Now is the time for

Master Call Maintenance

(For Log Checkers)

Master Call Maintenance only comes with the Cabrillo Tools package. Master Call was designed mainly for log checkers or those who check contest logs. Master Call can assist you as an individual as well. (See Master Call Maintenance for individuals for more information.)

Log checkers can create a master file of call signs from logs received during the specific contest they are checking. They can also create Master Call files from old and new logs taken from logging programs such as WriteLog, CT, NA, TR, RTTY by WF1B, OH2GI-Ham System, RCKRtty Ham Program. The logs must be converted to Cabrillo format first. They can all be merged together for a master call sign checking file for use in a contest. The Cabrillo Log Checker program uses the Master Call file to highlight all QSOs that are not found in the Master Call file. If built properly, log checkers can identify unique call signs that only show up in one operator's log.

Above is what Master Call Maintenance windows will look like after you install Cabrillo Tools and run the MasterCall program. To make a master file to check contest logs, we suggest putting as many logs as possible into Master Call. Start check logs after you have most all logs already in your Master.cal file. To add calls, click "Tools" on the menu bar. Select the number of times you want a call found in the logs. This helps to make sure you not adding broken calls to your master file. You can click Check Occurrences>=1 if you want to get all the call signs. When you start checking logs you should can select "Check Occurrences >= 3, 5, 10, or 20".

You should decide what number of occurrences based on the number of logs received during the contest. "Check Occurrences >= 10" would check-mark all call signs found at least 10 times in the logs loaded. (This might be a good number for a large contest like CQ WW.) The idea is that if a call sign was only worked a few times during the contest, then those QSO's bear more scrutiny by the log checkers.

Once you have selected the Check Occurrence you want, click "File", then click "Load Logs." (See Below)

This could be your personal log or one sent to you for log checking. Once you have selected load logs a window will appear. Navigate to the directory where your logs are kept by clicking the "Look in: down arrow." Select C:\ or the drive where you log, logs are kept. In this example mine would be in C:\NAQP00LOGS. (See Below.)

Double click the directory name (i.e. NAQP00LOGS). (See Below)

If you want to select all the logs, to make a master.cal file for good calls in the contest your checking, click on the first log (i.e. 8P6SH.Log) then arrow over to the last log in the file (i.e. WT4I_NAQP.Log). Press the shift key and click on the last log. All logs will become highlighted. (See Below)

Once all are highlighted click Open in the Open window. Logs will start to Load in Master Call. (See Below)

The logs are now loading to make a new Master.Cal file. The calls in the "Callsign" column, are all the callsigns found in the logs just loaded. The "Number Found" column lists the number occurrences each call was found in the logs. The "In Master" column identifies if the call was found in any master call signs databases loaded. In this case we want a fresh list of call used in this specific contest. ("No" will be listed under "In Master" column because we are making a new Master.cal file.)

Once you have all logs loaded in Master Call you can create a Master.Cal file for the contest you will be checking. Now you need to name it, save it and put it where you want to keep it. To do this click "File", then click "Save Checked As." (See below.) "Save Checked As" will save all calls that have been check-marked.

When you click on "Save Checked As" the Save As window will come up. You can save it anywhere you want, name it anything you want. If it has an extension of ".dta" then it will be saved in WriteLog's super check partial file format. If it is saved with an extension of ".cal" then it will be saved in the format needed by Cabrillo Log Checker. In he is example we will save it in a directory called Mastercall and name the file NAQP00.cal. (See below)

Now your NAQP00.Cal file is saved in Master call file. You can add more call signs to this file as more logs come in. This can all be done in about three or four minutes.

You're finished