• This is a Google spreadsheet that can be used directly in the browser but we recommend it be downloaded as an Excel or LibreOffice file for offline use instead.

• The sheet has two tabs that can be selected at the bottom of the page:
  • Data contains the actual information about a few hundreds of hams.
  • LiveLogSheet is the “search / log” page used during the net.

The Data tab contains all the information about each ham operator and a few formulas to flag important dates. This sheet is NOT the sheet you'll be using during the net, it's a “database”:

To add a new entry, see the Adding Names section below.

One quick way of seeing if there are any birthdays or anniversaries before starting the net is to filter column N or O (but not both at the same time):

• Click on the upside-down triangle on the right Today? in Column N or This Week? in Column O.
• Remove the check mark on the left of (blank)
• Press OK

What this will do is only show the lines of people that have a birthday or anniversary on the day or week. All you have to do is note the names and callsign of these people to acknowledge them during the preamble.

Once you've got that information, you can re-check the (blank) lines to unhide them.

The LiveLogSheet tab is really the meat of this spreadsheet. During the net, all you need to do is type the suffix in Column A (not case sensitive).

• Column B can be left blank unless there are two callsigns with the same suffix (ex. VA7DUO and VE7DUO). If that's the case, Column C will ask you to add the prefix in Column B. Most of the time, the prefix is not needed.
• Column C will either give you:
  • The callsign if a match is found in the Data tab.
  • The message Not Found if the suffix was not found in the Data tab. If that's the case, ask the operator to give you their information, make a note, and enter it in the Data tab at the end of the net for next time.
  • The message Prefix? if there are multiple callsigns with the same suffix (for example: VA7DUO and VE7DUO).
• The other columns search for the callsign in Column C and fill in the rest of the information. These columns should NOT be edited.
• Cell P1 shows the total number of checkins
• The top shows the number of Birthdays and Anniversaries in blue for reference.

When the net is done, simply delete what you typed in column A and B (NOT what appeared in the other columns)

To add a new name to the Data sheet, do not Insert a line somewhere in the middle of the sheet to keep names sorted by callsigns. The problem with doing this is that Column A (which is hidden) and Column N contain important formulas and inserting a line leaves those cells blank for the new line.

Instead, scroll down and use one of the empty lines below the current list. It doesn't have to be the very next line. For example, as of this writing, the last entry is in line 462, but you could use line 479. It really doesn't matter. All these empty lines at the bottom of the list have the formulas in Column A and N already pre-fielded.

Now to sort, click on the upside-down triangle sign on the right of Suffix to see the filter menu for that column, and select Sort A → Z:

All the entries are now sorted by callsign suffix:

To delete a name, do not Delete Row. Instead delete the green cells containing the information. Careful not to delete anything in the red cells in columns A and N which contain the formulas. Then resort the list to send the empty line back to the bottom.

This tool is gaining popularity amongst different clubs in the area, as such, we now recommend that you use the file offline if you can to avoid two people trying to use the online version at the same time. You can download it as a Microsoft Excel file or as an OpenDocument File:

A few things to keep in mind:

• I haven't tested the Excel version as I don't have Microsoft Office, but using the Free and Open Source office suite LibreOffice works on Windows, GNU/Linux, and OSX platforms.
• If you need to update the Data sheet, please update the Online version, not your local offline version. That way, other users will benefit from your updates.
• Discard and download a fresh copy every time you need it so as to always have the latest database.
• Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or comments. I would appreciate some feedback about how the Excel version perform as I am not able to test it myself.

Currently, the file is not public. Members can access it from the Member's section, otherwise, contact Patrick, VA7FI if you'd like access.