The Loudoun Amateur Radio Group Of Northern Virginia & Its Radio Station K4LRG

        Our Group has been logging stations in the Annual ARRL Field Day since 1994. In the 90's we logged everything on paper with the second chair maintaining a large paper dupe sheet. This was fun. Gary Quinn - NC4S was the keeping of the logs and dupe sheets. Each were centrally hung on large clipboards and checked out as members tried different bands and modes. One year a new operator didn't bother to pick his new band log-dupe sheets and worked about a hundred dupes on another band before going back to his assigned band. He was having a great time. Later, we always had a scoring party to verify the required dupe sheets before submitting our claimed score. This would take several pairs of log checkers reading off the log and ticking off the dupe list. Then around 2000, we switched to computer logging on DOS-based systems available with MS Windows 95 and 98. We used the best of the best: TR Log. It is a great contesting program and a bullet proof way to operate. Now, our once reliable DOS machines are getting a little old and harder to keep up as batteries and hard drives go. Over the last year, we have thought hard and long at a switch to XP machines that are more available throughout the Group but need special partition installed DOS systems and then you run into serial port and other interface and driver problems. So, a Windows based approach was natural. Most of us have migrated to the N1MM Logging Program. Most of us used it during the 2009 Virginia QSO Party with great success. So it is natural for us to harness N1MM for the K4LRG Field Day this year.

        N1MM Logging Program has been around for many years and the development group has integrated most operating modes, station classes, radios, and most of the popular contests. There is a steep learning curve but well worth the effort. eHam reviews really support this program. Some have actually printed out the 400-some page manual though you may read the latest and greatest weekly updated version on the Internet. You can master it on your home computer in less than two weekends of operating. Start with N4ZR's N1MM Logger Quick-Start Guide. This will help you download and install the program and start your first contest log.  N1MM provides a generous number and variety of function keys. This Example Function Keys Site will help you work on setting up these features. The program allows you to control everything in your station from the keyboard. Use this Key Assignments Site to tailor your keyboard. You may wish to join the N1MM Free Contest Logger Yahoo Reflector.

        The Field Day Committee encourages everyone to become familiar with N1MM. Try it yourself on your home machine if at all possible. Or, sit in the 'second chair' for a hour to learn how to operate the program. Actually, once it is configured it is quite simple.

        As a final touch, there are some very unique feature available with N1MM operating in a Multi-Station - Multi-Operator environment. The Field Day Committee's Station Captains and Co-Captains met on May 21, 2009 at the VFW Post 1177 Hall in Leesburg to practice establishing a real-time inter station network. Eight computers were successfully netted. A standard configuration is being developed so there will not be unique keyboard operations, learning curves and mistakes as operators move among the stations. As with TR Log, we will have a cheat sheet for the major functions. Each can see what's happening in real time at each station. Rates and QSO data is available. You may communicate via the keyboard among all stations. With this set up all logs are available on all computers. N1MM expects operators to sign on and sign off the station computer. With this operating information we hope to refine our traditional post Field Day band-mode-operator-rate chart reports. We ask that all operators do sign in and do sign out as they move from station to station. Prepare and plan to have a lot of fun this year.

        A very special thanks goes to Rick Miller - AI1V for organizing and managing this unruly and attention disordered group. This stuff really works! And, of course, thanks goes to Jay Greeley for hosting us at the VFW.

Rick Denney - KR9D of Lovettsville
Captain of the 20-Meter Fone Station (#4)

with

Jay Greeley - KI4UTB of Leesburg

Watching The Network Come Alive

Gary Quinn - NC4S's Super Set Up for 80-Meters CW, 15-Meters CW/Fone and 10-Meters CW/Fone

        Well folks, the 2009 LARG - K4LRG Field Day Committee is putting in a lot of long hours, some super hardware - did you see all those Elecraft K3 Transceivers - and hope to have a great set up for everyone. We trust you all will join us for the Friday Night Set Up and the big operation on Saturday and Sunday - June 26, 27 and 28, 2009. Best regards to all, Norm Styer - AI2C de Clarkes Gap, Virginia.