HRD Software, LLC releases version 5.11a

Me thinks there is too much whining here. Considering that RT Systems sells a basic modified hyperterminal to program radios at $40-50 a clip - HRD is a steal. I paid my money and I look forward to V6. You may find better loggers, better decoders but as a fully integrated suite I consider it an excellent buy. Just because these things are "built for amateur radio by radio amateurs" does not mean it is free. I can't believe all the crap that is spewed forth because a few guys try to take this program to the next level albeit for a fee.

 

Geeesh all this fuss over the software. Really it is very simple if you want it buy it. If you do not want it don't buy it. What is so very hard about this?

 

I've been a licensed ham for fifty years. My experience has been that we hams have always been cheap (er, "frugal"). Some more than others. Everyone would like something for nothing as long as someone else is putting forth the effort in their behalf.

My first experience with Rick Ruhl, W4PC and Mike Carper, WA9PIE, was way back when we were all subscribers battling with the creator of "LogWindows" software for some inkling of product support. Rick and Mike always had helpful suggestions and logical approaches to problems that many of us former LogWindows subscribers appreciated. I have no doubt that, given time, the new team will provide the hobby with a logging/rig control package that will be among the best available. I was thrilled to see their names associated with the handoff of HRD. They have my support...and, my business. Best of luck guys!

73,
Terry, WØFM

 

Brilliant!

For those of us who aren't operating rotors, doing digital modes, etc. - why not offer this in bundles?

Logger/DX Cluster/Uploading to eQSL, etc.. one price.
Extras/digital modes - another price.
DeLuxe (makes toast) - DeLuxe price.

Makes logical sense to me. Break it up into suites.

 

All Newer Versions of Software require more Memory than their previous versions.

Years ago when we had to fit all the code on a 8K Rom, It was very Challenging.
Embedded Programmers still have that challenge to some degree.

Over the years Programmers have become sloppy writing code, Because they know that more memory is available, and the compiler would clean up the mess.

Although Compilers are very good at Optimizing the code, The more complex the Software the more resources it will consume.

It is not a Problem with HRD, It is just the nature of the beast.


Don

 

You're leaping to conclusions with a sweeping generalization.

Windows 7 runs in less memory than Vista. The latest versions of FireFox uses less memory than earlier versions because of recent efforts of the developers.

For all we know, memory and CPU optimization is probably something that Rick will be looking at as he cleans up and enhances the code.

I see no reason to automatically assume that (your words) "It will only get worst and not better after switching over to MSVS."

 

LOL

What ever you think.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rf5JTMfOaq4&feature=youtube_gdata_player

I wish that I could have been there to meet with you, Rick, as I usually 'do' make Orlando but a last minute family illness killed that for this year.

You did a great job of answering questions and I think given your depth of knowledge at many levels of software development throughout a long history and the fact that you're a DXer who uses his own product, you successfully vanquished many amateurs' fears.





73,


Jon Pearl - W4ABC
www.w4abc.com
I don't know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody. -Bill Cosby

 

Just to Clarify

@KT1F

Ross and the group,

I think that you may read me wrong. Others may also, Sorry

I am a big supporter of Ham Radio Deluxe. I was licensed in the 70s and we had no Play Toys as nice as HRD.

I Myself do not have a reason IN MY SHACK for the use of such Software, I write software for my own needs, and debug software and repair computers for other Hams that need help, and can not get, or can't afford too pay for needed support.
I also build CAT interfaces that work with HRD for my friends that need them. It is hard to buy a RFI Free one.

I have referred many of my Ham friends to use Ham Radio Deluxe and most everyone likes it. (99%, Some do Donate, and most will buy the new version)

I will be one of the first to purchase the new version when it is released. At Dayton if I am able to make it for the Hamvention. If nothing else but for testing, In hopes to help others that buy it.

I am Very sure that Rick and Mike will make it the best they can before its release, and many Hams are just waiting to get their hands on it, Me included.

Yes their may be bugs, as any software has. (Yes any and ALL software has some little bug, My code included.)
Updates will fix the bugs.

I am confident that the bugs will be worked out and Ham Radio Deluxe will become one of the best Software Packages in the World. But it will take a bunch of work too get there. But they will Getter Done.

I have much Faith in Rick and Mike too make Ham Radio Deluxe one of the most favorite Ham Radio Software used in all country's.

Just wanted to Clarify my point of view. Sorry if I got a little off topic.


73 DE KA9JLM
Don.

 

I've been reading this thread since it started, and have been both amazed and amused.

Having recently gotten my radio junk back out of the closet, I've also been using HRD for a month or so. I've played with it in the past, but it always impressed me as being 10 pounds of potatoes in a five pound bag, so I never really got interested in it. But at this point in my life, I'm tired.

I'm tired of using ham software that looks like it was written by a six year old with a box of crayons. Never mind if it works or not, I'm just sick of ugly. Never mind that it's free, I'm still sick of ugly.

I'm also tired of running ham applications in my desktop that's doing a dozen other things, so I decided to dedicate a computer to "ham stuff only". A real computer, not your Grandma's Compaq like you'll find in so many ham shacks.

HRD's logging screen is probably the most aesthetically pleasing ham radio software screen I've ever seen. Functionality is wonderful, everything I need; logging, cluster spots, gray line map, GMT clock, DXCC totals, and a few things I haven't figured out that I need yet. I liked it so much that I went and bought a full HD monitor, just for HRD's logging screen. HRD's logging screen is much prettier than any of my ex wives.

Unfortunately, I've discovered a few issues.

First one was that HRD crashed when importing my large logbook in ADIF format. Not really a deal breaker for me, because I don't really care who I worked in 1984 anyway, and I have all those logs in another program and on a web site if I really need to look something up.

I found a few little things that don't seem to "work", but again, no deal breakers.

In the last couple of days, I've figured out that HRD's log book program, with the cluster running for a long period of time (8 hours) causes increased CPU usage to the point the where the computer seems to be locked up. I've verified that it's HRD that's doing it (only application running), and that disconnecting from the cluster immediately fixes the problem and returns the CPU usage to zero, as would be expected with only a logging program running. Is that a deal breaker for me? For now, yes. When I want to log something, I don't want to deal with a frozen screen.

So in my opinion, HRD is not ready for prime time. But in all fairness to everyone concerned, please keep reading.

Rick and the guys just got this software. It's no easy job to figure out what somebody else was thinking when they wrote code; much harder than fixing code that you wrote yourself.

There is a system in place for reporting problems so that they can be fixed. I have submitted bug reports for the problems I've found, and I don't expect anything I've reported to be fixed by dinner time tonight. The system for reporting bugs is in place, obviously, because the new owners of HRD are interested in making it work correctly.

So everybody needs to sit back, relax, and give them a chance to do it.

Would I pay $80 for a version of HRD that has my deal breaker fixed? In a heart beat.

Would I buy a new version every year? Probably not, because I can't imagine anything I need that the program doesn't do now. Matter of fact, I'd like to see a few less options; I don't need 142 modes in a drop down box, all I need is CW and SSB...

While I think that Rick went to market a bit prematurely, you guys should be happy that Microsoft or Adobe didn't buy HRD, because if they did it would be $800 or more, not $80, and it probably never would work right.

And finally, for you guys who think eighty bucks is the end of the world, I really, really, really, really feel sorry for your wives, because obviously you haven't taken them out for dinner to a decent restaurant in the last twenty years.....

73, Jim KH2D

 

FWIW, I run HRD connected to the cluster all day long and have never had the resource problem mentioned. I also use a dedicated computer for ham applications. I'm running windows 7 64 bit.

.........Bob

 

For the JT65 fans, Joe Large and I have a nice lunch today and are preceeding forward.

He's a great guy and deserves alot for what his done with ham radio.

Details later.

 

Thanks Bob. I'm using XP. Maybe it's because I have the skimmers turned on, which generates the volume of spots you'd normally see on a contest weekend.

I left the logbook/cluster running for about 10 hours last night, nothing running but the logbook after a reboot and when I checked back the computer was sluggish and the HRD was using 50% of the CPU. Disconnecting from the cluster made the CPU immediately go back to zero. Only thing I can figure is that the program is doing something with all the spots it gets, maybe it's saving them in an access table, I dunno....

http://kh2d.net/hrd.jpg

Weird Science maybe

73, Jim KH2D

 

C++ has The memory problem, C# should not.

C Sharp may take more memory but C# memory management is better.

A Dedicated computer is the way to go.


Don.
.

 

I've not weighed in on this since I think there is too much adolescent discussion on HRD now requiring you to pay for it. But for me, on several different computer, using several different types of interfaces, I have never had any of the issues people are complaining about. HRD has been stable and not the resource hog many have said. The only time I had an issue with HRD was due to an misbehaving anti-virus dll. It was resolved in the next release of the Anti-Virus software! Here's a list:

Computers: Homebrew based in a Pentium 5 with 1 Gig of memory (HRD4.X), Win2K, and XP and real serial interface
Dell OptiPlex GX680 using XP Pro and 2Gb of memory and real serial interface
Dell OptiPlex GX740 using XP Pro and Win 7 Enterprise and 4 Gb of memory and real serial interface
Homebrew i7-950 using Win 7 Enterprise and 12Gb of memory
Homebrew i7-960 using Win 7 Enterprise and 12Gg of memory
IBM Laptop with Win XP Pro, 2Gb of memory

Interfaces: Real Icom CT-17 connected to real; serial ports
Serial Cable with a Belden USB to Serial adapter
Serial Cable with a Staples USB to Serial adapter
microHam Station Master
microHam microKeyer II
microHam USB III

I begin to wonder how many issues with HRD is hardware related and beyond the scope of the application developer (whether Simon or Rick and team) to consider or accommodate? Yes, systems are supposed to be standard. And for the most part they are. But given the plethora of combinations of operating systems and service pack levels, anti-malware (all varieties), spyware, etc, not to mention hardware, hardware drivers written in a 3rd world sweatshop and all the other combinations of user level settings, configuring and other errors how can anyone balk at paying for help? Most of the errors I read about on the Zed forums and the Yahoo group are user level setting, or unfamiliarity issues.

HRD has been, for me at least, an amazing help in the shack. Like having a dedicated second operator. I was sending Simon $100 for the software every year, and yes in the last year I was beginning to wonder what I was getting for my continued payments and support. So the requirement to pay $60 at this time is more than acceptable to me. The software in my environments (yes, I have multiple radios and multiple computers using a single MySQL log database via a computer network) is highly stable, does not load the system down, and is a tremendous performance enhancing drug for my ham radio playtime.