Using Callbooks
DXKeeper can use a Callbook to
- populate items in a new QSO you're logging
- fill in missing information in a QSO you've already logged, or in a group of QSOs you've already logged
- replace information in a QSO you've already logged, or in a group of QSOs you've already logged
You can use any of the three Callbooks delivered on CD-ROM:
Access to information from will be considerably faster if you install the Callbook's database files onto a hard drive in your PC.
You can also use one of three Online Callbook Services:
HamCall Online (paid subscription required)
QRZ XML Data (paid subscription required)
HamQTH (free registration required)
These services offer information that is more up-to-date than that supplied via CD-ROM, but with slower access: a lookup over a fast internet connection with no congestion will take 5-10 seconds. With a slower connection and/or a busy server, lookup times can exceed 30 seconds.
DXKeeper also enables you to use QRZ.com as a Callbook by using its ability to extract information from web pages downloaded by Pathfinder; these web pages include advertising -- which is what enables QRZ to offer this service for free, but which further increases lookup times over those of the subscription-based services.
Configuring DXKeeper
Callbook configuration is accomplished using the Callbook tab of DXKeeper's Configuration window.
No matter which Callbook you're using, set two options at the bottom of this tab:
Automatically use callbook data to initialize new QSOs: if you enable this option, DXKeeper will automatically perform a Callbook lookup when you type a callsign into the Capture window or the Main window's Log QSOs tab and strike the Enter or Tab keys; information from the Callbook will be used to fill in missing items, but will not replace items you've already specified
Warn when Callsign Lookups fail: if you enable this option, DXKeeper will display a small window that informs you when the Callsign you've looked up was not found in the selected Callbook
Configuring DXKeeper to use a Callbook CD-ROM
If you've installed one of the Callbook CD-ROMs, then select it on the Callbook tab, and select the appropriate folder name:
RAC: the pathname of the folder containing the RAC file Callbook.exe
HamCall: the pathname of the folder containing the HamCall file hamcall.dat
QRZ: the pathname of the folder containing the QRZ file callbkc.dat
Configuring DXKeeper to use an Online Callbook Service
If you have a paid HamCall Online subscription (available here) or a paid QRZ Data Access subscription (available here), then on the Callbook tab
select either HamCall Online or QRZ.com
- specify your callsign
- specify your password
set the HamCall Online timeout or QRZ.com timeout to 60
If you have a registered HamQTH account (available here),
select HamQTH
- specify your callsign
- specify your password
set the HamQTH timeout to 60
Configuring DXKeeper to use QRZ.com via Pathfinder
If you'll be using QRZ.com via Pathfinder for free access to callbook information from QRZ.com, then
if you don't have a free QRZ.com account, register your callsign for one via https://secure.qrz.com/support?op=newacct
start Pathfinder, open its Config window, and in the QRZ.com Online Callbook panel
set the URL to http://www.qrz.com/db/{TargetCallsign}
enter the callsign you registered in step 1 into the username box
enter the password you received in step 1 into the password box
check the Automatic login box
check the Warn if not logged in box
on the Callbook tab of DXKeeper's Config window,
select QRZ.com via Pathfinder
set the QRZ.com timeout to 60
Testing the Callbook Lookup mechanism
To verify that the Callbook lookup mechanism is working,
- log a test QSO
on the Main window's Log QSOs tab,
select the test QSO in the Log Page Display
click the CBA button
DXKeeper should fill in missing items -- e.g. name, QTH, address, state, province, county -- by performing a callbook lookup
Using the CBA function
Clicking the CBA button on the Main window's Log QSOs tab will lookup the current QSO's callsign in the Callbook selected on the Config window's Callbook tab, the lookup the the current QSO's callsign in the DXCC Database (taking into account information from overide specified in DXView and from the USAP database, if DXView is running), and use the resulting information to fill in any items not specified in the QSO; information already present in the QSO's items will not be modified.
If you want information gained from the Callbook and DXCC database lookups to replace information in the current QSO, depress the Ctrl key while clicking the CBA function. Note that for QSOs with stations in the United States, Alaska, and Canada, DXKeeper will update the QSO's DXCC entity to match the State returned by the Callbook or DXCC database; for example, a QSO whose DXCC entity is set to USA but whose State is determined by the Callbook to be Hawaii will have its DXCC entity change to Hawaii.
To perform a "lookup and fill in but don't modify" operation on all QSOs in the Log Page Display, depressing the Alt key while clicking the CBA button.
To perform a "lookup and replace" operation on all QSOs in the Log Page Display, depressing both the Alt and Ctrl keys while clicking the CBA button.
Note: Callbook lookups should only be applied to relative recent QSOs; applying them to older QSOs is risky, and the information found in the Callbook and DXCC database may be incorrect as of the date of the QSO.