Thankfully.
Not that radio has been all bad, mind you. There have been some excellent RTTY contests, many of them I have done or placed very well in in the QRP category...some even Top 3 or Top 5 for QRP. Then, there's the propagation. Aren't we supposed to be in a Maunder Minimum? If so, how have I added several new ones...even though they are quasi/semi rare? 10 meters opened up this Summer to allow me to work Israel, Kiribati, Kaliningrad, Senegal, Madeiras Island, UAE, Ascension Island, Cyprus, South Africa, Australia, and so much more. And every night, I watch Japan come rolling in via 28.076 JT65a.
I even played a little on 6 this year (EL86-to-FN02).
But the Holidays are upon us...and with them, the mad rushes to the stores, parking hassles, crowds, and over-spending on a stellar scale. Trying to get the perfect gifts for loved ones NOW feels like you need a second mortgage to pull it off every year.
If it weren't for the fleeting moments of escaping into the ether via some DX, or running a 5 or 8k run with my XYL, or the mind-numbing calmness granted by Abilify, I think I would be a mess.
This weekend is the Inaugural 10 Meter RTTY Contest...and next weekend is the ARRL 10 Meter Contest. 2 10m contests...? Have the radio gods truly smiled upon us? Today's Solar Flux is 155....can we EXPECT great conditions, or will another solar event such as a flare wipe out the bands just as Europe is closing and the band is swinging west into the South Pacific? Or will these be GOLDEN opportunities to add to your DXCC or WAC totals?
I have a feeling it is going to be a fantastic 2 weeks.
Since I have converted almost 100% to Macs (I say that because there are NO good and simple solutions for APRS via a Mac...including Xastir, which forces me to use my Sony Vaio with Windows), I have been using FLdigi for the digital modes, with RUMped for the logging, and Aether for the log uploads to Logbook of the World and eQSL.cc. RUMped is working out great for me, as it is a lightweight solution for ADIF/Cabrillo logging for the Macintosh platform. It even has the ability to control the rig via Hamlib, etc. I don't use this feature, since I allow FLdigi to have command of the radio. But, the combo works great, and even though it ISN'T N1MM Logger, it shares the most critical feature of it: It tells you instantly if the station you are working is a Dupe in the log. Without this little feature which should be the FIRST reason for using any logger, RUMped would be no better than using TextEdit or Windows Notepad.
RUMped even works with older Macs such as my iBook with OS X 10.4.11...and it does so with the same speed and agility that it does on my Intel "Mac Pro" with OS X 10.6.5 and a BUS FULL of RAM. Nice job DL2RUM!
RUMped has features that I don't use, but are still fantastic for free software, such as:
• Real time computation for multipliers and points
• Partial call check during typing, multiple master databases are included.
• Similar call check
• Prev. QSO check
• ESM mode ("Enter" sends messages)
• Auto cq
• CW out via WinKeyer or K2/K3
• CW type-ahead function (WinKeyer only)
• TRX control
• Work all operating modes in the same interface
• Multiple (scrolling) band maps
• DX Cluster via Telnet integrated
• DXCC ,CQ/ITU-zone, heading and distance calculations
• Continent, callsign, rates, DXCC, multiplier and best time statistics
• Keyboard mode for CW and RTTY
• Grayline map and other tools for grayline dxing
• Memory pad for Search&Pounce
• Log export in ADIF, Cabrillo, Stützerbach, text, csv and DF3CB logsearch
I have even used RUMped stand-alone when using my HTX-10...you don't need to connect to a rig to use its features. (The HTX-10 is a great radio for RTTY since it is so wide...some don't appreciate that feature, but it helps when operating Search&Pounce)
So, if you're a Mac Ham, and a contester...try RUMped. You WON'T regret it.
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