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Reviews For: N1MMlogger

Category: Ham Logging Software

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Review Summary For : N1MMlogger
Reviews: 85MSRP: 0.00
Description:
A free log contest for CW, SSB and RTTY
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.N1MM.com
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
15854.7
AE6JW Rating: 2002-12-18
Useful to beginners Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I'm a new ham with less than a year's experience total and less than 5 months on HF. I don't particularly enjoy playing with computer programs, but didn't want to keep paper logs.

In setting up my first HF station, a used ICOM 718, a dipole and a used DX-77 vertical, I looked for inexpensive general logging and contesting programs with the assumption that they would be adequate and when I could afford something better, I would upgrade. I found N1MM logger and installed it. I tried to hook up my radio using inexpensive devices without success. A quick call to the user group resulted in many useful suggestions and as a result I bought an ICOM CT-17 and was up and running immediately. The program has been easy to use and I have had no problems that were not quickly resolved. I've used it casually for 3 contests and seriously for 2. I can't imagine doing contests on paper.

I did a review of available programs and thought that Write Log would be my ultimate choice. I have used Write Log for Field Day and expected to upgrade to it. I like N1MM better and do not see a need to "up grade" and no longer believe switching will actually be an upgrade.

I do recommend this program to beginners. With the help of this program and contests I have managed WAC, WAS, and 80 DX. Save $$ and start with an excellent program.
K2WO Rating: 2002-12-16
Excellent Software! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I used this program for the ARRL 10M contest and it worked flawlessly. It was easy to learn for all the basics and I never had one problem. It has all the features I need. It is hard to believe that it is free.

If you need a contest logger, this is the one. Great features, easy to use and FREE. Amazing!
ZS1DX Rating: 2002-12-16
Well Done! Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I've used N1MM Logger in the CQWW SSB and ARRL 10M contests. The software installs esily. Setting up / configuring is effortless. I use the built-in voice keyer, and CW keyer. Telnet works FB also. Rig control is seamless. It has not crashed once on my 300MHz P3 notebook computer. IMHO, I see no reason to use any other contest software. Try it!
W1EBI Rating: 2002-11-04
Excellent piece of software engineering Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I chose N1MM Logger after hearing Tom Wagner's presentation at Boxboro 2002. Having only returned to ham radio in late June after 38 years off the air, I didn't even have a PC when I started thinking about logging and contesting software. It took a while to read through the very detailed User Manual, but downloading and launching the application is pretty straightforward. I tested it out as a "front end" to my regular logging app (DXbase 2003) for a couple of weeks before the recent CQWW SSB DX contest, and just had to chuckle out loud when I actually got Logger to work my radio and display both VFO's bandmaps filled with spots. During 30 hours in the contest, the software worked flawlessly and I am sure it was worth at least half my score in my first-ever attempt at competitive radio.

The User Group is unbelieveable, support is fast, and from my own 35 years in the high tech data networking field, I don't know of a similar product that has anywhere near the User Benefit-to-Price ratio as N1MM Logger. Hey, it's INFINITE! A great, great product for contest logging.
W2IRT Rating: 2002-10-31
Amazing logger with excellent support Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
Let me preface this remark by saying that I'm usually a pretty brutal reviewer, and I'll frequently nitpick the heck out of buggy, bad software from time to time. Not the case with N1MM Logger.

This is a fully-featured contest logger that integrates rig control, packet and Internet cluster spots, callbook interface and offers dual dynamically-changing band-maps. Just click the packet spot for the station you want to work (the calls in red are the multipliers), hit the spacebar a couple of times and presto. NOTHING could be easier.

My setup has a Kenwood TS-570D on Com1 and a RIGblaster Plus on Com2, but the program is capable of handling up to 8 serial ports and 3 LPT ports as well. There is also full support for networked use for those big Multi-Multi stations, but I've never tried to use that functionality so I can't comment on it.

Since I'm not a CW operator I can't vouch for the CW keyer built in, however the comments I've read in the Yahoo group are very positive. It can also play back pre-recorded WAV files for SSB contesting, and I used it to that end in CQWW-SSB this past weekend with NO problems. For once, I didn't come away from a contest hoarse! You can even load two sets of WAVS--one for Search and Pounce and another for running. Takes a while to configure, but once done you'll likely never have to change the settings.

There are multiple windows that can be positioned to the operator's preference that show your scoring at a glance, your Q rates and goals, and a wonderful feature that looks through the packet spots and lets you know which band(s) is/are most active and will offer you the greatest number of new multipliers. If you type in a dupe, it shows up in huge red letters so you don't accidentally log it, and it even autocompletes calls as you're typing (that is, if you enter a call manually instead of clicking a call from the bandmap).

Support is nothing short of magnificient, and new versions appear on the Yahoo group's files section almost daily. This software is constantly evolving and minor bug fixes are accomplished in hours, not weeks. All major contests are supported, and although not recommended for this purpose, you can use N1MM for general-purpose logging as well. Personally, I would rather use a fully-featured general logging program instead for non-contest use, as there is no award tracking or QSL tracking in N1MM (it's a contest logger fer heaven's sake ).

Oh yeah, it's FREE as well.

I don't know Tom (N1MM) personally or professionally, but I wish to thank him here, publically, for this tremendous application and for his ongoing work to make this one Killer Ap.

Now if only a General-purpose logger could come down the pike that rated this high in my book....
WW3S Rating: 2002-02-26
remember this is still in beta testing Time Owned: more than 12 months.
To be fair , this software is still under development and over 1600 members exist on the "bulletin board" This software is not for everyone, it supports MOST of the MAJOR contests and as someone that has been subscribed from the beginning, most of the negative comments are from first time users trying to get it to work on a contest not supported yet. Does it have a few bugs? Yes, name me some software that doesn't. Are the problems quickly solved? Yes, many times in less than an hour and in the middle of the contest. Please see my previous review....soon this will be the standard other software is compared to. This is an open source code project; its free!!

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Earlier 5-star review posted by WW3S on 2001-10-31

Simply the best Windows based contest logger out there. Gives one the ability to access all the com ports etc on your win95 machine. telnet, networking, the coolest bandmaps, almost every function user configurable. ENTER SENDS MESSAGE mode is the greatest! When you are running just type the callsign in the enter field and hit enter, the exchange is sent; log the exchange hit enter again and TU is sent, then enter again CQ is sent. A great user group and the best thing..IT'S FREE!!! Now if only if a dvk via the lpt was supported ( it does support via the soundcard) and if someone would write a dxcc/award module this would be the only logging program you would need.
W2EJG Rating: 2002-02-22
Doesn't cut it... Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
Downloaded it, could never get it running, looked at bulleting board, saw lots of people in same boat.
I'll stick with Log-EQF. It works.
For contesting FJP. They work.
ON5ZO Rating: 2002-02-22
Keep an eye on this! Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I've been playing with this program for about 4 months now, but after the first day I was about to give up, because some of the most basic features did not work properly (turned out to be my fault, should have read the manual). But somehow I was "tickled" by it and kept on going. Now it is my favourite logging-soft.

I did some casual logging with it, as well as the ARRL 10m and ARRL DX CW with N1MMLogger and it performed flawlessly, it did what I expected it to do and had no troubles whatsoever!

One thing is sure: you cannot get the program to work in 15 minutes. If you download it for the first time and do a quick install one hour before a contest: forget it! Go back to bed! You have to play with it and experiment with the settings, and have the manual open at all times. This is my modest opinion, and I think this is what ON6AB (see review a bit lower) should have done. Should he have tested it thoroughly BEFORE the test, he would have been able to fix it by use of the reflector (or an update), or he would have realized he should use another program! BTW: the "cluster bug" was fixed early IN the contest by a new version.

All-in-all a great program, and don't forget: Tom and his team really do take into account your remarks and wishes (to a certain extent of course). Try that with another program! So if you're into contesting, you should at least try this program a few days before you make your final judgement.

Bottom line: this software works great, keeps on evolving every day and is completely free! So what are you waiting for?

CU in the contest, 73 de Franki ON5ZO
PA9KT Rating: 2002-02-17
THE contest software of 2002 Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
Tom n1mm has made a very nice contest logging program. I have used it in the Dutch PACC contest and in the ARRL DX CW contest. It works great!
The support from Tom is wonderfull. Tom works very hard to make the program the best there is in contesting. It supports now for 100% THE contest radio the ft1000mp.
The prgram is easy to use. The manual written by Thomas pa3cef is nice to read and helps you with all your problems. The program is for free.
In 2 words: TRY IT

73 Timon pa9kt
KC4PX Rating: 2001-10-31
Great for CQWW SSB Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Two hours before the CQWW SSB contest I downloaded this program. No Problem at all... and used it for the entire contest. I must say this was a big help to my logging problem. I have been off the air for 12 years and was thinking about the other contest programs listing on eHAM. I could not find one that had a demo version.... since I did not want to pay for something I did not review first.

However after using this program, wow, no need to look further. N1MM and the team is really bringing this program and the experience one gets to a new level of excellence. I still have not used all the features available... but without reading the manual, having to start using and learning how the program works while participating in the contest, indicates how useful this program is.... nice and easy.

I can't wait to use it during the ARRL SS and investigate all the other program features.