Friday 12 August 2016

CWCOM - How to make a QRZ/contact list & Logging page

How to make a QRZ/Contact list for CWCOM....


NOTE.... CLICK ON THE PIC .... FOR A LARGER VIEW...



 When I first started on cwcom, I used a sheet of paper for making notes on the callsigns and qth of contacts.. but it soon got out of hand, and was "messy".. and not in any usable order... and so I decided to "have a go" at making some kind of QRZ list, using the Spreadsheet available in "Open Office"..

You can also make a "log book", using a spreadsheet format....  Nothing too difficult about that... just name the head of the columns to show what information you want to keep....  e.g.

DATE     DAY    TIME    CALLSIGN     NAME    QTH      NOTES



(click the pic... to enlarge)



You can resize this, so that it fits below the mains screen, giving you and "easy access" to  a record of your qso`s on your desktop.


 View of part of my "on screen" Logbook made with Open Office Spreadsheet. 






 Click on the pics for a larger view !

My "QRZ/Contacts" list.... 
(reduced size from bottom right corner of computer screen)


Larger size for editing purposes.....





CLICK ON THE PICS TO ENLARGE 

After you have finished inserting  all the information... re-size the QRZ list so that it can fit on the side of your screen, ready for your next QSO... ...

RESIZED TO FIT ON RIGHT HAND SIDE OF COMPUTER SCREEN
CLICK ON THE PICS TO ENLARGE



Open Office is a suite of programs, which is very handy to have, but most of all, it is totally FREE .. it is free to download, and free to use... Just google  < Open Office Download > and follow the usual download routines.  get it installed... it will read just about any kind of text document.. yes.. even Microsoft Office documents..  !  ( and we all know THAT costs a fortune as a stand alone Microsoft offering  ! ! )..

Note.. the following is based on Open Office.. but I am sure it will work pretty well for any other spreadsheet program that you may already be using...

 Open…. Open office

ChooseSpreadsheet click on File   >  Save as    enter File name as CWCom QRZ  then Save (OR   CWCOM LOGBOOK ) as required


Move cursor on to the separation line between columns B and C…. “hold and drag” to reduce B to a quarter of its size .  ( this column is now used as a spacer )

hold and grab” the next line between C & D… make C half as wide again.

Repeat on D & E but reduce it to make a space column

Repeat on E & F...but increase it to double the size

Repeat on F & G  but reduce it to make a space column

Repeat on G & H. but increase it to double the size.

In the first cell,   A1 ,   enter   CALLSIGN

....  move cursor to C1 and enter NAME

..... Cursor to E1 enter LOCATION (QTH )

   Cursor to G1  enter Notes  ( this col will be used for notes about the operator, morse quality, hobbies etc… )




Entering Callsigns and information




If you already have some callsigns and info you can enter them into the columns start with the 3rd line, to leave a spare row beneath the title row...   You can enter info  in random order of callsign, as "SORT" instructions are included below.

…. Add in as much info in the other columns at the same time…

When finished your initial entries
move the cursor to the bottom right corner  ( Say G20  or bottom right hand corner of the last line of entries)

 and left click and hold the mouse, draw it across the spreadsheet up to A2,

                              … the whole spreadsheet should now “selected”…

Click on “Data” on the top tool bar…. And then “Sort” in the drop down menu…..

Another window opens and you can now sortColumn A"  In  Ascending Order.

You will not need to do this again…. !  Unless you enter a call in the wrong place and need to re-sort them again…







To insert NEW callsigns…. Locate the next alphabetical call sign BELOW the one you want… I.e.  If the call sign is G4FON and you have G4HYD. You will need to click the cursor on G4HYD….

 Then go to the top toolbar and click on “Insert”… then “ROW” in the drop down menu…

.an Empty row will appear above G4HYD…. Now you can enter the new callsign G4FON in the correct alphabetical position…

Move the cursor to a clear area at the bottom of the spreadsheet, and click on any cell….. Then click on “FILE > SAVE “…..

Job Done...


If you put a line of info in the wrong place….you just “select” the whole line ( row )    ( use “Insert” as above, ) and then drag it to the correct place….

To delete a row of information

     use the “Insert” to DELETE a line…. But be careful to select “ROW” in the little box !

When finished.... 


Click ......    File > "Save"  as above..



You enter new callsigns ,& other info , during your qso`s if you keep the QRZ page "live" BUT minimised  on your desktop...  see pic below,







 
You can put the "Log Book" page below the main screen in the gap between the "on channel" and the QRZ list 

 

when you try to close the sheet, by clicking X in top right corner. you will be asked if you want to SAVE the new sheet or DISCARD any changes you have made.... 

              ALWAYS choose SAVE   ! ! !..



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