DX4WIN.CTY #21.9 was released on 12 April 2021.

The country file has been verified to work with DX4WIN versions 4.0x and
later. It has also been tested with 3.05, but the information in the
distance/bearing field in the upper-right of the QSO window will be blank.

The country file contains version information. If you try to log the
callsign “VERSION” (without the quotes) and hit the tab or space key,
look at the “QSL Mgr” field in the logbook. This will be the release
date of the QSL manager database, and will usually match the release
date of the country file, unless you have imported a different QSL
manager database.

To see the actual revision date of the country file, go to Files |
Databases | Countries. The entry for 1A0, Sov. Military Order of Malta
should appear. Click on the Callsigns tab, and the callsign “VERSION”
should appear in the window. The “Start date” is the date the country
file was created/released.

 1. What’s in the country file? <#Contents>
 2. Installation instructions
 3. Merging a new country file with an existing one
 4. Importing QSL manager data
 5. Analyzing country file differences

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    What’s in the Country File?

The country file unifies many smaller databases that are essential for
DX4WIN:

  * DXCC entities
  * DXCC prefix to entity mapping
  * DXCC callsign to entity mapping
  * QSL managers
  * QSL manager addresses
  * Islands on the Air <http://www.rsgbiota.org/> (IOTA)
  * US States (latitude/longitude)
  * CT state abbreviation to US state mapping
  * US Counties

The country file updates are cumulative, not incremental. Each new
version has all of the previous version’s data (plus/minus any
corrections), plus the new data for that particular release.

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    Installation instructions

The new country file can be used “as-is”. First, exit DX4WIN (File |
Exit); you may be prompted to save your log. Download the ZIP file by
clicking on this link
<http://www.country-files.com/dx4win.saved/backup/release.shtml> to get
to the Revision History, then click on the dated release number to start
the download. Copy your existing DX4WIN.CTY file (from your
DX4W###\SAVE) directory to a safe place (like your DX4W###\BACKUP
directory, see #3 below
<http://www.country-files.com/dx4win.saved/backup/#Backup>, under the
section Analyzing country file differences). Using a utility like
WinZip, open the ZIP file you just downloaded, and save (extract) the
new DX4WIN.CTY file into your DX4W###\SAVE directory.

The ZIP file contains another file, ADIF.PMP. This file is used to map
QSOs in imported and exported ADIF files to the correct country (this
includes eQSL and ARRL Logbook of the World). This file must be updated
any time that DX4WIN.CTY is updated – the files have to be in-sync with
each other. Assuming the ZIP file is still open from the step above,
save (extract) the ADIF.PMP file to your DX4W###\IMPORT directory.

By far, the easiest way to update is to use the DX4WIN Data Updater
<http://dx4win.ad1c.us/updater/index.html>. This updates all DX4WIN data
files, including the country file.

Please see the section below Importing QSL manager data
<http://www.country-files.com/dx4win.saved/backup/#QSL>. You may want to
save your old QSL manager file before installing the new country file.

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    Merging country files

If you want to keep a customized country file, but still get the latest
updates, then merging might be the best solution. Using the new country
file “as-is” usually results in the fewest problems, however.

Only the following components of the country file can/will be merged:

  * Exception calls
  * IOTAs
  * QSL managers
  * QSL addresses

This means entities and prefixes are *NOT* merged. Therefore, it is
almost always necessary to merge your old DX4WIN.CTY file into the new
one, not the other way around. This gets your the prefixes and entities
that may have been added to the new country file.

First, exit DX4WIN. Then move your existing DX4WIN.CTY file to a safe
place, preferably somewhere like DX4W###\BACKUP. If you don’t have a
BACKUP directory, then create one. See this note
<http://www.country-files.com/dx4win.saved/backup/#Backup>.

Next, download the new country file and extract DX4WIN.CTY to your SAVE
directory. Start DX4WIN, and ensure you have the new country file by
trying to log the callsign VERSION and checking the date in the “QSL
Mgr” field. Close your log using File | Close. If you have made no
changes (expected) it should not prompt you to save the file.

To merge, choose Files | Databases | Countries from the main DX4WIN menu
bar. When the Country Editor window comes up, choose File | Merge Other
Country File. Navigate to the BACKUP directory, or to wherever you moved
your old DX4WIN.CTY file. Select the file named DX4WIN.CTY, then click
on the Open button.

You will be prompted before merging each of the four components listed
above. When the merge is complete, check for errors by choosing File |
Check for Errors in the Country Editor window. When the merging is done
and there are no errors, choose File | Save Changes and Exit in the
Country Editor window.

After the country database is saved, you can re-open your logbook. Do
whatever test(s) you need to ensure the merge succeeded.

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    Importing QSL manager data

If you decide you want to use this new file, you may want to import your
QSL manager data from your old DX4WIN.CTY file into it.

Using your old country file, go to File | Databases | QSL Managers. Then
File | Export QSL manager data. Pick a file name and save it. Do the
same thing for File | Databases | Manager Addresses. Then you can exit
from the QSL database manager.

After installing the new DX4WIN.CTY file, go to File | Databases | QSL
Managers. Then File | Import QSL manager data. Use the same name as you
saved before. When it asks you if you want to delete the existing data,
answer Yes. Do the same thing for File | Databases | Manager Addresses.
Then you can exit from the QSL database manager.

*NOTE:* Importing QSL manager data into version 6.02 causes unusual
dates. This is fixed in version 6.03.
