Could RUMlogNG Be My New Contest Logging Software for Mac?

[SE6S]

Hi everyone!

Background
I've recently migrated from Windows to Mac to run SmartSDR for Mac. As part of this transition, I can no longer use my previous contest logging software and have been exploring alternatives. The two options that seem most promising are RUMlogNG (naturally) and SkookumLogger.

SkookumLogger works well overall, but it has a major limitation, it requires communication with the keyer via a serial interface. SmartSDR has a built-in keyer that can be controlled using CAT commands, following the instructions outlined here. This setup works flawlessly.

My Use Case
I primarily participate in a monthly CW contest called the SSA Monthly Contest, which requires logging three exchange fields:

• RST
• Serial number
• Locator

The issue with RUMlogNG is that it merges the serial number and locator into a single field called "Number sent." This makes it difficult for me to operate efficiently because I'm used to software that only expects me to enter the serial number. The locator is typically pre-filled, either from previous logs or from a lookup file that matches callsigns to locators. I only need to edit the locator if it's incorrect.

The Problem
From my testing, it seems that RUMlogNG does not support more than one input field beyond RST, nor does it offer a function to pre-fill locators based on previously logged callsigns. I suspect other contests also use RST, serial number, and locator as exchange fields, making this a relevant issue for more operators.

Has anyone found a workaround for this in RUMlogNG, or is there another Mac-based contest logger that better supports this kind of exchange structure?

Best 73

[DL2RUM]

RUMlog can use a 33 MByte sized database, full of information about States, Provinces, member numbers, grids, etc. This can be used to prefill the rcvd number field. When an info is already in the same logfile, it will be used as well.
When there is a particular minor contest without these functions, it should be easy to implement this function.

[SE6S]

Hi Tom,

Thank you for your response! I appreciate you taking the time to explain. This is exiting indeed!

I’d like to clarify a few points to ensure I fully understand how this applies to my contest logging needs:

1. Separate Input Fields:
Does RUMlogNG currently support having separate fields for the serial number and the locator (for example, in contests like the SSA Monthly Contest), or does it always merge them into a single "Number sent" field?

2. Database Prefill Functionality:
Could you provide a bit more detail on how the database prefill works? Specifically, is the process completely automatic based on previous logs and database records, or is there any manual intervention needed?

3. Customizing for Specific Contests:
Lastly, you mentioned that for contests without these functions, it should be easy to implement them. Would this be a feature planned for future updates, or is it something that I can do by myself?

Thanks again for your support and for considering these follow-up questions. Your insights are very helpful as I explore whether RUMlogNG is the right fit for my contest logging setup on Mac.

Best regards, SE6S

EDIT:

Current Entry Fields for SSA Monthly Contest in RUMlogNG


In this setup, I have manually entered the counterpart’s sent sequence number, followed by a space and the locator, into the "Number rcvd" field. During a real contest, I find it challenging to input all these details quickly enough.

Same Contest in a Different Contest Logger


Here, after entering the callsign, the locator is automatically retrieved from previous QSOs. When I press Enter (using ESM), the cursor moves directly to the single remaining input field, allowing me to quickly enter the counterpart’s sent sequence number.

[DL2RUM]

There is one field for the number only, for each contest! The control number may consist of 1, 2, 3 or even 4 parts. Even the length for each part may be very different. Different fields would require a lot of customisation.

Just seen, the SSA contest template doesn't support the pre fill of the number. It will be available in the next update. If you want to see how it works, use a similar contest. I.e. a DARC VHF contest. It uses the same mechanism. Don't forget to load the Contest Cheat Database.

[SE6S]

Dear Tom,

Thank you so much for your response! I truly appreciate your willingness to add locator pre-filling for the SSA Monthly Contest, that’s really helpful.

As per your advice, I tested the DARC VHF Contest, and I can confirm that the locator pre-filling works as expected:

However, when operating in RUN mode, I need to modify the "Number Received" field before pressing enter in order to save the correct response. I would need to adjust it like this:

To do this, I currently have to:

Use the left arrow key to move the cursor before the highlighted locator.
Manually enter the serial number (e.g., "5" in this case).
Add a space between the serial number and the locator.
Finally, press the ESM key to save the QSO.

This process is quite challenging in a fast-paced contest environment. By the time I complete these steps, my counterpart will likely have already resent their exchange, assuming I didn't copy it correctly the first time.

Minor Detail – Separator Formatting
Another small issue is that I’m encouraged to send a "/" separator between each exchange field, for example:
"599 / T1 / JO67LC"

I have partially managed to set this up in the contest preferences for CW:

Screenshot 2025-03-16 at 10.21.00.png (4.79 KiB) Viewed 1981 times

Screenshot 2025-03-16 at 10.21.00.png (4.79 KiB) Viewed 1981 times

However, it doesn’t work as expected because there is no separate placeholder for the locator.

Cabrillo export
I haven't yet tested the Cabrillo export due to that the menu item for doing that is disabled. This might be due to that I haven't set things up properly, I haven't had the time yet to investigate this.



However the Cabrillo QSO lines produced needs to look like this example:

QSO: 7014 CW 2025-02-16 1517 SE6S 599 001 JO67LC DL2RUM 599 005 JO40DF

That might be working already but I haven't tested it.

Thank you again for your hard work and for considering these suggestions. I truly appreciate your time and effort in developing RUMlogNG!

Best regards and 73

Mikel / SE6S

[DL2RUM]

This process is quite challenging in a fast-paced contest environment.

Of course, I don't want to spoil your fun.