Getting Started

Getting Started

This walks you from a fresh install to your first logged QSO.

1. Set your station

Settings → Station: enter your callsign, grid locator and name. These feed callsign lookups, the map, awards, the QSL card and the "my station" ADIF fields on every QSO.

2. (Optional) Connect a radio

Settings → CAT, pick a backend and fill its fields — see CAT Control. Once connected, the frequency, band and mode fill in automatically as you tune, and clicking a cluster spot tunes the rig.

You can log perfectly well without a radio — just type the band, mode and frequency.

3. The entry strip

The strip across the top is the heart of OpsLog (Log4OM-style):

• Callsign — type it and the contacted entity's flag appears next to the RST fields; the country, CQ/ITU zones and continent resolve offline from cty.dat. If QRZ/HamQTH lookup is configured, name / QTH / grid auto-fill and a photo shows in the F2 tab.
• RST sent / rcvd, Name, QTH, Grid.
• Band / Mode / Frequency (TX and, for split, RX).
• Start / End time, Comment / Note.

Press Enter in any text field to log the QSO. The contact drops into Recent QSOs below.

Mode comes from the radio; the digital sub-mode (FT4 vs FT8) is inferred from the frequency.

4. Look around

• Recent QSOs — your log; double-click a row to edit every field. See Recent QSOs and Filters.
• Worked-before matrix — as you type a call, see if/when you worked that entity, per band/mode slot.
• Main view — two configurable panes (Settings → General → Main view): a great-circle map, the cluster, the FlexRadio or Icom console, Net control, and more. See Maps and Antennas.

5. Profiles

Every setting is per-profile. A profile can log to the local SQLite file or a shared MySQL database (multi-operator). Create one per call / station / event. See Profiles and Databases.

Next steps

• Chase spots → DX Cluster and Spots
• Track awards → Awards
• Send confirmations → QSL Management
• Design a card → QSL Card Designer