1) General
   a) This article will compare CT and Writelog. My contesting experience includes only CT and Writelog. Personally, I started with CT, and switched to Writelog about 3 years ago. Since I prefer Writelog, and haven’t used CT in several years (except while guest-operating), this report will be biased towards Writelog, and may not be up to date on CT features.
    b) Other contesting programs include NA and TR, with which I have no experience.
     c) Writelog is currently the only comprehensive contesting program for Windows. Others are still DOS (TR currently being redesigned for Windows).
       i) Writelog uses all standard Windows drivers and setup, meaning if your sound card, COM ports, Ethernet card, etc. run under Windows, it will run under Writelog. All windows (supercheck partial, bandmap, beam headings, etc.) can be moved, resized, font style and size changed, etc. Also supports window docking (neat feature!) for maximal screen space conservation
      ii) CT requires custom memory configuration, preloaded TSRs for COM port support. Most windows fixed size and font.

2) Contests supported (chart)

 

WL	CT	Contest
		ANARTS WW RTTY Contest
		ARRL Sweepstakes
		ARRL 160 Meter Contest
		ARRL 10 Meter Contest
		ARRL DX Contest
		ARRL Field Day (All modes CW, SSB, RTTY, VHF, UHF)
		ARRL VHF Sweepstakes
		ARRL VHF QSO Parties
		ARRL UHF Contest
		ARRL RTTY Roundup
		BARTG RTTY Contest
	?	California QSO Party (inside CA)
		California QSO Party (outside CA)
		CQWW DX Contest
		CQWW WPX Contest
		CQWW 160 Meters
		CQWW RTTY DX Contest
		European DX Contest (WAE)
		European DX RTTY Contest (WAE)
		Florida QSO Party
		IARU HF World Championship
		Internet RTTY Sprint Contest
		JARTS WW RTTY Contest
		Minnesota QSO Party
		North American Sprint
		North American QSO Party
		North American RTTY QSO Party
		Pennsylvania QSO Party (inside PA)
		Pennsylvania QSO Party (outside PA)
		SARTG WW RTTY Contest
		Stew Perry, W1BB, 160m Distance Challenge
		TARA RTTY Sprints Contest
		World Wide RTTY WPX Contest

Note - Writelog offers a “contest module programmers info” for those interested (and capable of) writing contest modules for additional contests. The following additional contests are supported by modules written by SM6SRW:

Anatolian RTTY WW Contest
ARI International DX Contest
EA RTTY Contest
FMRE International RTTY Contest
Russian RTTY WW Contest
SARTG New Years Day Contest
Scandinavian Activity Contest
SCC RTTY Championship
SPDX Contest
SPDX RTTY Contest
UBA DX Contest
Ukrainian DX Contest
VOLTA RTTY WW Contest

3) Voice keyers
   a) Writelog
      i) Voice keyer functionality included using your Windows-supported sound board.
      ii) Record new messages on-the-fly from within Writelog.
      iii) Same features as K1EA DVP board.
      iv) Wire to two radios and automatically switch mic/voice keyer between rigs from the keyboard.
   b) CT
      i) Supports K1EA DVP (additional hardware needing IRQ, etc.)

4) CW - same keying interface for both programs
   a) Writelog
      i) Program up to 12 message memories including embedded commands such as serial numbers, call being worked, etc. (F-keys + Shift F-keys)
      ii) Additional CW buffers accessible by mouse
      iii) Includes CW reader
   b) CT
      i) 6 message memories including embedded commands such as serial numbers, call being worked, etc.

5) RTTY and PSK31
   a) Writelog - supported via sound card
   b) CT - not supported

6) Packet
   a) Writelog - Cluster support via Packet and Internet Clusters directly from Writelog
   b) CT - Direct Packet support. Internet Clusters available via external programs (DXTelnet, WintelnetX)

7) Partial Call Checking
   a) Writelog - Uses same Master and Country files as K1EA's CT. Can select any file name and directory (in cases where multiple files are available).
   b) CT - Specific file names required and must reside in CT directory.

8) Networking
   a) Writelog
      i) Uses standard Ethernet networking
      ii) In event that network goes down, when it comes back up, automatically recreates FULL log file on all networked computers. No log merges necessary.
   b) CT
      i) Serial port networking requiring special TSR
      ii) Ethernet networking via K1TTT NETTSR program
      iii) If network goes down, log may contain gaps, requiring merging of logs after contest ends.

9) Choice of output formats
   a) Writelog
      i) Export to standard database, spreadsheet, ASCII files.
      ii) Export to ADIF files.
      iii) Professional quality reports and summaries on your Windows-supported printer.
      iv) Nice looking graphs
   b) CT
      i) Limited ADIF support (?)
      ii) Output ASCII files

10) Support & Reliability
   a) Writelog
      i) Constantly being upgraded based on user feedback.
      ii) Program author a regular participant on Internet reflector
      iii) New releases work!
   b) CT
      i) Limited upgrades for about 5 years
      ii) Most support from other users, not program author
      iii) New releases frequently broken

11) System requirements
   a) Writelog
      i) Windows 95/98 or Windows NT/2000 (no support for LPT functions except printing with NT/2000)
      ii) 16MB RAM minimum ( >16MB recommended )
      iii) Pentium
   b) CT
      i) DOS or DOS window within Windows
      ii) 2 MB RAM minimum
      iii) 386

12) Operation
   a) Writelog - most functions available from keyboard, though mouse necessary (takes some getting used to for CT users, but better in long run, IMO)
   b) CT - via keyboard