recording a whole contest?

G8ZPX

Hi Al in Flex world,

I am going to be contesting in the WPX SSB in a couple of weeks and would really like to record my whole effort of 36 hours. I know I can output via DAX to a nice tool such as Audacity, and my P has no problem with speed or storage space.

But how can I also record my own TX audio?....without resorting to external cabling, microphones that is.

73 de Steve G1XOW

EA4GLI

Enable the mic in the dax panel and add it as an audio source in audacity.

Gary Wise

You might wish to take a look at the February 2016 issue of the Northern California Contest Club newsletter.

http://www.nccc.cc/newsletter.html

In the issue they cover the use of Sony micro recorder with sufficient capacity to record an entire contest. I bought one for just this purpose. You have to operate with the Mon function enabled to record your side of the QSO.

Records directly in MP3, and requires no PC resources.

73,

Gary W4EEY

Burt Fisher

I would like to buy the DVD's of the 36 hours of the contest to do a Flex version of the below

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93BRFwOowSo

Walt - KZ1F

Too funny Burt!

Barry N1EU

http://n1mm.hamdocs.com/tiki-index.php?page=Third+Party+Software&structure=N1MM+Logger+Documenta...

To record mic audio as well, I would cable the headphone jack (through a Y) to the soundcard line in.

I didn't need to do this on the K3s - monitor audio is included in the Line Out audio.  I don't know why Flex doesn't provide MON audio on DAX Audio RX1 or at least the option to do so.

73, Barry N1EU

Barry N1EU

The recording utility described in that link, QSORDER, has a command line option to record the entire contest and it automatically chunks the recordings into one-hour long mp3 files with datetime stamped filenames.  It works really slick.

VE6KWA

Hmnn... that sounds like a pre order Burt...
is there a discount ?   B^) 

James Whiteway

Burt, I'm shocked! Hams giving out false signal reports in a contest? What has the world come to??  Very funny and oh so true Bert!
Thanks for the laugh!
james
WD5GWY

By the way, you're 5 9 here in Texas!!!

dlwarnberg

humm... 36 hours of recording a radio contest from one station?  WHY?

KY6LA_Howard

Pretty Obviously to double check entries to make sure that they have been logged correctly as you get severely penalized for errors you make in contests.

Phil M0VSE

Looks like K1OIK has far too much time on his hands. I prefer the SPRINT format where they have removed the need for pointless signal reports or VHF/UHF where accurate reports are the norm.

Walt - KZ1F

Or, for people suffering from traumatic brain disorder and don't remember the contest...or for posterity.

Burt Fisher

I have too much time on my hands? I am not the one sitting on my **** cackling CQ Contest for 36 hours.

Burt Fisher

Speaking of traumatic brain disorder listen to this repeater for 5  minute
http://www.broadcastify.com/listen/feed/14747/web

Phil M0VSE

Lets face it, nothing to do with amateur radio is particularly rational. If I 'just' wanted to have a conversation with somebody on the other side of the world (or down the street), I would simply pick-up the phone, much more likely to work and not subject to atmospheric conditions. 

Personally, I enter contests in an attempt to improve on my previous score. I consider it a kind of personal development helping me to hone my operating skills. As far as 59 or 599 reports are concerned, I would advocate that all contests remove RS/RST from the contest exchange but for many it does count and points are often deducted for an incorrect report which is why most contesters have adopted this strategy. 

Walt - KZ1F

Funny you should say that Phil. Whenever someone not savy about ham radio and I try to explain it, the inevitable next sentence is why don't you pick up the phone and call or send an email. Back before this was all automated I remember calling phone information (operators) in other countries and chatting with them. They were most often young women and they likely wanted someone to flirt with as well. Is there even an NTS anymore? I suspect what you were referring to was to improve operating skills for NTS and other nets, esp for passing emergency traffic where 58 is WAY different than 59 and close doesn't count. Given the costs involved, it's not too hard to become a cynic... Bah, Humbug!

KY6LA_Howard

I listen to them all the time when driving to LAX. Hilarious Much funnier than contests.

Burt Fisher

Contests are a riot as when someone wishes a competitor good luck

Walt - KZ1F

You speak the truth, Burt.

Ken - NM9P

Burt....
The "signal report" in modern contesting is now seen merely as a placeholder before the "important" part of the exchange, which may be the state, zone, or serial number.   When running fast and furious CW in the midst of high interference, crowding or with very weak signals, hearing the 599 or 5NN is a placeholder that says "now I am sending the report."  It makes it easier to tell when the total exchange is coming.  Yes, it has become so meaningless that many stations have their auto-keyers set so that it rips the 5NN out at about 40 WPM and then slows down to 28-32 (actually the optimum contest speed for overall efficiency) for the rest of the exchange.  

Does this make contesters "liars?"  Not really.  It just means that conventions change and computerized logging programs have accelerated the change.

When contesters analyze their station performance, rather than trying to summarize a highly objective signal report, (even if they were "true") a station making over 2000-5000 contacts can more effectively determine performance by plotting contact density, time, and band on graphs and maps in order to visualize their results.  Something that would have been unheard of before complex computer analysis routines.  

Still,  it would be nice to have some type of automated "contest mode" that one could touch a button and have a digital burst sent that includes actual receive dBm reading, GPS location, transmitter power output, etc.  

This would make for an interesting contest....automated calculation of miles-per-watt with the figures added to the point totals.  The person with the highest mile-per-watt times number of contacts, times number of different grid-squares worked would win, putting high and low powered stations on an even footing......

Back to the OP...I will investigate digital recording of both sides of the contact someday when my scores improve to the point that I am required to submit a recording.........not likely any time soon!

Ken - NM9P

Ken - NM9P

Many contests actually require a both-sides recording of the entire contest for their top positions.  Apparently this is to help eliminate cheating - i.e. looking up calls and QTH's after the contest and "fixing" the log, getting email corrections to broken reports, etc......a review of the actual exchanges can reveal if someone is "cooking the books."  (gasp...would a real ham cheat?)

Ken - NM9P

Ken - NM9P

Many contests actually require a both-sides recording of the entire contest for their top positions.  Apparently this is to help eliminate cheating - i.e. looking up calls and QTH's after the contest and "fixing" the log, getting email corrections to broken reports, etc......a review of the actual exchanges can reveal if someone is "cooking the books."  (gasp...would a real ham cheat?)

Ken - NM9P

Ken - NM9P

@Burt...Why do you find it funny that one contester would wish another one "good luck?"  I do it all the time.  I was taught by my parents that is was good sportsmanship to wish the competition well.  My philosophy was always "Let me do my best....and if my best is better than their best then I will win.  If not...let me learn!"    If we all do well, then everyone has fun......

dlwarnberg

@Howard.. not sure I would want to go back and relive 36 hours of a contest... if I didn't get it right the first time my problem..  if it's required by the contest I think I'll find another as that contest is just way to competitive for me..
yes I do enjoy an occasional contest but when people find the need to cheat for the rights to say "I won" I think one is going a bit far, particularly when  we are talking about what?  A piece of paper? and not the green kind you can spend either..   

It's bad enough with people tuning up, not listening, etc.. when simply chasing DX.. 

But I digress...

dlwarnberg

@Howard.. not sure I would want to go back and relive 36 hours of a contest... if I didn't get it right the first time my problem..  if it's required by the contest I think I'll find another as that contest is just way to competitive for me..
yes I do enjoy an occasional contest but when people find the need to cheat for the rights to say "I won" I think one is going a bit far, particularly when  we are talking about what?  A piece of paper? and not the green kind you can spend either..   

It's bad enough with people tuning up, not listening, etc.. when simply chasing DX.. 

But I digress...

dlwarnberg

not sure that happened.. double post.. sorry.. tried to remove but it fails

W7NGA

Wait .. are we saying we can now record a contest, and go back and 'make adjustments'? Fix the log? Tidy things up? This is up there with the big unknown in my life. Why .. why do we have a 40-meter net with an 'early checkin' option. Sorry .. I listened for a week to find any value here. Nothing. Nuthin' I says. No traffic, no nuthin. Not to mention 'early checkin' for those with nothing to add and the ability to check-in early to tell the world they 'have nuthin' an hour(s) before anyone actually gives a listen. What .. nuthin to check-in? And my neighbors wonder why I need such a big tower and antenna a'hangin in the air. Geez ... what if the big one drops?

Burt Fisher

I wonder how much of the 36 hour contest I would have to play for my students before they pleaded they would behave?

W7NGA

And how disappointed they would be Burt, to find, that everyone wasn't really 5-9 at all. This young lady is distraught because she just spent $15,000 on her rig and antenna and someone on the west coast gave her a 5-5 report with QSB. 

And then ... told her they no longer will send a real QSL card because postage is too high and they don't have the time to spend unless it is a bona-fide contest.

Charles - K5UA

Post-process an entire contest. No typing in the log, just hit the ground running and don't look back. Type in everything after the contest.