so ive been using WSJT-X for FT8 for a while now and just letting it log to its own internal log which i know is dumb but it worked well enough until i started caring about actually keeping a real log and tracking confirmations and all that

anyway i finally started looking at proper logging software and im torn between N1MM and Log4OM. from what i can tell N1MM is really built around contesting and a lot of people swear by it for that but im not really a big contester, i do the occasional contest like field day or a state QSO party but its not my main thing. Log4OM looks way more like a general purpose logger with all the award tracking and stuff built in

the thing im not sure about is how well each of these actually integrates with WSJT-X. i know WSJT-X can send UDP packets or whatever to external loggers but ive read some threads where people had issues with duplicate entries or the frequency not syncing right. does anyone run one of these day to day with WSJT-X and actually have it working cleanly? also does Log4OM do contest mode at all or is it pretty limited there compared to N1MM

been running N1MM with WSJT-X for a couple years now and yeah the UDP integration works but you do have to be a bit careful with the settings. in WSJT-X under reporting you set the UDP server to 127.0.0.1 and port 2333 by default and N1MM has to be listening on that same port. the duplicates thing you mentioned is a real issue if you have "accept UDP messages" turned on and also have WSJT-X set to log to its own log file at the same time, you can end up with entries going in twice. what i do is just let N1MM handle all the logging and i keep the WSJT-X internal log turned off basically

for contesting N1MM is honestly unbeatable, the bandmap, the dupe checking in real time, running SO2R if you ever go that route, its just built for it. but if youre doing casual FT8 chasing DX and DXCC tracking Log4OM is probably nicer honestly. ive never used Log4OM for a real contest so i cant tell you how it holds up under rate but i dont think its really designed for that kind of operating

Log4OM does have a contest module, its called Log4OM contest or something, but i tried it once for a small sprint and it felt kinda clunky compared to dedicated contest loggers. the WSJT-X integration in Log4OM actually works pretty well in my experience, it picks up the QSOs cleanly and the award tracking for DXCC and WAS is genuinely nice to have all in one place

if contesting isnt your main focus i'd probably go Log4OM and just fire up N1MM on those weekends when you want to actually run a contest properly. thats what a few guys at my club do, keep two loggers installed and just ADIF import after the contest into the main log. little bit of extra work but not a big deal