6.3 KiB
Configuration
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After the first start, the settings window opens – this is the central starting point for all configuration. It is recommended to keep the settings window open during operation (e.g. to quickly toggle the beacon on and off).
Important
: Always click "Save Settings" after any change! Settings are stored in
~/.praktikst/preferences.xmlon Linux and in%USERPROFILE%\.praktikst\preferences.xml(orC:\Users\<Username>\.praktikst\preferences.xml) on Windows. From v1.21 onwards, window sizes and divider positions are also saved when you click Save.
Station Settings
Login and Chat Categories
Enter your ON4KST chat credentials here (callsign and password). Also, select the primary chat category (e.g., IARU Region 1 VHF/Microwave).
With the option for a second chat (Multi-Channel Login), you can log in to another category simultaneously (e.g., UHF/SHF). Both chats will then be monitored in parallel. You can optionally specify a different login name for the second chat (useful for Opposite Station Multi-Callsign Logging).
Callsign and Locator
Enter your own callsign and Maidenhead locator (6 characters, e.g., JN49IJ). These values are needed for distance and direction calculations.
Active Bands
Use the "my station uses band" checkboxes to select the active bands. Buttons and table rows will only appear in the user interface for selected bands. The software must be restarted after making changes.
Antenna Beamwidth
Enter a realistic value for your antenna's beamwidth (in degrees). This value is used for the Sked Direction Highlighting. A test value of 50° has proven effective; DM5M uses quads with 69°.
Do not enter fantasy values – the direction calculations will become useless.
Default Maximum QRB
Maximum distance (in km) for which direction warnings should be triggered. A realistic value for DM5M is 900 km. Stations farther away are ignored for highlighting purposes.
Log Sync Settings
Two methods are available for automatically marking worked stations. Details: Log Synchronisation.
Universal File Based Callsign Interpreter (Simplelogfile)
Interprets any log file using regex for callsign patterns. No band information is available. Suitable as a fallback or for log programs that are not directly supported.
Network Listener for Logger's QSO UDP Broadcast
Recommended method. KST4Contest listens for UDP packets sent by the logging software to the broadcast address when a QSO is saved. Stations are marked with band information. UDP port: default 12060. (Used by UCXLog, N1MM+, QARTest, DXLog.net, etc.).
Win-Test Network Listener (Additional UDP Listener)
A dedicated network listener for Win-Test. KST4Contest receives and processes Win-Test-specific UDP packets (including sked handovers) on the configured port.
TRX Sync Settings
Receives the current transceiver frequency from the logging software via UDP. This enables the automatic population of the MYQRG variable. Useful for:
- Quickly inserting your own QRG into chat messages.
- Automatic CQ beacon with current frequency.
Note for multi-setup: When running two logging programs on two computers but only one KST4Contest instance, only one logging program should send frequency packets. KST4Contest cannot distinguish between sources.
AirScout Settings
Configuration of the interface to AirScout for aircraft scatter detection. Details: AirScout Integration.
Notification Settings
Three notification types are available:
- Simple sounds: TADA sound for incoming messages, tick for sked direction detection, etc.
- CW announcement: The callsign of a station sending a private message is output as a CW signal.
- Phonetic announcement: The callsign is pronounced phonetically.
Shortcut Settings
Configuration of quick-access buttons that appear directly in the main window. Clicking a button inserts the configured text into the send field. All variables can be used.
Snippet Settings
Text snippets are accessible via:
- Right-click on a callsign in the user list
- Right-click in the CQ message table
- Right-click in the PM message table
- Keyboard shortcuts:
Ctrl+1toCtrl+0for the first 10 snippets
If a callsign is selected in the user list, the snippet is addressed as a direct message:
/CQ CALLSIGN <snippet text>
Beacon Settings
Configuration of an automatic interval beacon in the public chat channel. Recommended: use the MYQRG variable in the text so the current frequency is always up to date. Interval and text are freely configurable.
Tip
: Enable the beacon when calling CQ and quickly disable it in the settings window when not calling.
Messagehandling Settings (from v1.25)
New settings section with the following options:
- Auto-reply to all incoming messages: Configurable automatic reply to private messages.
- Auto-reply with own CQ QRG: When someone asks for your QRG, KST4Contest automatically replies with the content of the
MYQRGvariable. - Default filter for the userinfo window: Pre-configured message filter for the station info window (for Gianluca :-) ).
Worked Station Database Settings
Reset the internal worked database before each contest! It contains:
- Worked status of all stations (per band)
- NOT-QRV tags (since v1.2)
Use the "Reinitialize" button below the table. A planned feature is an automatic expiration time for the worked status.
Dark Mode (from v1.26)
Toggle via the menu: Window → Use Dark Mode. The colors can be individually customized via CSS.
Saving Settings
Click "Save Settings" after every change! Without saving, all changes will be lost on the next start.
- Storage location:
~/.praktikst/preferences.xmlon Linux and%USERPROFILE%\.praktikst\preferences.xml(orC:\Users\<Username>\.praktikst\preferences.xml) on Windows - From v1.21: Window sizes and divider positions are also saved.
- If you encounter problems: delete the configuration file → KST4Contest will create a new one with default values.