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The Prefix Database - Overview
General description
The Prefix database is a read only database containing information on known amateur radio prefixes, with their
significance to country, licensing, call-areas and special uses.
The database contains a huge number of dedicated callsigns that do not adhere
to the normal prefix/country convention, these are referred to as callsign 'exceptions'.
Information from the Prefix database is displayed in the Country Display panel whenever callsigns
are entered into the Log, and from various functions including right mouse-click lookups, searches and DXCluster spots.
The look-ups occur during Real Time or general Log browsing.
The prefix look-up can be enabled/disabled from Menu/Database/Prefix.
The Prefix database will be updated when new information becomes available.
The Prefix database can be automatically be updated using the menu/File/Latest updates window.
Alternatively, the prefix update files can be downloaded from the Winlog32 website,
the file should be added to the ..\Winlog32\Data folder.
The Prefix database is updated automatically when next starting Winlog32.
Older versions of Winlog32 may not be compatible with the latest prefix database version.
Many award database update functions and map data rely on the Prefix database and Country Display.
It is not possible for the user to update the prefix database, however if the incorrect DXCC entity is being displayed,
the Log entry can be corrected.
Before any corrections are considered, check that the callsign has been entered correctly
and that the date is present in the Log.
A possible cause of ambiguities may be a character "O" in place of a "0" (zero),
If the callsign is correct, the disparities should be reported to the Winlog32 author,
where they will be considered for inclusion in the master Prefix database for future updates.
To change a country allocation in the log; see relative help topic 'Prefix - Change Country entity.
The country lookup will be able to parse calls like VP5/G0CUZ/P etc. The search should also be
able to translate calls like I2xxx/8 to the I8 area, etc.
N.B.; certain DXCC Countries do not have exact prefixes designated, or prefixes are
shared by more than one DXCC entity (e.g. VP8, ZK1).
Other ambiguities exist, such as with GB calls from the UK and USA overseas territories,
the Country entity can not always be determined from these Prefix.
Many callsign 'exceptions' are continually added to increase the accuracy of the Prefix database
and updates are regularly released as information becomes available.
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