Differences

This shows you the differences between two versions of the page.

--- howto:contestspreadsheets [2021/01/23 18:32] – va7fi
+++ howto:contestspreadsheets [Unknown date] (current) – removed - external edit (Unknown date) 127.0.0.1
@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-====== Contest Spreadsheets ======
-Here are LibreOffice spreadsheets for three contests.
-===== RAC Canada Day / Winter Contests =====
-  * The spreadsheet was updated from Cabrillo V3.0 to [[https://www.rac.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/RAC-Cabrillo-V3.2.pdf |Cabrillo V3.2]] for the RAC Winter Contest on Dec 18-19 2020
-Everything you need to know about the RAC Canada Day or Winter Day contest is located on the [[https://www.rac.ca/contesting-results/ |RAC website]].  It can be a bit overwhelming to digest for first-time contesters, so here's an overview.
-==== Logs ====
-During the contest, the following information must be logged for each station:
-  * Frequency in kHz (for example, 14.125 MHz should be entered as 14125)
-  * Mode (CW or PH)
-  * Date and Time in UTC (for example 2020-07-01 and 0135)
-  * Callsign
-  * Signal Report (for example 59 on phone or 599 on CW)
-  * Exchange (Two letter province code for Canadian Stations, or the serial number for other stations).
-At the end of the contest, logs must be submitted to RAC.  They will accept paper logs for submissions with less than 100 entries, but they really prefer electronic logs, which must be submitted in the //Cabrillo// format.
-A Cabrillo file is really just plain text file formatted in a very specific way.  For example, here's a copy of my Cabrillo file from last summer (with only a few entries as example):
-<hidden onHidden="Click to Show Cabrillo Example" onVisible="Click to Hide Cabrillo Example">
-<file>
-START-OF-LOG: 3.0
-CREATED-BY: RAC_Contests.ods v2020.07.04 by VA7FI
-CALLSIGN: VA7FI
-LOCATION: BC
-CONTEST: RAC CANADA DAY
-CATEGORY-OPERATOR: SINGLE-OP
-CATEGORY-BAND: ALL
-CATEGORY-MODE: SSB
-CATEGORY-POWER: LOW
-CATEGORY-TRANSMITTER: UNLIMITED
-CLAIMED-SCORE: 11564
-CLUB: Sun Coast Amateur Radio Club Society
-NAME: Patrick Truchon
-ADDRESS: REDACTED
-ADDRESS-CITY: Roberts Creek
-ADDRESS-STATE-PROVINCE: British Columbia
-ADDRESS-POSTALCODE: V0N 2W1
-ADDRESS-COUNTRY: Canada
-EMAIL: va7fi@rbox.me
-OPERATORS: @VA7FI
-SOAPBOX: First Canada Day contest on my own. Lots of fun!
-QSO: 14186 PH 2020-07-01 0008 VA7FI          59 BC      VE3PJ          59 ON
-QSO: 14198 PH 2020-07-01 0012 VA7FI          59 BC      WB0TEV         59 14
-QSO:146520 PH 2020-07-01 0112 VA7FI          59 BC      VE7DX          59 BC
-QSO: 14211 PH 2020-07-01 0139 VA7FI          59 BC      N8OO           59 201
-QSO: 14152 PH 2020-07-01 0148 VA7FI          59 BC      VE2CJR         59 QC
-QSO: 14165 PH 2020-07-01 0159 VA7FI          59 BC      VE6RAC         59 AB
-END-OF-LOG:
-</file>
-The first 21 lines give RAC all the information they need about the operator.  The other lines show the contacts made, ending with an ''END-OF-LOG'' tag.  For more information about the Cabrillo format, see this {{https://www.rac.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/RAC-Cabrillo-V3.2.pdf |RAC pdf}}, or the [[https://wwrof.org/cabrillo/ |WWROF website]].
-</hidden>
-<pagebreak>
-RAC does NOT want this information emailed to them in the body of the email.  Instead, this should be saved in as plain text file named (in my case): ''VA7FI.LOG'' and attached to the email.
-Regular contesters use logging programs which can generate these files while providing features that facilitate the logging process during the contest.  Many people have recommended [[https://n1mmwp.hamdocs.com/ |N1MM]] as being the best one.  RAC also has its own Microsoft Windows {{https://www.rac.ca/wp-content/uploads/files/contests/files/RAC%20Contest%20Software.ZIP |contest program}} for its own contests.
-{{ :howto:rac_va7fi.png }}
-Here are a few introductory videos I made to explain how to use the spreadsheet, which should also work with the RAC Winter Contest in December.
-  * The first video shows where to download [[https://www.libreoffice.org/ |LibreOffice]], and how to set the Security settings to allow LibreOffice to run macros: ''Tools'' -> ''Options...'' -> ''LibreOffice'' -> ''Security'' -> ''Macro Security'' -> ''Medium''
-{{ youtube>7L_FxG2cJds }}
-  * The second video shows how to use the spreadsheet during the contest, and how to export the Cabrillo file after.
-{{ youtube>YIYy3YG2Tqc }}
-  * The third video shows a bit of the hidden formulas and the script that generates the Cabrillo file.  It's like looking under the hood of the car: it's not needed to drive it, and it doesn't really explain how to build a car either.  But some might find it interesting.
-{{ youtube>lt0CJa-yJWw }}
-Here is the link to {{ :howto:rac_contests_v20201129.ods |download it}}.  It is:
-<WRAP indent>
-<WRAP round box 80%>
-Licensed under Creative Commons [[https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0 |By-Sa]] so you are free to:
-   * Run it for any purpose.
-   * Study and modify it.
-   * Copy it to help others.
-   * Improve it, and release the improvements to the public, so that the whole community benefits.
-Provided that you:
-  * Attribute the work to me by linking to [[https://scarcs.ca/howto/raccontests]]
-  * Distribute any derivative work under the same license.
-</WRAP></WRAP>
-Here's a copy of the code that generates the Cabrillo file:
-<hidden onHidden="Click to Show VB Script" onVisible="Click to Hide VB Script">
-<code VBScript>
-REM  *****  BASIC  *****
-sub cabrillo
-'Get directory path from spreadsheet location. This will be used to create  ./MyCallsign.log
-Dim path as String
-   GlobalScope.BasicLibraries.loadLibrary("Tools")
-   path = Tools.Strings.DirectoryNameoutofPath(ThisComponent.url, "/") & "/"
-'Define document and sheets
-   dim Doc as object
-   Doc = ThisComponent
-   Sheet1 = Doc.Sheets.getByName("Preamble")
-   Sheet2 = Doc.Sheets.getByName("Log")
-'General Note: for getCellByPosition(x,y)     (0,0) = A1,  (1,0) = B1,  (0,1) = A2,  ...
-'Create Cabrillo file named "MyCallsign.log"
-   MyCallsign = UCase(Sheet1.getCellByPosition(1, 2).String)      'Operator's callsign
-   if MyCallsign = "" then                                        'File needs a filename
-      MyCallsign = "NoCallsign"
-   endif
-   filename = path & MyCallsign & ".log"
-'Open MyCallsign.log and get ready to write to it
-   num = FreeFile()
-   open filename for output as #num
-'Read "Preamble" sheet and create preamble of Cabrillo File
-   for i = 0 to 1         ' read first 2 rows as is.
-      print #num, Sheet1.getCellByPosition(0, i).String & " " & Sheet1.getCellByPosition(1, i).String
-   next
-  ' Row 3 needs to be upper case.
-   print #num, Sheet1.getCellByPosition(0, 2).String & " " & UCase(Sheet1.getCellByPosition(1, 2).String)
-   for i = 3 to 19         ' read the the rest up to row 20 as is.
-      print #num, Sheet1.getCellByPosition(0, i).String & " " & Sheet1.getCellByPosition(1, i).String
-   next
-   ' Row 21 needs "@" before the callsign
-   print #num, Sheet1.getCellByPosition(0, 20).String & " @" & UCase(Sheet1.getCellByPosition(1, 20).String)
-   Soapbox = Sheet1.getCellByPosition(1, 21).String
-   if Len(Soapbox) > 70 then
-      truncated = "y"
-      Soapbox = Left(Soapbox, 70)
-      Msgbox("SOAPBOX message can have at most 70 characters. It was truncated to:" & Chr(10) & Chr(10) & "'" & Soapbox & "'", 48)
-   endif
-   print #num, Sheet1.getCellByPosition(0, 21).String & " " & Soapbox
-'Formatting Example.  Comment out once finished
-'    print #num, "00000000011111111112222222222333333333344444444445555555555666666666677777777778"
-'    print #num, "12345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890"
-'    print #num, "QSO:  1825 CW 2003-07-01 1044 VA1ABC        599 ON      VE4EAR        599 MB"
-'    print #num, "QSO:  3510 CW 2003-07-01 1044 VA1AB         599 ON      K4BAI         599 103"
-'    print #num, "QSO:  7155 PH 2003-07-01 1044 VE3KZ         599 ON      K5MM          599 005"
-'    print #num, "QSO: 14205 PH 2003-07-01 1044 VE3KZ         599 ON      K4LTA         599 10"
-'    print #num, "QSO: 21350 CW 2003-07-01 1044 VE3KZ         599 ON      K1EA          599 55"
-'    print #num, "QSO: 28375 PH 2003-07-01 1050 VE3KZ          59 ON      VE5SF          59 SK"
-'    print #num, "QSO: 50125 PH 2003-07-01 1055 VE3KZ          59 ON      VE3EJ          59 ON"
-'    print #num, "QSO:146520 PH 2003-07-01 1055 VE3KZ          59 ON      VE3CZ          59 ON"
-   MyCallsign = MyCallsign & space(14 - Len(MyCallsign))   'pad MyCallsign to make it 14 characters long.
-   MyProvince = Sheet1.getCellByPosition(1, 3).String      'my province
-   MyProvince = MyProvince & space(7 - Len(MyProvince))    'pad MyProvince to 7 characters
-   ContestDate = Sheet1.getCellByPosition(1, 22).String    'contest date
-'read "Log" Sheet starting at third row.
-   i = 2                                                   'first row is i = 0 so third row is i = 2
-   UTC = "anything"                                        'initial non-empty condition for knowing when to stop loop
-   while UTC <> ""                                         'while the time emtry is not empty, process each row
-      Freq = Sheet2.getCellByPosition(0, i).String         'frequency in column A (x = 0)
-      Freq = Format(Freq, "0")                             'round to the nearest integer
-      Freq = space(6 - Len(Freq)) & Freq                   'pad frequency to 6 digits
-      UTC = Sheet2.getCellByPosition(1, i).String          'time in column B (x = 1). Also used to stop loop.
-      Callsign = Sheet2.getCellByPosition(2, i).String     'callsign in column C (x = 2)
-      Callsign = Callsign & space(13 - Len(Callsign))      'pad Callsign to 13 characters
-      RST = Sheet2.getCellByPosition(3, i).String          'received Signal Report in column D (x = 3)
-      RST = space(3 - Len(RST)) & RST                      'pad RST to 3 digits
-      Exch = Sheet2.getCellByPosition(4, i).String         'received Exchange   in column E (x = 4)
-      RSTGiven = Sheet2.getCellByPosition(5, i).String     'received Signal Report in column D (x = 3)
-      RSTGiven = space(3 - Len(RSTGiven)) & RSTGiven       'pad RSTGiven to 3 digits
-      Mode = Sheet2.getCellByPosition(6, i).String
-      'create line to print from "Log" sheet variables.  The output should be something like this:
-        'QSO:  1825 CW 2003-07-01 1044 VA1AB         599 ON      VE4EAR        599 MB
-        'QSO: 14165 PH 2003-07-01 1044 VA1ABC         59 ON      K7AB           59 MB
-        'QSO:146520 PH 2003-07-01 1044 VA1ABC         59 ON      VE4EA          59 MB
-      logline = "QSO:"
-      logline = logline & Freq & " "
-      logline = logline & Mode & " "
-      logline = logline & ContestDate & " "
-      logline = logline & UTC & " "
-      logline = logline & MyCallsign
-      logline = logline & RSTGiven & " "
-      logline = logline & MyProvince & " "
-      logline = logline & Callsign & " "
-      logline = logline & RST & " "
-      logline = logline & Exch
-      print #num, Ucase(logline)                                 'print logline to text file
-      i = i + 1                                           'Next row
-      UTC = Sheet2.getCellByPosition(1, i).String         'Look ahead to next time entry to see if it's empty or not.
-'       MsgBox(MyCallsign)
-    wend
-    print #num, "END-OF-LOG:"
-    close #num
-    msgbox ("Cabrillo log file has been created here:   " & Chr(10) & Chr(10) & filename)
-end sub
-sub License
-' This spreadsheet and its script by Patrick Truchon <va7fi@rbox.me> is licensed under a
-' Creative Commons Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 Unported License.
-' <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>.
-'
-' You are free to:
-'    * Run them for any purpose.
-'    * Study and modify them.
-'    * Copy them to help others.
-'    * Improve them, and release the improvements to the public, so that
-'      the whole community benefits.
-'
-' Provided that you:
-'   * Attribute the work to me by linking to <https://scarcs.ca/howto/raccontests>
-'   * Distribute any derivative work under the same license.
-end sub
-</code>
-</hidden>
-<pagebreak>
-===== 7300 Recorded Voice TX =====
-The other thing I learned during the contest is how to record a short message on my IC-7300 and play it back on the air so I could save my voice a bit.  The details are on [[https://www.icomjapan.com/uploads/support/manual/common/IC-7300_ENG_Full_8.pdf| Section 7 of the IC-7300 full manual]]:
-{{pdfjs 100%,300px>:howto:ic73000-section7.pdf}}
-I ended up recording three messages:
-  - "CQ Canada Day Contest, this is VA7FI" (in phonetics)
-  - "VA7FI" (in phonetics)
-  - "Thank you, you are 59, BC"
-To call CQ, I used the first message on a 7 second repeat loop. If someone answered, I could either press the button again to stop the loop, or use the PTT to jump in and acknowledge the station.
-I used the second message to answer CQ calls during pile ups.  All I'd have to do is press the button and hope I'd get an answer. This was great in the early morning when Justine was still in sleeping. With my headphones on, the whole thing was virtually silent.
-I used the third message to give my exchange once I received the other station's exchange.
-I still had to use the mic a bit depending on the situation, but these pre-recorded messages took care of a lot of the grunt work.
-===== Last Thoughts =====
-I didn't expect to enjoy contesting as much as I did.  In fact, I found it strangely addictive.  I think I'd be ok with participating to two or three contests a year, but I would never have the time to spend an entire day on the radio every weekend.  Never-the-less, I'm looking forward to the next one.