BMUtil Online Help

~ Warning ~

Backup your database before using this utility!!!

• Identify Bands and Modes not recognized by DXKeeper for QSL card/label printing
• Add QSO's directly to DXKeeper's QSL queue
• Select any DXKeeper log on any drive.

Introduction

How it Works

Log Clean-Up

Instructions

Usage

Introduction

DXKeeper's automation of the QSL Card/Label generation process assumes that the operator wants to work every DXCC entity on some or all bands, in some or all modes; it cannot be configured to automatically generate QSL Cards or Labels for the operator seeking to work every DXCC entity on combinations of bands and modes, e.g. "I want to work every DXCC entity on 20m SSB, 20m CW, and 20m RTTY". The Bands and Modes Utility (BMUtil) now provides this capability.

This utility will add the last QSO worked for each Country, Band and Mode in the current DXKeeper database to the DXKeeper QSL queue if they are not already requested or received. These QSO's would not normally be identified by DXKeeper for QSL Card preparation because of DXKeeper's design.

DXKeeper identifies only the Countries, Bands and Modes that are required for the standard DX awards. If you want to get confirmations from the other Countries, Bands and Modes DXKeeper doesn't offer any automated help, you have to manually mark them yourself. To that end this utility was developed. This program is intended as a helper/add-in for DXKeeper and makes no other claims.

Note:

BMUtil is designed for and works only in the "QSL via Cards" mode. There's no purpose to applying the logic of BMUtil to eQSL or LOTW as all log entries are generally uploaded to these hosts anyway.

How it works

• BMUtil creates a list of QSO candidates internally using the following rules:
  • If the QSL Sent and QSL Received fields are empty, then
  • For each candidate QSO, perform a Progress Table lookup and see if that band and mode are needed as defined by a "W" (worked).
  • If Yes, mark the last QSO worked with an "R" in the QSL Rcvd field (necessary for DXKeeper's internal logic).
  • Add the QSO to DXKeeper's QSL queue

• Only the last QSO for a given Band & Mode will be added. Choosing the last QSO logic was selected because there is more of a chance to get a card for a recent QSO than an old one.

• You can always mark the QSO's by hand, in DXKeeper, if this logic won't work for you.

Log Clean-Up

Log Clean-Up is a feature that allows the user to detect and clean the current log prior to using BMUtil. There are two fields in the QSO log that BMUtil uses to interface with DXKeeper. These fields are QSL Rcvd and QSL Sent. Normally these fields contain information that DXKeeper uses to process QSL card information as depicted in the following table.

Table 1

The above codes are the only ones that should be in these fields. But, due to many factors, other values can and do find their way into these fields. It has been found that some importing techniques are the culprits for some of this. But, no matter what the reason any other code than the ones shown above need to purged from the QSO table. If these fields have anything in them BMUtil will ignore that QSO record as a candidate QSO.

BMUtil's Log Clean function can detect and clean the unauthorized codes from your log as defined in table 2 below. This is totally automatic and should not have to be repeated again for a particular log. As a matter of good housekeeping the user should examine his log to see if it contains any trash. This can be accomplished manually by opening DXKeeper's Adv filter and applying the following SQL statements. See DXKeeper's help file for instructions on how to use the Advanced filter.

Table 2

* SQL used by BMUtil to clean log entries.

When you are finished the QSL Sent and QSL Rcvd fields should be empty unless they have a legitimate code as defined in Table 1 above. Or, if you wish BMUtil can accomplish this cleanup for you. Just select the Log Clean function from the BMUtil Action group. See the User Instructions section of this document for information on how to use this function.

This process is not to be used unadvisedly. You need to understand what this process will do to your log before using this function. There shouldn't be any ill effects from this clean-up function unless you use some kind of funny coding characters in the fields affected by this function.

User Instructions

• Open the utility and the following form will be displayed.
  
   

• The program will pick up the last database name that DXKeeper used and will assume you want to open it. If this is not the database you want to use, double-click the database window, select the one you prefer and press the tab key.

  Notes:

  • DXKeeper must be running. BMUtil communicates with and can not function without DXKeeper running.  

  • BMUtil will detect DXKeeper's status and display it in it's title bar caption.

  • All databases must be in DXKeeper format (MS Access [.mdb]) to work with BMUtil.

  • If DXKeeper is set for a different database name than the one selected in BMUtil a warning message will be issued asking if you want to proceed. It will allow a different database to be used, but this should be avoided.

• Select an action to be performed.

• Add will place candidate QSOs into DXKeeper's QSL queue.
• Refresh is used to reset the QSO counter at the top of the form. This is necessary if the QSL queue entries are cleared from DXKeeper as BMUtil has no way to detect this.
• Log Clean will remove all trash from your log preparing it for BMUtil's Add function. See the Log Clean-Up section of this document for a description of the log clean-up process.

  Optionally you may also set the following parameters if needed.

  • If you want to specify a date range for the QSOs, set the From and To fields to the appropriate values. Please note that the To date will automatically default to today's date, but may be set to any legitimate DXKeeper date.
  • If you want to include all operators in this log check the Incl All Ops check box.  If this box is not checked (the default) then only the Call Sign specified in DXKeeper will be used. This option is primarily for those of us that have changed calls, but still live within 25 miles of the original QTH thus allowing more than one call per log.
  • If you want to exclude all QSOs that have an address in the QSO Address field check the No Address check box.  If this box is not checked (the default) then you will get all QSOs regardless of address status. This option is primarily for those who want to print their Bureau cards separately from the Direct QSL cards.


 

• Press the OK button
  
  In the User Messages area (under the database text box) you will see the results of the action just performed. Also, directly above the database name is a counter showing how many QSOs are loaded in DXKeeper's QSL queue at any given time. This counter is accurate whether the QSOs were added by this utility or by DXKeeper.
  

  
   

• Review the results of the Add action in DXKeeper.
  
  At this point use DXKeeper's QSL functions as you would normally. See the User Scenarios section below for tips on using BMUtil in conjunction with DXKeeper.

Usage

A typical sequence of operations to load the QSL Queue might be:

• Open DXKeeper

• Open BMUtil

• In DXKeeper

  • Filter the Log Display if required

  • Open the QSL tab

  • Press the Clear button if necessary

  • Press the Add Needed button

  • Press the Add Requested button

• In BMUtil

  • Select the Add action and press the OK button

• In DXKeeper

  • Not all QSOs may be wanted for one reason or other. If this is the case, disable these QSOs by un-checking them as required. See the DXKeeper help file for more information.
  • Preview and Print QSL cards/labels as you would normally.