Tracking DXCC Award Progress for a User-selected Digital Mode Family
Note: the functionality described here requires DXKeeper 15.3.7 or later, DXView 4.6.4 or later, and SpotCollector 8.5.0 or later.
The ARRL DXCC Award Family includes awards for 3 modes: Phone, CW, and Digital. You can optionally configure DXKeeper to provide additional realtime award tracking for one of these digital mode families:
Mode Family |
Family Members |
CHIP |
CHIP, CHIP64, CHIP128 |
DOMINO |
DOMINO, DOMINOEX, DOMINOF |
FT4 |
FT4 |
FT8 |
FT8 |
HELL |
HELL, FMHELL, HELL80, HFSK, PSKHELL, FSKHELL |
JT4 |
JT4, JT4A, JT4B, JT4C, JT4D, JT4E, JT4F, JT4G |
JT65 |
JT65, JT65A, JT65B, JT65C, JT65B2, JT65C2 |
JT9 |
JT9, JT9-1, JT9-2, JT9-5, JT9-10, JT9-30, JT9A, JT9B, JT9C, JT9D, JT9E, JT9E FAST, JT9F, JT9F FAST, JT9G, JT9G FAST, JT9H, JT9H FAST |
MFSK |
MFSK, MFSK4, MFSK8, MFSK16, MFSK11, MFSK22, MFSK31, MFSK32, MFSK64, MFSK128 |
ISCAT |
ISCAT, ISCAT-A, ISCAT-B |
OLIVIA |
OLIVIA, OLIVIA 4/125, OLIVIA 4/250, OLIVIA 8/250, OLIVIA 8/500, OLIVIA 16/500, OLIVIA 16/1000, OLIVIA 32/1000 |
PAC |
PAC, PAC2, PAC3, PAC4 |
PSK |
PSK, PSK10, PSK31, PSK63, PSK63F, PSK125, PSK220F, PSK250, PSK500, PSK1000, PSKAM10, PSKAM31, PSKAM50, PSKFEC31, QPSK31, QPSK63, QPSK125, QPSK250, QPSK500, SIM31 |
QRA64 |
QRA64, QRA64A, QRA64B, QRA64C, QRA64D, QRA64E |
THRB |
THRB, THRBX |
Each log file can be configured to provide realtime DXCC award tracking for a user-specified digital mode family; log files created by versions of DXKeeper prior to 15.3.3 provide DXCC award tracking for the PSK family.
When a log file is opened in DXKeeper 15.3.7 or later, its user-specified digital mode family is displayed in the User-specified digital mode family selector in the DXCC Bands & Modes panel on the Configuration window's Awards tab:
To configure the currently open log file to provide realtime award tracking for a digital mode family other than PSK - like FT8, for example,
backup your log (DXKeeper's Configuration window, Logtab, Backup Folder panel, Backup button)
in the DXCC Bands & Modes panel on DXKeeper's Configuration window's Awards tab, set the User-specified digital mode family selector to FT8
DXKeeper will display a window seeking your confirmation that you wish to terminate DXView and SpotCollector (if running) so that the current log's DXCC progress table can be rebuilt to track DXCC progress for FT8; click the window's Yes button to proceed
DXKeeper will display an Updating log to track FT8 for DXCC window in which status and instructions are displayed:
DXView and SpotCollector have been directed to terminate (if running)
- the log file's DXCC progress table has been cleared
the Recompute function has been invoked to rebuild the DXCC progress table with realtime DXCC award tracking for FT8
when the Recompute function has finished, a small window will appear asking if realtime DXCC award tracking for the newly-selected digital award family should be enabled - meaning that SpotCollector should identify active stations using that digital award family with whom a QSO would advance your goal of confirming every entity using that award family, and that DXKeeper's Add Needed function should populate the the QSL Queue with QSOs with whom a confirmation would advance your goal of confirming every entity using that award family
you'll be directed to start DXView and SpotCollector, and if appropriate initiate SpotCollector's Recompute function via the Recomputation panel on its Configuration window's Spot Database tab
With realtime DXCC award tracking for FT8 enabled,
The DXCC tab of DXKeeper's "Realtme Award Tracking" window includes
an FT8 column in its Award Progress panel
an FT8 row in its Progress Details panel
The Progress panel on DXView's Main window includes an FT8 row
SpotCollector will highlight as "needed" stations operating in FT8 from entities not yet worked or confirmed in FT8
Opening a Log File
If you direct DXKeeper to open another log file, the User-specified digital mode family selector in the DXCC Bands & Modes panel on the Configuration window's Awards tab will be updated to reflect the digital mode family being tracked for DXCC by that log, and a small window will appear asking if realtime DXCC award tracking for this digital award family should be enabled - meaning that SpotCollector should identify active stations using that digital award family with whom a QSO would advance your goal of confirming every entity using that award family, and that DXKeeper's Add Needed function should populate the the QSL Queue with QSOs with whom a confirmation would advance your goal of confirming every entity using that award family. If appropriate, you'll be informed that SpotCollector should be directed to Recompute.
If you direct DXKeeper to create an empty new log file, the new log will be configured to track the digital mode family being tracked by the previously-open log, and the state of realtime DXCC award tracking for this digital mode family will be unchanged. You can alter the digital mode family being tracked as described in the section above. You can also change the state of realtime DXCC award tracking for this digital mode family by checking or unchecking its box in the DXCC Bands & Modes panel on the Configuration window's Awards tab.
Post a question or suggestion on the DXLab Discussion Group
Getting Started with DXCC Award Tracking