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Reviews For: DXBase 2000 and later versions

Category: Ham Logging Software

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Review Summary For : DXBase 2000 and later versions
Reviews: 48MSRP: 99
Description:
Professional Logging Software for MS Windows 95/98/2000/NT
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.dxbase.com
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00484.2
WR1H Rating: 2006-03-07
Look elsewhere Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I am very disapointed in the whole GUI of the prgram.

More important, I am disappointed with their lack of support, with future releases. It is a pay, and pay and pay as you for upgrades.

Take a note people. GREED = NO FUTURE BUSSINESS.

Better programs out there and with better and FREE support.

SMHAM Rating: 2005-05-31
The best there is - but not perfect Time Owned: more than 12 months.
A macro perspective review from a non-US point of view. I will skip the technical details:

Far too many logging programs are way too US oriented. Nothing wrong with that since an overwhelming majority of them are made in the USA.
However, if you live somewhere else on the globe you will often find things that you have no use for in the US made logging programs, not so with DXBase.

DXBase is the best logging software available for the Windows platform. I have tried several pieces of software and nothing comes close to DXbase. That said, DXbase is far from perfect.

In my opinion the main advantage with DXbase is that it allows me to select exactly the QSOs I need to QSL for the awards I am hunting. I am not a member of any buro and I don“t want to send out QSL cards not asked for or not needed for any award. DXbase allows 100% control over my QSLing through its ability to interface with GOlist, callbook CDROMs and its award tracking features. A minimum waste of postage and GS!

One of the things that I am not so satisfied with is the lack of a possibility to input custom databases for award tracking. Club awards tracking with a database over callsigns that counts for the awards would be great, for example. That said, DXbase has the most comprehensive award tracking of all logging programs available.

The program is based on Microsoft Access 97 which is the cause of many of the annoyances mentioned by other reviewers. The programmers probably want
support for older Windows versions but an overwhelming majority now use Windows XP. Time for a platform change!

The program is the most complex logging software for the Windows platform so the bugs and quirks are probably a few more than in simpler software.
That is no excuse for them but an explanation. Heavier beta-testing would be welcome!

Being a programmer, I like the ability to make your own reports although the ready made reports are sufficient for almost everyone.

The QSL label printing works great and it is easy to make some necessary changes for European labels not available in the US.

I would give DXbase 4.5, the best there is but not for the unexperienced. The main drawback is the graphical interface. It is too much database and too little "simple input form". I would prefer a graphical interface that hides the database behind, not so with DXbase. It is too much "Access 97" over the interface which will confuse the inexperienced user.
WA6AXE Rating: 2005-05-08
The Ultimate Logging Software! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
The new DXbase2006 is awesome! If you want to own the VERY BEST in Logging S/W, get DXbase2006!
W8JI Rating: 2005-05-01
Older version not so hot Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I bought DX base a few years ago, and never did get to use it. I couldn't import files from DX4WIN, and the only support was a suggestion I enter the 30,000 contacts manually.

I'll stick with DX4WIN! It works fine for me.
EDDIE Rating: 2005-02-15
Probably the best, but ... Time Owned: more than 12 months.
First of all, DXBase is probably the best piece of logging software there is. I have tried many other programs, and none come really near. That being said, I have to add a few remarks.

First of all, the so called upgrades that seem to come annually are quite minute. The changes are few, and the bugs never seem to get addressed. In the last version (2005) they presented a long list of new "features". The only new feature I found however, was the ability to have colours in the "DX Info" window. The rest were bug fixes and adaptations to lotw and digital submodes. None of them were useful to me at all. I'd say the programmer perhaps spent one evening making the new version. That is not much work done for the price of the software.

Yes there are bugs, not big nasty ones, just small intensly irritating ones. That is my main concern regarding the DXBase package, all the tiny but VERY irritating quirks. Like for instance when exporting ADIF, every single time you do it, a dialog windows flashes into your face and asks if DXBase should mark all QSO's as submitted to LOTW. Default answer is YES, and if you press the wrong button or just wave it away, suddenly all your database entries are marked as QSL sent via lotw.
Needless to say, all my entries are marked as sent via lotw although none actually has been sent.

Another thing is the reports. They say there are reports for every need. This is not true. You can make your own reports, if you are a programmer. However most of us are not programmers so we have to stick with what they give us. For example there is no real report telling you what countries (DXCC entities) you have actually worked. The ones there, present you with a list of all entities, with the ones worked marked as worked. Needless to say this is impossible to read. Also reports for country counting list your entire log sorted by prefix, leaving it to you to do the counting. That being said, there are many MANY other reports.

Another issue is the keymapping. Windows default keys do not work as expected. Prepare to do a fair share of mouse work. Deleting a database entry requires you to click to the left of row in the log, and press F7 ! If you're i a pileup you will loose qso's because of the strange key mappings. Also, it is not possble to add a shortcut key to "add new entry in database", so you have to do a fair bit of clicking and keypressing just to be able to log an entry (if focus is in another part of the app).

Yet another issue is the processor gobbling. This app is processor hungry ! Sometimes after doing some list work, it starts eating CPU cycles, and slows down the whole computer. Especially if the telnet cluster is disconnected remotely. Speaking of telnet clusters. If you are on a fast broadband connection the telnet cluster feature might actually not work. It is impossible to connect to a telnet cluster on my own subnet with a fast computer. It does work when I am on another subnet (same cluster).

Also the database grows into insane proportions without you actually adding much. This is due to the nature of the Access database. For some strange reason the author has not added a feature to compress/rebuild the database, but refers you to som obscure app available somewhere on the net.
This really means that most of us are stuck with an ever growing database. Mine actually grew to almost 200 Megabytes ! After rebulding it, it shrank to 12 Magabytes !

I have used this app for a couple of years now, and know all it's bugs and quirks. As I said earlier, and as another fellow pointed out it is in dire need of quite a few bugfixes and upgrades. The author cannot continue surfing along on work done years ago. The application is much to expensive for that.

But to repeat myself, this is probably the best DX logging program there is,and QSL management/creating/printing is outstanding !
But prepare yourself to be very frustrated about the quirks.
Is it worth the upgrade from 2003/2004 to 2005 ? No, absolutely not. I hope the 2006 version will be more than just a minor maintenance release.
EA8AY Rating: 2004-12-24
The Best. Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Very good soft. Now with the iono and band master. Super 5/5.
KY6R Rating: 2004-11-24
DXBase 2005 Super Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I just (finally) switched from a Yaesu FT-1000MP MK V station to a Ten Tec Orion, and it made sense to switch logs for a number of reasons (easy Orion control and reporting mainly).

I used to be a DXBase user, but switched to Commcat for a while, but now am back to DXBase. Why? For a while, Commcat had a better cluster "rules based" filter. At my stage in DXCC chasing I needed to filter out much more than what I needed to see. But I really missed DXBase's superb reporting feature.

Anyway, DXBase 2005's color coded spotting and rules are superb, and I can't imagine another logging program that has better reporting (Crystal reports with many superb user created reports available via their reflector).

The upgrade from 2002 to 2005 was a piece of cake.
NI0C Rating: 2004-07-04
Just keeps getting better Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I recently upgraded to DXB2005 and as always the import from the earlier version went as smooth as silk. This latest version supports the K1EL WinKey, a superb keyer (see my review of it under keyers) that supports keyboard CW as well as stored message and paddle inputs. This alone was worth the upgrade for me. Also new are some new reports indispensable for chasing the ARRL DXCC Challenge award.

Like W2IRT, I find the arrangement of field order tedious, but you only have to do it once. I appreciate this feature which allows you to customize your log display (for instance, I don't give a hoot about IOTA's, counties, or 10-10 numbers, so I either don't display those columns or give them a low priority).

You couldn't ask for better customer service and support than that provided by Jack and Courtney, as well as the nice folks on the DXBASE reflector who are always there to help.
N4TL Rating: 2004-05-04
Great program Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have been using DXBase for 4 years now. Its a great program for logging, tracking DXCC and other awards. In 2005 there have been many reports added, one that I requested. I use to use a DOS based program and was able to import all the information from that program to DXBase.

I just started tracking VUCC on 6 meters with it, I had to enter 130 older contacts from QSL cards. It was not hard to get DXBase in sync with the cards I have submitted to the ARRL and the ones I have not.

Great program.

Tom N4TL
OH2GBA Rating: 2004-03-09
High Power Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Yes indeed high-power is what I think about the program now. I obtained the programm just yesterday and wanna share my impression of the program with you now. I'll make one more review after a much longer time of use.
When I first installed the program it seemed a bit complex and I was thinking "Ah just one more logging-program!". I have tried many logging programmes, but never found THE one, until now!
OK it will take you some getting-used-to-time, actually I spend quite many hours with the program now. But am at the point of having designed my own QSO-card now, and printed out a whole lot. If you want to design your own QSO card from bottom to top, it is good to have some experience with computers. But if you don't wanna bother about formula's and things just choose one of the pre-programmed QSO-cards (one hint to the designers of Dxbase "this could be more!")
The help file is a real helping-file, if you just take ur time to read it!

Bottom line: Yes it is a very powerfull program and Yes you'll need time to get used to it!