WriteLog Versions

WriteLog version 12 is the latest version.

WriteLog version 12 is a major upgrade to the premier contesting logging program. It includes an upgraded appearance and superior customization, a completely revamped Band Map including waterfall display for many Software Defined Radios, enhanced rate graphs and packet spot support.

Version 12 requires Windows 7 or later.

The upgrade installers here do not update country files nor data files that, for a recent and important example, list the log submission email addresses of contest sponsors. To update everything you must also use WriteLog’s File/Web-Update-Country-Files and File/Web-Update-Data-Files to get those updates.

To download an upgrade, type in your callsign and registration code above. If it tells you it cannot download because of an incorrect registration code, you may go here to purchase a new registration code.

Instructions for the upgrade: download the .exe file above and run it. In the window that comes up, do not change any of the default settings–just click the UnZip button. The installer will check whether whether you have a current code and will not install, but instead requests you type in a new code. See revision history for list of changes.

Here is a description of WriteLog version numbering conventions.

What is a PGP Sig?

Looking for the demo version?

Description PGP Sig Size
WriteLog module for HamAward, January 2024 327kB
WriteLog module for ARRL International Digital contest, June, 2022 ArrlDigiSetup2.msi.sig 350kB
WriteLogUdpListenerV11.zip (2019/08/25) Run this program and it will listen for WSJT-X UDP announcments of logged QSOs and, if WriteLog is running, add them to WriteLog’s log. This V11 version supports ARRL contests RTTY RoundUp and Field Day. Instructions: download, unzip and simply run the .exe file. There is no installer. .sig in zip 19 kB
WlogK4Setup-07.msi (2023/06/08) This is a WriteLog rig driver for the Elecraft K4 rig over IP. WriteLog’s K3 rig setting has been tested OK with the K4 on a serial port. This driver supports IP, but does not support the RC-1101 nor SO2V on the K4. 0.1 MB
WlFlexDriver1284A.exe (2024/09/28) This is a WriteLog rig driver for the FlexRadio 6000 series rigs. With this rig driver WriteLog reads and controls Flex 6000 series rigs without need for the Flex SmartSDR CAT control and virtual COM ports plus Kenwood TS-2000 rig emulation, etc. This WriteLog driver detects SmartSDR 1.6, 2.0 through 3.0 and supports all (and probably 1.5, but that is untested.) It is compatible with all WriteLog versions since 11.01. WriteLog 11.27 and later recognize additional interfaces in this rig driver that simplify WriteLog’s display of the Flex rig discovery results as well as certain error conditions. Read more. .sig 7.5 MB
writelog1281.pdf (2024/06/11) PDF file of the WriteLog help files for V12.81. 400+ pages. If you want a manual, this is it! Converted from the help files. 6 MB
writelog1270.pdf (2023/02/21) PDF file of the WriteLog help files for V12.70. 400+ pages. If you want a manual, this is it! Converted from the help files. 5 MB
WriteLog11_28.pdf (2015/09/12) PDF file of the WriteLog help files for V11.28. Converted from the help files. 8 MB
WlWebUpdate.zip
(2020/10/23)

This download is substantially changed as of December 20, 2015. It is no longer the complete set of WriteLog’s country files and other multiplier files in a single download.

The zip file at this link is the same file WriteLog downloads from it’s File Web Update Data Files menu onWriteLog 10.46 and later. Those versions will automatically install the file off this link from their File/Web Update Data File menu entry and you should not need to download with your browser. For versions 11.32 and earlier, and on Vista and later, be sure to run WriteLog as administrator else the download will fail (because WriteLog cannot write into its installation directory when its not an admin.) Run as Admin can be accomplished from the Windows Start menu, WriteLog program group and then right-mouse-click (instead of left) on the WriteLog icon and then select Run As Administrator.

Multiplier And Other Files

As of December 20, 2015, the installation procedures for multiplier and auxiliary files all versions of WriteLog is changed. For recent versions there are three things to maintain:

  1. Multiplier files except for DXCC countries are updated using WriteLog’s menu entry: File/Web-Update-Data-Files.
  2. DXCC country files are updated using WriteLog’s menu entry: File/Web-Update-Country-Files
  3. Supercheck partial databases are maintained outside of WriteLog. Use your web browser to download them.

Details

For all versions of WriteLog, there is now a separation between the country file download and all other file downloads (SCP and contest-specific INI files). This means there are three download operations to know about to maintain your WriteLog installation–regardless of WriteLog version. The detains of how to do this depend on whether you have upgraded.

  • The WlWebUpdate.zip (more details below) is no longer is a complete, single download of everything you might need. All users of all versions of WriteLog need to understand now that there are three sets of data files they may want to maintain, and those three sets are separately downloaded and installed.
  • The latest releases of WriteLog, versions 11.32 and higher, simplify downloading and installing files. They have two corresponding menu entries for the download installation.
    • File/Web-Update-Data-Files
      updates super-check-partial files and WriteLog-specific data file updates but not country files.
    • File/Web-Update-Country-Files
      updates the country files directly from country-files.com.
  • WriteLog 11.32 and higher also have the new feature that you need not run WriteLog as an admin in order to update any of these data files. Instead, it notices at the time you select this menu entry whether or not you are logged in as admin and, if not, prompts for an admin password at that time.
  • There is a WriteLog-specific download of the DXCC country files published at http://www.country-files.com/cty/download/WL_Cty.zip. This file is useful not only for the automated download available in WriteLog version 11.32, but also can be used to update installations of WriteLog versions 10.29 through 11.31. For those older WriteLog versions, use your browser to download the file and unzip its contents (as an admin user, if necessary) into WriteLog’s data directory (where is that? see details below).
  • The third set of files, Super Check Partial files, and for all WriteLog versions, are not part of the WriteLog install, nor part of the update kit maintained here on writelog.com. Unlike the country files and ini files, WriteLog does not require them in its data directory. Download them using your browser from http://supercheckpartial.com/. Use any file location of your choice on your PC. Then use WriteLog’s Setup/Super Check Partial to browse to the downloaded location. The remainder of this page refers only to country files.

For all WriteLog users, there is no requirement that you update these databases. A WriteLog full install (which you download when you purchase) installs a set of data files. WriteLog upgrade installs do not update the data files–you keep the ones from your full install or the ones you have updated using the procedures on this page. Running WriteLog with old country files affects WriteLog’s score and multiplier calculation while you are operating in the contest. Contest sponsors, however, generally run their own multiplier checking and do not look at any multiplier calculation in your submission. (In fact, the nearly universally used Cabrillo format has no place in it to count multipliers.)

For 11.32 and later.

There are two File menu entries to do the routine data file updating:

  1. The menu entry File/Web-Update-Country-Files downloads and installs from country-files.com. You get the callsign-to-DXCC country database along with the within-country beam heading databases. (AF_cty.bin, AS_cty.bin, BY_cty.bin, EU_cty.bin, NA_cty.bin, SA_cty.bin and VK_cty.bin)
  2. The menu entry File/Web-Update-Data-Files downloads INI files. It no longer downloads the country files updated by (1), nor does it download SCP .dta files.
  3. The Convert CTY to WriteLog start menu entry remains installed with WriteLog. But you should not need to use this anymore. It has some advanced country-file-to-binary conversion features used in special situations only (e.g. you want to make your own within-country beam heading data instead of that provided from country-files.com.)

For 11.31 and earlier

  1. The Convert CTY to WriteLog start menu link downloads and updates your callsign-to-DXCC country database. Detailed instructions are below.
  2. The WriteLog menu entry File/Web-Update-Data files downloads and updates your INI files and no longer downloads the country files updated by (1).
  3. There is no automated way to update the within-country beam heading files (AF_cty.bin, AS_cty.bin, BY_cty.bin, EU_cty.bin, NA_cty.bin, SA_cty.bin and VK_cty.bin). When those beam heading files are updated on country-files.com, you must login to your WriteLog PC as an admin user, use your browser to download the WL_Cty.zip from country-files.com and unzip it into ProgramData/WriteLog (or other directory for XP and earlier–see the hint in the next section.)

WriteLog data file locations

  1. For all versions of WriteLog, 10.77 and later, and for Windows 2000 and later (even up through Windows 10), you can find the WriteLog program’s data installation directory by typing this magic string into Windows Explorer:

    %ALLUSERSPROFILE%

    and press ENTER. For all recent operating system’s, you’ll see the WriteLog folder. But if you see an “Application Data” directory open it to find the WriteLog directory. For recent versions of Windows that, by default, will have User Access Control (UAC) turned on, you will need to have administrator privileges to make changes in the directory.

  2. WriteLog Version 10.76 and earlier. WriteLog installed its data files into its \Programs folder, which is, by default, c:\Program Files\WriteLog.

DXCC Country Files

Country files suitable for all WriteLog versions are maintained at http://www.country-files.com. Instructions:

  1. For WriteLog versions 11.32 and higher, use the WriteLog menu entry File/Web-Update-Country-files. If you installed WriteLog following defaults, and have left Windows UAC at its default ON setting, a prompt will appear for the admin password. Once the download finishes successfully, click the Apply Update button.
  2. For WriteLog versions up through 11.31. In the Start menu, under WriteLog V11, you will find an entry Convert CTY to WriteLog. Run it: on XP and earlier, with a left click; on Vista and later with UAC turned on, as administrator with a right mouse click.
    • For versions 10.78 and higher, the window that appears has a Download button. Click it first. It will put a copy of wl_cty.dat in the correct directory.
    • Click OK.
    • After a few seconds, the message “ALL DONE” appears in the dialog. Now click Cancel.
  3. For WriteLog versions 10.77 and lower, use your browser to download wl_cty.dat . For those versions, you must make sure you place the downloaded file correctly:
    • For versions 10.77 the location is the WriteLog Application Data directory. This directory is different on different operating systems. See the %ALLUSERSPROFILE% trick above for details.
    • For versions 10.76 and lower, the location is WriteLog’s \Programs directory.
    • For versions 10.28 and lower, start by downloading the old format wl_cty.dat from http://www.country-files.com/cty/old/wl_cty.dat. You must place this downloaded wl_cty.dat in WriteLog’s Programs directory, and then run the start menu entry WriteLog V10\Convert CTY to WriteLog, and click its OK button.

Regarding WriteLog version 11

WriteLog version 11.42 released December, 2016 was the final version that will install on Windows XP. As of January, 2017, version 11 is not available for purchase. The registration codes for Version 11 through year 2016 are compatible with those for Version 12 up through their original expiration date. If you have purchased WriteLog during 2016, you may install the latest of either Version 11 or Version 12 through December 2016. Starting January 2017, only version 12 is available for sale or upgrade.

If you decide to go backwards in versions, the instructions are the same for version 11 and 12, and the same as they always have been: you must use Windows Control Panel to uninstall WriteLog (which, in turn, will require a reboot of Windows) and then install the latest full install kit that you have purchased. Finally, you upgrade from there to any later version you prefer.

The WriteLog 12 upgrade process will have one additional restriction: the freely downloadable upgrade installers for WL12 will only be able to upgrade prior version 12 installations, but with one important exception. The 12.01 upgrade installer is able to upgrade version 11 installations from registration codes purchased up to 12 months before the Version 12.01 release date. No other version 12 upgrade installers have the capability to upgrade from Version 11.

The WriteLog 11 to 12 upgrade process requires a reboot, as does any uninstall of WriteLog.

Other Downloads

Contest support provided by third parties
Several authors have written a number of modules for contests not in WriteLog. Third party modules do not need a particular version of WriteLog. Upgrading WriteLog does not affect your ability to run them.These modules are supported by their authors and not by N9OH or W5XD.