so ive been using WSJT-X for FT8 stuff for a while now and it just dumps everything into its own log which is fine i guess but ive been wanting something that actually manages my QSOs properly, like a real shack log where i can see everything in one place. a buddy at the club said i should try Log4OM because it integrates with WSJT-X pretty cleanly and looks less like it was designed in 2003. but then other guys keep saying N1MM is the only thing worth using if you ever do contests and that Log4OM is more of a casual logging thing.

the thing is i do want to get into contesting, nothing serious yet, maybe CQWW or field day with the club but also want my everyday logs to not be a disaster. right now my WSJT-X logs and whatever ive been manually entering in an old ADIF file are just kind of... everywhere. im running a 7300 and everything is on windows 10 if that matters. does anyone actually run like N1MM for contests and something else for normal logging and just merge the ADIFs later or is that asking for duplicates and headaches

yeah i do exactly that, N1MM for any serious contest operating and Log4OM as my main shack log the rest of the time. the ADIF export from N1MM is pretty clean and Log4OM imports it without much drama, ive only ever had issues when i forgot to check for dupes before importing and ended up with a handful of doubled QSOs but thats a me problem not a software problem. Log4OM's integration with WSJT-X is genuinely good once you set up the UDP port correctly, it basically just listens and logs everything automatically so you dont have to touch anything during an FT8 session.

the lerning curve on N1MM looks steep but honestly for contesting its hard to argue with it, the bandmap, the dupe checking, the S&P vs run mode switching, its all just there and works. for everyday logging though its kind of overkill and the interface isnt exactly friendly if youre just working a pile on 17m on a tuesday afternoon. so running both makes sense to me, just build a habit of doing the import after every contest and youll be fine

dont overthink the duplicate thing, ADIF importers in basically every logging program have had dupe checking for years. Log4OM lets you set how it handles them on import. i went through the same thing when i started actually caring about my log being accurate and just spent one afternoon sorting it out and havent thought about it since.

one thing i'd mention is make sure your WSJT-X is pointed at the right log file or UDP port depending on how youre doing it, because i had mine quietly writing to a separate log for like two months before i noticed and had to go back and merge stuff manually which was annoying