| FOTOGRAF |
Rating:  |
2006-08-22 | |
| Excellent genius software |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
One of the best Macintosh programs I have ever purchased since I first got Photoshop on one floppy for the Mac. I live by photography and video, so Mac is where it’s at for this fellow.
Not only is Don one heck of a nice person, who has built one incredible app. for the Macintosh hams out there, but also I again feel bad for those who don’t use a Mac because they are not able to enjoy this wonderful piece of software genius.
I’ve been a Mac Addict since 1989, and just recently got back into the ham hobby once again after being off the air for a few decades. I didn’t really like the idea of running a Windows box for a logging program, so I was very excited when I found Don’s MacLoggerDX.
I happened to mention to him that I love Collins gear, and that I happen to have been able to purchase a limited edition dual VFO unit called the AOR DDS-2A, which allows me to control my KWM-2 with memories, etc., and that it had provisions for computer control because it was an overseas model of the DDS-2A. Well, Don was not only kind enough to offer to try and write a driver for my unit, but he did it in record time of less than 24 hrs. after I sent him the programming pages from the manual. Although I offered to pay him extra for his hard work for a limited computer interface, but he said “ No Charge!”
What kind of wonderful software company would go out of their way to provide a customer a semi-custom driver and then make it work just like a dream? Good luck finding a company like that in this day and age.
I can’t say enough great things about this software, the person, and the company. I would just be repeating what others have already said before, but you can be rest assured that I am one Happy Camper here. To think, I now have a Collins rig that is computer controlled, and works like a charm! I’m sorry, I’m not a purest, as I like to combine old with new when it makes sense, and this along with my Kenwood TS-940S is just a wonderful combo with MacLoggerDX !!
This program alone is enough to convince someone to “make the switch” to a Mac.
Thank you Don for making such a wonderful program for us Macintosh hams! We all really appreciate your wonderful hard work and love for this hobby.
73, Jim |
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| VP8BKF |
Rating: |
2006-03-25 | |
| Top class software |
Time Owned: 6 to 12 months. |
I have had Maclogger almost as long as I have had a Mac. I bought it within a day of downloading the trial.
After moving to a Mac from windows I did a bit of searching for a good logging programme and found a few that did some of what I wanted but nothing that did everything I wanted. As a ham who lives in a rare location I need something that can handle the pileups, let me process the data, and handle QSLing. I also dabble in the big contests. My rig is a K2 and Maclogger happily talks to that.
I use a QRZ CDROM and Maclogger happily looks up my QSOs as I enter the callsign and displays information on the other operator and station. The only time I turn this off is when I am working a pileup at high speed. In this case the CD access is too slow to keep up, not Macloggers fault. However I loose none of the info because I can select the log entries for that session later and Maclogger will look up the selected entries and insert the missing information.
I've recently got an always on internet connection and started playing with the DX clusters. This part of Maclogger is as highly configurable as the rest and works really well.
There are a bunch of features I haven't really got into yet such as; the user call book, scheduling, memories, bands, tnc etc. I have a simple station K2, and OCF dipole for 80, 40, 20 and 10m which also works on the WARC bands, and a vertical for 15m so no need for rotators of beam headings, but Maclogger will supply all this info and control your rotator if you have one.
Awsome support -
I had have had two reasons to call on Don (the author) for help. The first was when I found a bug in the split and vfo radio controls - Don had that fixed in a day. The second was when I decided to start using Maclogger to print my QSL labels. I found that I could not buy 10 row label sheets anywhere on the Islands. I emailed Don and asked if he could add a 3 colum 8 row label format and specified a particular brand and type of labels that I could buy. Don had a new version supporting my label format up on the site before I knew it. I tested and reported back to Don and over he next day we fine-tuned the format until it was working perfectly (about 6 versions I think it was).
All in all excellent software, and support better than any I have ever seen! |
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| AK5X |
Rating: |
2006-03-03 | |
| Superior support |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
There are three things that we must ask ourselves when thinking about any software purchase:
1.) Is this a living product? (the only finished software is obsolete software)
2.) Will the support I need be there when I need it?
3.) Will the product provide the functionality I need?
From my experience with the MacLoggerDX program and Dog Park Software, the answer is a resounding YES.
My support story:
I have used the MacLoggerDX program for some time and had interfaced it with my ICOM 756 PRO II, a wonderful combination. As my computer is an IMAC G5 without a standard serial port, I acquired a USB to serial interface converter to use between the ICOM C-IV level converter and the computer (the C-IV connects to the rig). This worked for a while just great. One day the program and the rig just stopped communicating. I believe the problem was the USB to serial converter.
In the mean time microHam introduced a very elegant solution that would eliminate the ICOM C-IV and add isolation between the computer and rig. The preassembled interface cable alone is worth the $100 price tag on the microHam interface II. I ordered it, fired it up and oops, it keys the rig continuously. I tried every configuration I could think of and the problem persisted. I emailed microHam with no response. I emailed Dog Park Software with my problem and within an hour Don replied and asked for a bedbug dump and screen scrape of the configuration. I provide both and in no time he noticed I have a check mark in the mh block on the preferences screen in error. I try to remove it but it just wants to be there. I replied with this result. Less than a half hour elapsed and he replies: “It is a Bug.” He then provided a work around for the problem. Before I had time to apply the work around he emailed me with information that he had a fix on the website to download.
Now back to the three criteria for purchasing software above.
1.) Is this a living product?
Yes, new rig interfaces and features are constantly being added, example microHam.
2.) Will the support I need be there when I need it?
You bet it will, read above. They gave me more support in a more timely manor than I expected.
3.) Will the product provide the functionality I need?
Honestly, I use about half the functionally of the product. Having said that, with low sunspots, I find that just learning what the product will do is almost as fun as working a new one.
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|
| N3HQB |
Rating: |
2006-01-03 | |
| Now Supports Icom 765 |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
My HF rig is integrated with my Mac, at last.
Thanks, Don.
The attention to detail of this elegant software is exceeded only by the thoughtful planning and layout which went into it. Mac software wizard at work here. Given the limited data interface of the 765, MacLoggerDX uses it all. I'm looking forward to trying the MicroHam products now supported by MacLoggerDX, and appreciate the other posts on this eHam review thread.
I am simply blown away by the AutoTune feature in the DX Cluster screen (the Icom lights up and clicks like a pinball machine), the QSL card designer and the 3D world view. |
|
| KG6THM |
Rating: |
2005-12-22 | |
| Without a doubt, the best on any platform... |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
I'm a relatively new ham, but I'm not new to the software world. I've been developing computer software and hardware for almost 25 years. MacLoggerDX has exceeded all my expectations.
I can't say I've put the software through it's paces. I'm taking my general in January, so all my HF play is on the receiving end at the moment. I've used it on 2m/70cm/6m, and I've used it to track and listen to a variety of things on HF. No contesting, no pileups, no packet...but here's why you should take my "5" rating for more than an uninformed, overenthusiastic mistake:
The support is awesome.
Let me repeat that. The support is AWESOME.
Don has given me informed, concise, and accurate answers to every question I've asked him. I can't stress this enough. If he can answer all of my stupid questions about integrating my 897D to my computer, he can answer yours. That's priceless. It makes the reasonable amount of money I paid for the software seem too little.
I've never dealt with an individual developer who was willing, able, and happy to provide this level of support. Don clearly loves his products, and loves ham radio.
The software itself seems amazing. I've played with several comparable Windows offerings, and went with MLDX. It runs on my underpowered laptops just as well as it does on my desktop. Don spends the time to optimize.
This is the best software product I've bought in years, for any purpose. |
|
| W3PH |
Rating: |
2005-12-01 | |
| Amazingly cool! |
Time Owned: 3 to 6 months. |
This is one amazing piece of software. Be warned: if you see MacLoggerDX in action, and you don't already have a Mac, you'll run out and get one just to run this software. I'm serious.
I've used MacLoggerDX on a TS-940, K2, and 756ProIII, and it works equally well with all of them. It doesn't try to control every function of the rigs, just the important stuff. I particularly like little touches like the split button - if you come across a DX station working split, you can choose +1, +2, +5, etc. from the pulldown and get your transmit frequency in the ballpark instantly.
The Contest helper function is very nice for avoiding dupes - this works in real time and is very handy.
One of the best features: the map. Enter the other station's call, hit CMD-L, and MacLoggerDX looks up the info from QRZ.com (either free or paid mode) and shows you on the map where he is. I've really sharpened up my grasp of geography since using this program. There's a box to click that instantly puts a yellow + at the location of everybody you've worked - that's fun, and also gives you an idea of what directions your antennas seem to be favoring. There's an optional 3D feature that's well worth getting - this renders the earth as a globe instead of a map, and you can spin it with the mouse. This really helps visualize the path your signal is taking. It's also great fun to see dots all over the globe showing the stations you've worked. This feature ranks very high in the "Wow!" department.
As others have indicated, Don Agro provides amazing support. Last weekend I decided to set up MacLoggerDX with a ProIII and MicroHam keyer - it worked, but I wrote to Don suggesting that he add the ability to toggle autospace and typeahead in the MicroKeyer - I was astounded to get a reply maybe two hours later indicating that he'd added the features and the new version was ready for download on his web site ... and the mods worked perfectly!
This is an absolutely great piece of software, with fantastic support. |
|
| KF4GTA |
Rating: |
2005-11-28 | |
| Mac Users: Look no further |
Time Owned: 6 to 12 months. |
| If you are an Apple user, MLDX is the absolute best. It truly is a top notch program with top notch support. Don has always been very gracious in hearing my needs and responding with a solution usually within the hour. This program really is a "Swiss Army Knife". I find a new features everytime I use it. If you want a program that grows in parallel with the hobby, you've found it. |
|
| w7zt |
Rating: |
2005-11-23 | |
| A transition from 1965 to 2005 |
Time Owned: 3 to 6 months. |
| I entered Amateur Radio in 1958 and purchased a Drake TR-4 in 1965. After all of these years of using a paper logging pad, I upgraded in 2005 to a Icom 756PRO3 and a Mac G5 20" computer. I was looking for a logging program and found Don's MacLoggerDx. This program has let me re-gain the thrill of Amateur Radio. When I had to find a interface between the Mac and the Icom, Don came to the rescue again by providing info on Ampkeyer. He then assisted me in a few little bugs that were my own to get me fully interfaced. I would certainly reccommend MacLoggerDx to any new or old timer who needs to upgrade to modern Amateur Radio. Thanks Don for yor support. I am having great fun and doing it easy. |
|
| HZ1YB |
Rating: |
2005-10-27 | |
| Ultimate Logging Program |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
I bought over a dozen of licenses for different logging programs that I use with my Windows based PC. Each program has its own cons and pros. They extend from simplicity to complexity, plain to many cosmetics and add-on features. In other words, no one program had 'everything' self contained in one package under the same window. None of those satisfied my needs until I bumped into MacLoggerDX. But MacLoggerDX is a Mac based program. I read more reviews about it, read about its features on Don Agro site �Dog Park Software�. I decided to purchase an iMac G5 for that purpose and installed MacLoggerDX. To me it was a big WOW when I opened the program. One of the most important features that I liked most (again from my own prospective) is the Panels feature. You can access the Log and edit entries easily, check previous contacts in details, a User Call Book that you can log special activities, outstanding 2D and 3D option color map with many options, Schedules, Memories, Bands, DXCluster, TNC operation, QSL and eQSL card pre designed with options of your choice, Address and QSL labels printing, Awards panel, etc., etc. You can browse any panel just with a click of a mouse and you are there. In other words you have everything you need under one ceiling, especially if you are too demanding like me!
What tops MacLoggerDX is Don Agro (VE3VRW) instant and continuous support. If you bump into any query just drop Don a line and you see him like sitting next to you providing help and assistance. I think MacLoggerDX is a total hit in logging programs. In fact it made me totally migrate from Windows PC to Mac! I highly recommend MacLoggerDX for the demanding user.
73 Yarub - HZ1YB |
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| W7PQ |
Rating: |
2005-10-25 | |
| The Best! |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
I have been using MacLogger DX since May of 2004. I have never had such a positive experience with Mac software, its developer and support.
This product is enough to convince PC users to switch to Mac--its that good.
Back in May 2004 I had trouble with my Piexx card that interfaced with my rig. Don worked through the problem with me, even when it wasn't a software, but Piexx card problem. He went the extra mile and then some.
There have been frequent updates, all seemless with improved functionality. For nearly a year and a half, these updates have been free.
I am absolutely thrilled with it and the support. You can't go wrong.
73's
Blake |
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