XLOG(1)

NAME
xlog - GTK+ logging program for Amateur Radio Operators

SYNOPSIS
xlog [option]

OPTIONS
A summary of options is included below.

--help Show summary of options.

--version Output version information and exit.

DESCRIPTION
xlog is a logging program for Amateur Radio Operators. The main window consists of a button bar, QSO frame, and a browseable log. Logs will be saved to a flat text file. You can create, open and close logs as you need them.

USAGE
QSO's are entered into the QSO frame on the left of the main window. Clicking the Date button will update the date field, the GMT button will update the GMT field. When you add a call to the callsign field, xlog will look up the prefix and will display DXCC information together with calculated distance and beam heading. In a log where a QTH locator is present, xlog will look up distance and azimuth to the locator and display it in a separate frame.

After all the fields are entered, click on Add in the button bar, to add the QSO to the log list on the right side of the main window.

QSO's can be deleted from the log by selecting a row in the log list and clicking on Delete.

Likewise, a log entry can be changed by selecting a row in the log, changing the QSO in the QSO frame, and clicking on Update.

Finally, right-clicking on the QSO frame will show a popup menu where you can Clear all the fields in the QSO frame.

KEYS
Here is a list of keys that can be used to navigate through xlog:

Control a: Add a QSO.

Control d: Delete a selected QSO.

Control k: Click on all buttons present and fill in all defaults.

Control n: Create a new log.

Control o: Open a log.

Control q: Close a log.

Control u: Update a selected QSO.

Control s: Save the log.

Control y: Clear the QSO frame.

Control f: Find a QSO in the log.

Tab: Move around the fields in the QSO frame.

PgUp: Scroll the log up.

PgDn: Scroll the log down.

Home: Go to the beginning of the log.

End: Go to the end of the log.

Space Bar: Select a QSO after using the PgUp, PgDn, Home
    or End keys.

Up Arrow: Select previous QSO.

Down Arrow: Select next QSO.

PREFERENCES
In order to calculate the correct distance to your location, you have to enter your longitude and latitude in the Info page of the preferences dialog. Here you can also choose whether the distance should be displayed in Kilometers or Nautical Miles. When you intend to make VHF/UHF QSO's and you have a QTH locator field in the log, you should enter your QTH locator in the preferences dialog.

The QSOs page allows you to choose an editbox to enter band and mode instead of the default optionmenu. This option is disabled when hamlib is enabled (see below).

In the Logs page you can decide where to save your logs and which logs to load at startup. Of course, you have to restart xlog and be sure to move your logs there. Entering a '*' will load all logs at startup.

PRINTING
You can either print a range or the whole log. Printing is done using latex and dvips, so you need to install the tetex package. The generated postscript file is sent to the default printer, but you can also print to a file. Files generated are: log.tex, log.dvi and log.ps in $HOME/.xlog. Printing can be done in 2 styles: normal style, which prints the log in landscape with 30 QSO's per page and shows all columns and contest style, which prints in portrait with 50 QSO's per page without the remarks field and 2 extra empty columns called "Multiplier" and "Points".

LOG-EDITOR
The log-editor, when selected from the tools menu, can be used to display or hide a number of columns in the log. 2 columns allow free entry, they can be given any name. Changes to the log columns will be committed once you save the log.

Please note that it maybe desirable to select a common name for a free column when using ADIF export as described in the ADIF specifications at http://www.hosenose.com/adif/adif.html, section 3: Field Definitions.

DUPE CHECKING
A log can be checked for dupes from the tools menu. There are some restrictions on the frequency field when used in dupe checking. It should either contain a 'dot' after the MHz number or contain 3, 6 or 9 numbers after the Mhz number.

When using hamlib, the total amount of numbers in the frequency field can be selected in the hamlib page of the preferences dialog.

DEFAULTS
Settings->Defaults will show a dialog where you can fill in default values for logging. These values will be used with 'Click All' (right-click on the QSO frame and select Click All from the menu) or Ctrl-k.

WORKED BEFORE
When you select Worked Before from the tools menu, a dialog will be displayed which shows a sorted list of contacts while you are typing in the callsign entry. This is especially useful in contests.

The number of columns shown in this dialog can be adjusted from the settings->dialogs menu.

TYPE AND SEARCH
When typing a callsign, the log is searched for a match. When a match is found, your name, QTH, Locator and Remarks entries will be automatically filled in. You can switch this behaviour off in the preferences dialog.

HAMLIB
When xlog is compiled with hamlib support (see the INSTALL file for details) you can read your rig's frequency over the serial port. You must select the model of your rig from the list available in the hamlib page of the preferences dialog.

The same page allows you to display a dockable frequencymeter and s-meter on the statusbar.

When hamlib is enabled, 3 clickable buttons are added to the QSO frame, so you can easily fill in frequency, mode and signal strength in the appropriate fields. If your log records power (required in some countries), there is also a clickable power button in the QSO frame.

DATA EXCHANGE
xlog can exchange data with twpsk (version 2.0 and higher) by WA0EIR. When a callsign is entered, it will show up in twpsk's send widget (where you type your text) when hitting Shift+Alt+h. Shift+Alt+o will show 'hiscall de mycall'.

gmfsk by OH2BNS (starting at version 0.4) can send logging data to xlog, when clicking on the 'Log entry' button.

ktrack by LX2GT (starting at version 0.2.1) can exchange satellite information with xlog. In order to do so, you need to enable the 2 free fields with the log-editor.

IMPORTING and EXPORTING files
xlog supports twlog, editest, ADIF and cabrillo import. Logs can be exported to ADIF and cabrillo. The apropriate option menu should be selected for the file type when importing or exporting (using Save As) a log.

FILES
/usr/share/xlog/dxcc/cty.dat contains the DXCC entries read by xlog. This file can be completed by adding entries to /usr/share/xlog/dxcc/xlog.dat.

SEE ALSO
/usr/share/xlog/README for more information in setting up hamlib and /usr/share/xlog/FAQ for a list of frequently asked questions.

BUGS
Currently, xlog does not recognise the different call districts of Canada and the U.S. when calculation heading and distance. This is planned for a future version.

AUTHORS
xlog was written by Joop Stakenborg <pa4tu at amsat.org> aka <pa3aba at debian.org> and Stephane Fillod <f8cfe at free.fr>. Calculation of heading and distance was taken from gc (Great Circle) by S.R. Sampson, N5OWK. QTH locator calculations are taken from wwl, by Mirko Caserta, IK0ZSN.