WRTC

Introduction

DXLog is a popular choice among participants of World Radiosport Team Championship.
This section is intended to offer guidance for participants on some important or less obvious
functionality and features.

Checklist

This is an abbreviated list of important things to do and check before the contest.
Detailed information about the items can be found in the sections below.

1. Assign station types. One station should be R1 and one the other should be R2.
2. Operating SO2V is recommended. To comply with WRTC rules, make sure to operate radios as single receiver radios.
   Options|Interface specific options|Dual receiver radio must be unchecked.
3. Enable spot logging in the right-click menu of the [Alt][A] DX cluster announcements window to ensure operator
   entered spots are not lost with a restart of DXLog.
4. Make sure the life time for operator entered spot is sufficiently long in the Bandmap's right-click Properties window.
5. Make sure your CW messages comply with the rules. Type MSGS to check and click Defaults if you are unsure.
   Add convenience macros such as $CLEARRIT as preferred.
6. Connect both stations' PC to the internet and click File|Update contest to get the most recent HQ prefill file.
7. If you plan to use [Alt][Q] Intelligent Quick QSL, make sure the repeat cycle is never more than 3 QSO.
8. Familiarize yourself with the two alternative ways to configure station passing.
9. Enable QSO broadcast as directed by the contest organizers.

Station configuration

Network and station types

Important: One station needs to be assigned as Radio 1 ("R1") and the other as Radio 2 ("R2").

WRTC participation is an unassisted, two operator, two transmitter entry. WRTC rules require that the submitted
Cabrillo log correctly reflects which of the two stations made each QSO. This requires correct configuration of
the logger.

The station type is displayed in the right end of the entry line.

The station type assignment is done by either

• Pressing [Ctrl][F3] with the cursor in the entry row
• Typing the commands RUN1 or RUN2
• Selecting it in the menu Commands|Station type.

For a WRTC log, DXLog will issue a warning if there is more than one R1 station or more than one R2 station on
the network. Note that this warning will only appear once and only at program startup.

Standard messages

CW messages are strictly regulated in WRTC. You are not allowed to shorten your RST beyond 5NN
and you must send your ITU zone using unabbreviated digits. These rules are followed in DXLog's
default messages for WRTC.

You can always reset your messages to their default values by clicking Defaults.

As a convenience, you may want to add $CLEARRIT to the end of Run F1 and Plus messages.

Prefill and Super Check Partial

As allowed by the rules, DXLog will prefill the ITU zone or HQ station abbreviation for all callsigns entered.

To make sure you have the most recent HQ station prefill database, update it with File|Update contest
shortly before the contest.

The Super Check Partial database is not allowed in WRTC and therefore disabled. This means that callsign
validation using the entry line Status field or the the Check partial and Check N+1 windows is only done
against logged callsigns.

The entry line's Status field can be enabled in the Options|Log|Log and entry fields... window.
It will show a check mark for logged callsigns and a question mark for all others.

Intelligent Quick QSL

If you use [Alt][Q] Intelligent quick QSL, make sure it is set to identify yourself at least once every three QSO
to comply with WRTC rules.

Bandmap and spots

WRTC is a unassisted contest meaning that online resources such as the DX cluster are not allowed.
It his however possible to enter spots into the bandmap manually using [Ctrl][Enter].
Such local spots will appear in both stations' bandmaps.

Callsigns logged in S&P will appear in both stations' bandmaps as dupe spots. In Run, callsigns
logged are not spotted by default while any same mode spot of the logged callsign is deleted.

You can adjust the lifetime of operator entered spots in the bandmap's Properties right click menu.

To ensure operator entered spots are not lost with a restart of DXLog, spot logging must be enabled.
This is done by opening the DX cluster announcements window, either by pressing [Alt][A]
or by clicking Windows|DX cluster announcements and checking Incoming spots logging
in the window's right-click menu.

After having checked this option, you can close the DX cluster announcements window.
Logging of spots is active regardless if the window is visible or not.

Passing stations

Using DXLog's built-in Pass station feature

DXLog has a built in helper for passing stations (typically a multiplier needed on another band) to another operator.
A multiplier needed on another band can be identified either via the red new multiplier alert below the entry fields or
the Check multipliers window.

Important: The functionality described here will only work in a proper WRTC set up meaning two networked stations
of which one is type R1 and the other type R2, each running DXLog with a WRTC log open.

The Pass station window is opened by pressing [Alt][D] or clicking Commands|Pass station.

The Pass station window should be opened directly after receiving the worked stations's exchange and replaces
the normal conclusion of the QSO using [Plus] or [Enter] (if ESM is used). A more detailed description
of usage and usage scenarios can be found HERE.

In the case of WRTC, the Pass station window will automatically select the other station, its band, and its frequency.
Note that this selection is based on Station type (R1 or R2) and disregards the stations' Station ID.

If the other station has a passing frequency set, it will be selected. Otherwise, its current main VFO frequency will be selected.

This reduces or even removes the need for mouse clicks compared to a "normal" multi-transmitter setting and allows the
passing of a station to the other operator by simply pressing [Alt][D] followed by [F1] or [Enter].

Important: Only $PASSBAND and $PASSFREQUENCY will send the selected band and frequency in the Pass station
window. Do not user other macro commands to send band or frequency in the Pass station window.

Using traditional macro commands

Passing stations using traditional macro commands will require in slightly fewer keypresses but is less
obvious for the operator.

The station ID of each station need to be used in the macros. In this example we have chosen the
names WRTCA and WRTCB.

We have also chosen to place the three messages: QSY?, QSY frequency, and TU in [Ctrl][Alt][F1]
through [F3] but it is of course possible to chose other function keys or to map these to more convenient
keys on the keyboard.

On station WRTCA the macro commands must be chosen to pass stations to WRTCB:

and conversely, the macro commands on station WRTCB must be chosen to pass stations to WRTCA:

In this example the usage of these three keys are then the same as for [F1] through [F3] in the
[Alt][D] Pass station window, without the need to press [Alt][D] first.

Related settings

The following settings affect how DXLog sends numbers, including the Pass station messages,
and may therefore need adjustment based on your preferences. In general, number abbreviation is not recommended.

Options|CW and Digital|CW macro number sending
Options|CW and Digital|Send frequencies rounded to kHz