Version 8.5a release notes

How to install this version

The program is available from my download page.

This is a single file which can be used for both new installations and upgrades.

Just download the ZIP file and unpack it. You will get a single EXE file. Run this file and answer a few questions; you're already done!

In the case of an upgrade, no existing user files will be overwritten.

What's new in this version?

This is a mainly a bug fix version which should fix the following problems:

• DXCC import fails if the ADIF file includes binary data
• CAT frequency setting in RTTY inadequate when using FSK keying (check Options - CAT - Digital modes for the new choices)
• Option "Same priority for LoTW and paper QSL's" not working properly
• Error “Your IOTA.DAT seems to be corrupted, can´t start RXCLUS” after updating the IOTA database over the Internet

Version 8.5 release notes

What was new in this version?

Here is a list of the most important changes in this version :

• Full compatibility with Windows Vista and Windows 7. On those systems, files requiring write access while the program is running are moved to a new data folder located in the user profile, eliminating the need to run the program with administrator rights or to install it at a particular place.
  Nothing will change on Windows XP (or earlier) systems. In the case of an upgrade from RXCLUS 8.4x running on Windows Vista or 7, the existing personal databases will be copied to the new data folder the first time the version 8.5 is started, so you won't loose any existing information.
  The "About" window will display the full path of the data folder:
  


• Your LOTW credits can be imported directly from the ARRL server to your personal DXCC database if an Internet connection is available. Several options give you full control of the import process:
  - full download of your credits or incremental download based on the date of your last request
  - keep the downloaded files on your disk after the import or not
  - import only credits for some of your calls. Those settings appear in a new tab in the options, named LOTW(2):
  
  
  For security reasons, the password is displayed as *'s and saved encrypted with a basic algorithm. It's also not included in the export which can be done with Tools --> "Export users settings".


• In addition to the LoTW users list, more files can be updated directly from RXCLUS web site if an Internet connection is available: COUNTRY database, personal IOTA database, and Telnet directory:
  
  


• Alarm priority between paper and LoTW confirmations can be changed. Earlier versions of RXCLUS always gave priority to paper QSL's. This means you got an alarm if you had a country not confirmed on a band or mode by a paper QSL even if it was already confirmed by a LoTW credit.
  With the new option "Same priority for LoTW and paper QSL's", the program won't make any difference between paper and LoTW QSL's, so you won't get any alarm as soon as you have one of those kinds of confirmation.
  The option "Alarms only for LoTW" was implemented for those who chase only LoTW confirmations and are not interested in paper QSL's. This means the program will ignore the paper QSO/QSL status and issue alarms based only on LoTW credits:
  


• ADIF numbers (required for importing log files into your personal DXCC database) were moved to the COUNTRY database. This will allow the addition of future new DXCC entities without having to release a new version of the full program. But, as this feature was missing in older versions, you have to upgrade to version 8.5 to be able to import contacts with the 4 new PJ entities.


• The country information window now also displays the QSO and QSL status for both paper and LoTW confirmations. Colors used for this purpose can be configured in Options - Color, especially for those who can't distinguish the red and green colors used by default:
  
  


• DX spots can be filtered also by logger call or by keyword in the comment field:
  
  


• The IOTA database is now displayed in the alphanumerical order of  the continents (AF, AN, AS, EU, NA, OC, SA), no more with EU at the beginning (which was the standard in the early days of the IOTA program).


• Personal DXCC and IOTA databases can now be backuped to any drive and directory, not only to a (usually no more available) floppy disk.


• Lists in the options (additional LoTW users,.) can now be sorted alphanumerically.


• Audible alarms can be restricted to seeked calls:
  
  


• Fixed a severe bug which made the ADIF import procedure crash if large records (over 700 characters for a single QSO) were present in the log file.


• The font used to display the databases can now be configured. This applies to those windows: DXCC and IOTA (incl. stats), SHOW/DX (+ANN/CHAT/TALK/WWV), search results (ANN/CHAT/DX/TALK), Telnet directory and the status bar of the main window. This is meant for those who get unreadable texts with the default Fixedsys logical font, which should not be modified in "normal" situations as most windows are optimized for it.
  
  


• Better compatibility with Windows large fonts (120 ppi). But the extra large fonts (144 ppi) in Windows 7 are currently not suppprted.


• Added support for the experimental 600 m band (DX spots on 493-510 kHz will be recognised as legitimate ones and stored in the DX database, while the search window now includes an entry for this band).

You can find much more information in the 58 pages user manual included with the software !