MINOS - THE WINDOWS VHF CONTEST LOGGING SYSTEM
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Last updated 21st March 2008

Minos is now open source and the source is now held under a BSD style license on Berlios at http://minos.berlios.de; I will sometime be putting up there a complete set of the programs I currently have written that give the networking side that no one has yet seen.

This means I REALLY need some help. I don't have a lot of spare time, and a lot of the things below just won't happen without help.

Not just programming though - among the things needed are:

- someone to look after the website at Berlios. Not an onerous task for someone who likes making web sites look pretty (as you may have noticed that counts me out :) ), but it will give the public face of Minos. I'll want to be able to add news occasionally (e.g. new versions), but other than that you can do more or less what you want. Berlios gives us various tools - a Wiki, a bug tracker, and mailing lists for instance - and these need configuring, setting up, and managing as well.

- graphics - in particular icon design. I like the panda icon, but that is its only relevance! We could do with a collection of icons for the various programs in the suite.

- a user manual, or at least SOME user documentation. Berlios gives us a Wiki, so that could be the way to start this.

- a help file would be useful as well. It may be possible to make the wiki into the helpfile (issue a snapshot with the program, with the program providing links into it)

- testing. I know you all do some of this in practice, but people who will actively look for bugs are needed.

- and of course if anyone wants to help with the programming side, they will be most welcome.

Latest release of the Beta for the Windows version of my logging program

USE AT YOUR OWN RISK - this IS a beta release!

Download Minos_1_1_10_Beta.zip (5Mb) - full package

(1.1.9 was withdrawn - the calendar had some bugs.))

You may have noticed the changes and improvements that Pete G4CLA has been making to the calendar and rules display on http://www.vhfcc.org. These are all based on a single file on the site that contains the complete rules and calendar descriptions

The big change in Minos 1.1.10 is that it can now use that file as well to make contest setup easier. The current file is part of the Minos distribution, and the contest "bundle" option now brings up a list of contests based on that file from which you can choose the contest you want (there is also an option there to download the latest version of the file. Overriding the contest settings from the bundled options will then set up the details of the contest for you.

1.1.9 also has some cosmetic improvements and bugfixes - in particular to do with bands in ADIF export, and postcode multipliers (which didn't work in 1.1.8)

1.1.8 is a minor update over 1.1.5 Some restructuring of the support files has meant that the package size has grown rather a lot, but unfortunately this doesn't mean there is a matching increase in functionality. But a lot of work has gone on in the background on features that are still not ready for release.

File formats have remained unchanged. .csl files (as in the old DOS GJV Contest program) can now be used again. The way that operators are handled has changed - again - and may well change again in the future.

If you try this version you MUST use all the files that come in this version - they are not the same and are not compatible with similarly named files from previous releases.

There are many changes - I hope improvements - try it and see.

The previous version is staying available until we are all happy with the latest version!

Download Minos_1_1_5_Beta.zip (2Mb) - full package

1.1.5 is a minor update over 1.1.4 - which read .GJV files wrongly

1.1.4 - There are many improvements and changes. The .minos file format hasn't changed, though so all previous logs are still be compatible.

PROPERLY FORMATTED RSGB .log and ADIF .adi logs can be imported (only the QSOs) and converted to .minos, so that a Reg1Test .edi entry can be generated.

Editting of past contacts has changed substantially - double click on the contact to see information on past edits and a new dialog to edit the contact.

Operators are now included in the logged details.

Multiplier filtering now implemented.

Please DO NOT send .minos or .gjv files as a contest entry; the VHFCC should refuse them. Use File|Produce Entry/Export File, and use Reg1Test(entry) - the default - to generate the file for entry. Leave the file name extension as .EDI.

Reg1Test is also the ONLY format now acceptable as a log for entry to IARU contests.

If you find bugs, or have any suggestions for improvements in the logging system, then PLEASE use the mailing list.
I intend the mailing list to be the centre of discussion for this version.

Currently Minos has NO networking capability (or rather it does, but its all hidden for the moment). Thats the next thing to be worked on, while the main logger is becoming stable.

If there is anyone out there with C++ skills that wants to help, PLEASE get in touch - with some help things could be ready sooner.

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