Amateur Contact Log, WSJT-X and JTAlert - A Powerful Combination

N3FJP’s Amateur Contact Log (N3FJP ACLog) combined with WSJT-X and JTAlert are a powerful combination for the digital mode operator. Whether you use the IC-7300 or not, this is easy to use and works very well.





The basics are covered in the video

1. WSJT-X rig setup
2. N3FJP ACLog rig setup
3. Enabling TCP API in ACLog
4. JTAlert settings to use ACLog
5. Net-Time, time sync application
6. Making an FT8 contact

When using QRZ.com for the callbook, ACLog will bring up a photo from QRZ.com. You also see the operators name and location among other things. It’s just a good way to see the operator you’re talking with (See near the end of the video above).

See this article for the complete description.

 

This is how I roll as well - except I have a Yaesu FT-450D - but other than that ....

 

Thanks for the post. I use this method as well and find it to be very good combination of tools. 73 - KM4SFF Sean

 

I'll have to take a look at ACLog. Never heard of that one. Now that jtalertx and hrd 6 (at least for now) are talking again, that has made the logging interface from wsjt-x -> jtalertx -> hrd much easier. I would like a log program that could keep up with iota, etc... via callsign lookup without me having to chase it around.

 

Nice video. Just curious, where can you get the net-time app that you are using? 73 -K5JSG Jeremy

 

Same combination of software here, running an Icom 7600...works very well... Scott's (N3FJP) software is excellent..easy to use and works very well
Dave G0VTU

 

Yes my feelings exactly.

73's Rich

 

Hi Jeremy,

Good question, I'll add that link.

http://www.timesynctool.com/

73's Rich

 

Hi Dave,

Yes I bought the software package years ago and have been upgrading programs since then. No further costs involved and everything I've downloaded works as advertised. It's easy and it works.

73's Rich

 

Yes Rich, agreed...only recently started using it, but it's so simple and does so much...very impressed...well done Scott!....73's

 

And I started using it for my net logging program. Very nice indeed.

Thank you and 73!

 

JTAlert also allows users to send short instant messages from one user to another which comes in handy when there is QSB or QRM

 

Great comment, thank you and it works really well. I've used it a lot. Best 73!

 

I've used Amateur Contact Log for years and agree that it is easy to use and intuitive. I purchased the contest log subscription and couldn't be happier.

Steve, KK1VT

 

Thanks for your many helpful tips, prose and vids. If the following prose is not suited for this venue, feel free to ignore it

So, somewhat related to ACLog, I am on a seemingly futile quest for the minimum apps to alert, QSO, QSL and log my digital modes to QRZ.com without having to manually, tediously and repeatedly upload ADIF logs of 1-n lines. Toward that end, I have gotten WSJT-X and JTAlert-X working beautifully together. So, the missing piece remains the posting of QSOs to QRZ.com.

An obvious route is the builtin QRZ logging option in JTAlert X which, for me, does not function whatsoever. No errors. No logs. Nothing. Like dead code.

ACLog: I then moved backward and re-tried ACLog to see if it had QRZ auto-loggong at the expense of having yet another log. No dice. I also don't relish its U/I.

DXKeeper: Nicer U/I but also seems to lack a QRZ auto-logger option.

Log4OM: Has QRZ auto-logging and a good U/I but very top heavy with multiple UPD/TCP services/daemons and port conflicts with Windows MS SQL porting. Oy! Stranger still, JTAlert will correctly post to QRZ.com via the Log4OM chain-through but not create a L4O entry in its the local DB. Seems to be another port issue. Even stranger, when operating L4O natively, it has no trouble posting a QSO to its local DB. That suggests there's 2 different execution paths for creating a local L4O QSO entry. Natively: No problem. Via USP: No dice. Yet both paths need to speak to the SQL-Lite server. Oy!

So, my mind is frazzled seeking the minimal functional path to have QRZ.com auto-logging with JTAlert w/o loading 3-4+ apps/daemons and/or manual procedures that defeat the whole purpose.

Any pearls re auto-logging to QRZ from JTAlert? As noted above, JTAlert's own QRZ auto-log function seems totally dormant and neither ACLog nor DXKeeper seem to have that function. Or so it seems?

Thanks all for your patience, time, and contributions.