso – Texas ?– ?DM61rt. ?

SOTA W5T-Texas Association Manager.

?

The canyons are calling, colorful and deep. ?But I have promises to keep.

And miles to go still in my Jeep...? ?And miles to go still in my Jeep...

?

?

ADVENTURE: ?The respectful pursuit of trouble.? ?

An EXIT is really an ENTRANCE to someplace new. ?

It isn’t an ADVENTURE until something goes wrong!

?

?



?

From: [email protected] <[email protected]> On Behalf Of Brian D. Warner via groups.io
Sent: Friday, February 14, 2025 0:33 AM
To: [email protected]
Subject: [N3FJPSoftwareUsers] Common Settings and POTA

?

I'll be doing POTA once winter's grip has loosened. I'm already?

putting together my POTA "go bag" (a very large duffle) that?

will carry everything. Plop it in the car and put it in Drive.

?

I plan to use a separate log for each activation, which will be imported

into the master log afterwards. When it comes to the settings (Ctrl+S)

for each activation, should I change those so that they?reflect the correct

location such as long/lat, state, and grid square for the park? It would?

seem this would be true, but I wanted to ask.

?

Brian Warner

WB0NWZ
 

Hi Steve,

Thanks for the info. I watched some YouTube videos last night, including the one mentioned
in the FAQ. and have already created a POTA configuration, so I'm set in that regard. A little
searching found this page: <https://lotw.arrl.org/lotw-help/stnloc/#Define>.

Since TQSL has a private key specific to the computer on which it was installed, my
proposed work flow is:

On the POTA laptop
- Create a new database for the specific park.
- Copy a POTA template under a park-specific name.
- Change the settings to have the correct location information.
- Log away
- Export log to ADIF to upload to POTA and import into master on home computer.

On the Home Computer,
- Create a new station location in TSQL for the park (call set to <NONE>)
- Copy the park-specific POTA configuration to the appropriate location
- Copy the park-specific MDB (log file) from the laptop.
>> Or, just as on the laptop, create a new database and import the ADIF after opening ACLog
- Start ACLog
- Load the park-specific settings file and switch to the park-specific MDB.
- Select eLogs | LoTW
- Change the station location to the park-specific one
- Click <All contacts not previously uploaded>

Into the Primary Log
- Switch to the primary log MDB
- Load the settings for the primary log
- Import the park-specific ADIF.

Assuming this is all OK, or there's a simpler way, a "final" question is that when I do the
LoTW upload again using the primary log and station setup, will the now imported
POTA QSOs be accepted or ignored?

Can't wait for spring. I'm not a polar bear. I did Winter Field Day from the comfort of
my home QTH.

Clear Skies
Brian D. Warner
WB0NWZ


----- Original Message -----
From: KD2X Steve via groups.io [mailto:sshine@...]
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Fri, 14 Feb 2025 05:43:52 -0500
Subject: Re: [N3FJPSoftwareUsers] Common Settings and POTA

Brian,
You can go to Settings>Edit fields displayed, position and tab order>Load a
saved configuration...there should already be a basic pota form with the
common fields for your pota logging. As far as the CTRL+S, yes you would
change your settings there but I believe you would also need to add a
setting for your TQSL with the grid information too prior to uploading.
http://www.n3fjp.com/faq.html#q107

Steve
KD2X


On Fri, Feb 14, 2025 at 2:33?AM Brian D. Warner via groups.io <Brian=
[email protected]> wrote:

> I'll be doing POTA once winter's grip has loosened. I'm already
> putting together my POTA "go bag" (a very large duffle) that
> will carry everything. Plop it in the car and put it in Drive.
>
> I plan to use a separate log for each activation, which will be imported
> into the master log afterwards. When it comes to the settings (Ctrl+S)
> for each activation, should I change those so that they reflect the correct
> location such as long/lat, state, and grid square for the park? It would
> seem this would be true, but I wanted to ask.
>
> Brian Warner
> WB0NWZ
>
>
>
 

I'll be uploading (emailing) the park-specific ADIF to the POTA coordinator as well.
I don't want to cheat the hunters.

Brian D. Warner
WB0NWZ


----- Original Message -----
From: z_ kevino via groups.io [mailto:z_kevino@...]
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Fri, 14 Feb 2025 02:46:48 -0800
Subject: Re: [N3FJPSoftwareUsers] Common Settings and POTA

This is true when/if he uses LoTW, but for POTA the points / contacts only count it the activator uploads to POTA.app
-Kevin (KK4YEL)
 

I've read about those and may try them out at some point. For now, I am familiar
with ACLog and will get my feet wet with it.

There shouldn't be a problem, but HAMRS is 32-bit and the laptop is 64-bit

Brian
WB0NWZ


----- Original Message -----
From: John Clark N3CLA via groups.io [mailto:jc5810pub@...]
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Fri, 14 Feb 2025 04:33:31 -0800
Subject: Re: [N3FJPSoftwareUsers] Common Settings and POTA

I use N3FJP for my "source of record" - my official log.? But for POTA I prefer using a dedicated app, then import into N3FJP which I have set up permanently using the POTA template with some tweaks concerning field order and location on the screen.? I have tried three and I can't really decide which one I like more.? They are all a little different.? If you go this route, try all 3 to see which has the best interface and workflow for you.? You can't go wrong with any of them.

HAMRS ( https://hamrs.app/ ) <- Runs on Mac OS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android; first POTA-specific logger to hit the market
Portable Logger (aka PoLo) ( https://polo.ham2k.com/ ) - iOS and Android only
Smart Logger ( https://www.smartlogger.app/ ) <- Web app that runs in any modern browser.? This is the one I'm currently using.? Can "install" it as an app on desktop/laptops which will work when off-line.? Not sure if it can be "installed" on iOS or Android.? Instructions: https://www.smartlogger.app/howtoinstall.html

I'm more of a hunter but you do want separate logs for each activation.? One or more of these apps even help get the file name in the correct syntax when you export to upload to pota.app.
 

Hi Mike,
Thanks for the great tips. The file naming was mentioned in the video, but thanks for
reinforcing the proper format.

I know about exporting a selected group of records, so the idea of one log for POTA is
tempting, but I also like the idea of a separate MDB for each park (OCD? <g>). The
video made the good point that if I muck something up big time using a separate
file, the primary POTA log would not be affected. Of course, "backup, backup, and
backup again" should be anyone's mantra.

The bag is not an old army one but sturdy and water-resistant (it claims waterproof,
but we know how that goes). I'll be using fiberglass masts. Those and basic stands
in the form of guyed 4-foot 3" PVC are just part of the mix. I don't think those
will fit in your bag <g>. The bag will stay in the car all the time.

Should we get a warm-enough spell sometime (not soon it appears), I'll
setup in park US-MyBackYard to work out a routine and find the problems
before going out for real.

Brian
WB0NWZ



----- Original Message -----
From: Mike Olbrisch [mailto:mike-2025@...]
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Fri, 14 Feb 2025 07:35:20 -0700
Subject: Re: [N3FJPSoftwareUsers] Common Settings and POTA

Sooooo – welcome to the FUN.

YES – for best use the SETUP screen (control-S) should be set up correctly for each location you operate from. However, there are a few notes to help you make better sense of it and avoid a couple of pit-falls.

#1 – the Latitude and Longitude location doesn’t need 10-digit precision. The only thing that this is used for is to give you a general beam heading if you are using a directional antenna. So for portable work, LAT/LON probably doesn’t matter unless you are using a directional antenna.

#2 – state does matter. There are some POTA entities that cross state lines. If your log contains the proper ADIF tag for state, when you upload to POTA the log uploader will pull the state from your log.

#3 – county might not matter. POTA doesn’t care about county. But if you will be uploading your log to LoTW or QRZ as well, please do include the correct ADIF tag for county.

#4 – grid does not matter for POTA. But again, if you will be uploading your log to LoTW or QRZ as well, please do include the correct ADIF tag for grid. NOTE: If you set up a location in LoTW with a 6-digit grid, and in setup you include a 4-digit grid or an 8-digit grid you will get an upload failure notice. Pick a standard and stick with it; most use a 6-digit grid.

Just so you know……… you do not need to start a separate new log for each part. I personally run three log files. One here at home is my MASTER LOG. I also run a PORTABLE USA log, and a PORTABLE EUROPE log. Each contains thousands of contacts.

When I go out to activate, I just chose the log (USA or Europe), pre-set the SETUP form for the location I’ll be in, then log as I go in the park. When I get home I just RIGHT-CLICK on the last contact I made, scroll down to the first contact from the park and press SHIFT-RIGHT-CLICK on that, selecting all the contacts from that park. Then click FILE – EXPORT ADIF – SELECTED CONTACTS. I name the exported file CALLSIGN@... and save it. BTW – the xxxx is the park number and ST is the two-letter STATE abbreviation. And YYYYMMDD should be obviously 4-digit YEAR, 2-digit MONTH and 2-digit DAY.

I hope this helps.

BTW – a “classic” duffle-bag as I knew them in the army might not protect your gear well. This is how I do it. Drag this from the JEEP to a picnic table and bring along a drink and we are good to go. This kit allows me to use all-modes 160m – 6m, plus 2m and 70cm. I also carry 1.25m and 23cm FM-only.



Any other questions, ask away. Feel free to contact me direct if you like.





Vy73 – Mike – KD5KC – WRFF851 – El Paso – Texas – DM61rt.

SOTA W5T-Texas Association Manager.

<https://summits.sota.org.uk/association/W5T> https://summits.sota.org.uk/association/W5T



The canyons are calling, colorful and deep. But I have promises to keep.

And miles to go still in my Jeep... And miles to go still in my Jeep...







ADVENTURE: The respectful pursuit of trouble.

An EXIT is really an ENTRANCE to someplace new.

It isn’t an ADVENTURE until something goes wrong!











From: [email protected] <[email protected]> On Behalf Of Brian D. Warner via groups.io
Sent: Friday, February 14, 2025 0:33 AM
To: [email protected]
Subject: [N3FJPSoftwareUsers] Common Settings and POTA



I'll be doing POTA once winter's grip has loosened. I'm already

putting together my POTA "go bag" (a very large duffle) that

will carry everything. Plop it in the car and put it in Drive.



I plan to use a separate log for each activation, which will be imported

into the master log afterwards. When it comes to the settings (Ctrl+S)

for each activation, should I change those so that they reflect the correct

location such as long/lat, state, and grid square for the park? It would

seem this would be true, but I wanted to ask.



Brian Warner

WB0NWZ
 

On Fri, Feb 14, 2025 at 04:33 AM, John Clark N3CLA wrote:
I use N3FJP for my "source of record" - my official log.? But for POTA I prefer using a dedicated app,
This is how I do it.? I currently use the Ham2K Portable Logger for POTA.? Export that as an ADIF then import into ACLog.? For me I don't really worry about POTA stats or info in ACLog.? I use the pota.app site for that.
--
Will
KN6TZK
 

Since April 2020 TQSL has an override to allow LoTW to use station location information in the log rather than having to create a new station location for each activation. See release notes for TQSL 2.5.2.

On Fri, 14 Feb 2025 08:44:55 -0700
"Brian D. Warner via groups.io" <Brian@...> wrote:

- Select eLogs | LoTW
- Change the station location to the park-specific one
- Click <All contacts not previously uploaded>

--

73

-Jim
NU0C

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