External Logger
In 'External Logger Mode', an outline map of Counties, States, Sections, or Grid Locators is filled automatically by QSOs sent via UDP from an external logging program, such as the N1MM Logger. This is a very exciting and unique facility. Imagine a large screen monitor at a public event, showing a map of worked entities that any visitor can understand. The 'External Logger Mode' lets you achieve this.
The setup procedure is quite simple: just follow the following steps, in order:
a/ Start the N1MM Logger, and go to its main 'Entry Window' - the panel where you normally enter QSOs.
b/ Click 'Config > Configure Ports, Mode Control, Audio, Other...'.
c/ Go to the 'Broadcast Data' tab, and under 'Type of data', check the boxes for 'Application Info', and 'Contacts'.
d/ Both Address and Port values can be left as the default values: '127.0.0.1:12060', though you can change them if you know what you are doing. The part before the semicolon '127.0.0.1' is the IP Address and the part after the semicolon '12060' is the Port Number.
e/ Click 'OK' to exit the 'Configurer' window.
f/ Return to the County Hunting Mapper, and click 'Tools > UDP Monitor'.
g/ The 'Receive IP Address' and the 'Receive Port' values are set to the same values as N1MM, so you only need to change them if you changed the values in N1MM.
h/ Click the 'Clear' button, and then the 'Start Receiving ' button, then go to N1MM and log a QSO.
i/ If all is well, you will see an XML packet in the UDP Monitor window beginning:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<contactinfo> etc.
j/ In the UDP Monitor window, click 'Stop Receiving', and close that window.
All is OK, so the next thing to do is to see the 'External Logger Mode' working automatically. To do this, we will use the built in Contest Simulator, which is an independent program that can simulate the QSOS from the N1MM logger.
a/ Go to the main window and visit the 'External Logger' tab-page. Leave all the settings at their default values, which will set up for a contest where we work Counties, with 6 columns set to the standard HF bands. The chosen map will be for the Selected State: Alabama.
b/ Click the 'Start UDP Mode' button, and we will be taken to the 'Vector Map' tab-page, which will show the AL county-map, with 6 columns next to the list of counties. Notice that the checkbox-color is set to red, which indicates that we cannot check them manually, as we do in the 'Contest Mode'.
c/ Set the Text for the map, and the Grid Lines if you wish, and do any zooming, then when ready, click the 'Start' button to the top left of the map. It is now ready to receive QSOs.
d/ The easiest way to generate QSOs is with the built in Contest Simulator, so click 'Tools > Contest Simulator' to open its window. Leave all the values just as they are, and click 'Start Contest Simulation'. The simulator will start sending out QSOs for an Alabama QSO Party on 6 bands, just like the N1MM Logger, except we are making a new QSO every 3 seconds: wow that's quite a pileup you have going on!
e/ Click 'Pause' when you have had enough. The Contest Simulator will carry on sending out QSOs until you stop it, just as in real life.
f/ With the 'External Logger' mode paused, you can alter the map if you wish, or choose which column-contents to plot on the map with the control marked 'Cols: Any'.
The Contest Simulator can simulate 3 different types of contest:
1/ A QSO party, for a state that you select. This is useful to fill a map of Counties.
2/ Sweepstakes. This is useful to fill a map of Sections.
3/ A VHF contest. This is useful to fill a map of Grid Locators. Note that when you try this one, it sends QSOs out for a single band 6m entry, so when setting up the 'External Logger' tab-page, you should use 'Number of Columns' set to '1', and in the 'What Does Each Column Represent' panel, set 'Col 1' to '6m'. When you 'Start' the External Logger Mode this time, the data-table will be empty, but once you start the Contest Simulator, the new Grids will be listed , as well as being plotted on the map. Click 'Pause' a minute, and notice that there is now a 'G' radio button above the map. Click that, and the adjacent 'Text Content Control' has values 'Grid Locator 2' and Grid Locator 4'. Choose the latter to show that text in each of the incoming grid-squares.
The current checked-state of your map is automatically saved, and will be restored even after a program close and subsequent restart. To reset all of the values to 'unchecked', go to the 'External Logger' tab-page and click the required button in the 'Clear Checkboxes' panel. If you are working with Counties, you can choose to clear the checked-condition for all Counties, or just for those within the Selected State or Region.