MacLoggerDX does all that it says it will do except selecting a VFO from the main entry screen. Its shortfalls from what I would “like to have” were known before purchase so no complaints. It does a very good job, and the customer service is second to none. Even when I did not read the instructions and e-mailed questions I should have known the answer to, Don was great (see note below).
Special note on “band Plan”: My prior logging software had a Band Plan, but I ignored it. I guess its defaults were in line with my operating, so it never entered the equation. However, the defaults in MacLoggerDX kept directing my K3 in ways I did not want it to go. Rather than reading the manual I thought something was wrong with the program. Don set me on the right path, and I started reading the manual and quickly learned how powerful the band plan was in MacLoggerDX.
I like to keep a very detailed log. Why, when time, mode and band Is all that is needed? BECAUSE! Detail about the other station is of interest to me and I am also better prepared if I hear a prior logged station on the air once again. The advantage of a log with a good number of user defined fields is ideal for me. DXLab was great and although MacloggerDX is a very well done program I miss the flexibility afforded me before. My mistake!
Now that I have had MacloggerDX for about a month of actual use I can state the following:
MacloggerDX
- The software performs smoothly.
- The program interfaces very well with LOTW, Clublog and WSJT-X (took some effort – see 3.3 below)
- There are certain items that I knew going in that I would miss. I have to say I miss them more than I thought I would. This is no fault of MacloggerDX as it never claimed to do these things.
- No user defined fields.
- Weak rig control especially for Elecraft
- Talking with WSJT-X and FLDIGI was far from intuitive. (thank you K0PIR)
Mac mini
- The little computer works very well with fast boot up and shutdown.
- The computer has a great footprint for a small shack
- Core Mac software runs very smoothly
- MAC is far from Ham Radio mainstream
Still in a learning curve MacLoggerDX is doing a good job. So far, the shortfalls are ones I knew of before I made the purchase so I would never consider those items a negative (including being pricy). It runs very well on the Mac and supplied the info necessary to talk to popular digital programs. It has a whole bunch of features and will take some time to work through them all (or most). Of the two digital mode programs I have found that WSJT-X is the most seamless with MacLoggerDX. Fldigi is a bit clunky (I used MultiPSK on the windows machine). I hope I can make improvements with the interface with Fldigi, but I am not too hopeful that will happen.
For information purposes the following are things I knew going in that would have been nice to have:
- User define fields
- Mapping of fields from my former logger to MacLoggerDX
“Nice to have” items I should have known about:
- It would be nice to have more rig control including user specific commands. (e.g. VOX on and off and a tune button)
- More to come (?).
Not so good:
- In the QSL received field DXLab puts a Y for QSL received and R to request a QSL. When the confirmation process in MLDX was run it confirmed 100% of all QSO’s in my log (entered using DXLab) as the QSL R field contained data. Note: This issue was corrected in v6.54.
My aging Windows laptop was in need of replacement. It has been said that you want to replace your old computer the day before it crashes. Having no idea when that would be I decided to bring in the new and out with the old. The new came in the form of a Mac mini (a new monitor also). In the ham radio world running a Mac is not exactly mainstream, but I did it anyway.
By getting an new computer I hopped to accomplish a few things as follows:
- Replace before the old machine called it quits.
- Reduce the computing equipment footprint.
- Increase computing efficiency – boot up and shut down time; processing time (although not all that bad with the old machine).
- Try something different.
With only a week behind the keyboard the following are my thoughts (so far).
The Mac mini itself is an impressive little machine. And I mean little. But as with any computer platform in the end what can I run on the system? Being frugal (aka cheap) I reluctantly put my money down and purchased MacLoggerDX. After using for a few years an incredible software suite called DXLab I was not sure what to expect. I will not comment too much at this time. It would be unfair as I am still in the learning phase (more to come in future posts). In short, MacLoggerDX runs very well on the Mac, does a whole bunch of stuff, appears to be well supported by the developer and is easy to use.
The question that is begging to be asked are there issues so far? The short answer is yes. Although primarily a CW op I have been getting involved with the digital mode Olivia and I did want to get WSJT-X up and running also. For Olivia the use of Fldigi was necessary. I was surprised the hoops one has to jump through to get the digital programs to run. I wanted the two digital programs to see the radio, log a contact and use PTT. It felt like I was back in the days when I dabbled in Linux. After reading the documentation and with help from videos by KØPIR mission accomplished.
More to follow.