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# Installation

> 🇬🇧 You are reading the English version | 🇩🇪 Deutsche Version

## Prerequisites

An resolution of 1200px by 720px is recommended

### ON4KST Account

To use the chat, a registered account with the ON4KST chat service is required:

- Register at: http://www.on4kst.info/chat/register.php

### Chat Etiquette

The official language in the ON4KST Chat is English. Please use English even when communicating with stations from your own country. Common HAM abbreviations (agn, dir, pse, rrr, tnx, 73 …) are widely used and understood.

### Personal Messages

To send a private message to another station, always use the following format:

    /CQ CALLSIGN message text

Example: `/CQ DL5ASG pse sked 144.205?`

During heavy chat traffic (5–6 messages per second in a contest), public messages directed at a specific callsign are easily missed. However, KST4Contest also catches such messages if they are accidentally posted publicly (see Features – PM Catching).

## Download

### Windows

The latest version can be downloaded as a ZIP file:

https://github.com/praktimarc/kst4contest/releases/latest

The filename has the format `praktiKST-v<version_number>-windows-x64.zip`.

### Linux

Multiple package formats are available from the releases page:

https://github.com/praktimarc/kst4contest/releases/latest

Format | Filename | Suitable for
--- | --- | ---
AppImage | `KST4Contest-v<version>-linux-x86_64.AppImage` | All distributions
Debian package | `KST4Contest-v<version>-debian-amd64.deb` | Debian, Ubuntu, Linux Mint, …
RPM package | `KST4Contest-v<version>-fedora-x86_64.rpm` | Fedora, RHEL, openSUSE, …
Arch package | `KST4Contest-v<version>-archlinux-x86_64.pkg.tar.zst` | Arch Linux, Manjaro, …
AUR | `kst4contest-bin` / `kst4contest` / `kst4contest-git` | Arch Linux, Manjaro, EndeavourOS, …
Flatpak | `de.x08.KST4Contest.flatpakref` | All distributions with Flatpak

> Recommended for Linux: The Flatpak installation is the easiest way to stay up to date — `flatpak update` handles all future updates automatically. The repository is GPG-signed for security.

### macOS

> ⚠️ Best-Effort Support: macOS builds are provided as a convenience but are not fully tested. We build and release macOS binaries with every release, but we cannot test every scenario on macOS. If you encounter issues, please report them – we will do our best to address them, but cannot guarantee the same level of support as for Windows and Linux.

The latest version can be downloaded as a DMG disk image (available for both Apple Silicon and Intel Macs):

https://github.com/praktimarc/kst4contest/releases/latest

The filename has the format `KST4Contest-v<version_number>-macos-<arch>.dmg`, where `<arch>` is `arm64` (Apple Silicon) or `x86_64` (Intel).

## Installation

### Windows

1. Download the ZIP file.
2. Unzip the ZIP file into a folder of your choice.
3. Run `praktiKST.exe`.

Settings are stored at `%USERPROFILE%\.praktikst\preferences.xml`.

### Linux

Settings are always stored at `~/.praktikst/preferences.xml`.

#### AppImage

1. Download the AppImage.
2. Make it executable: `chmod +x KST4Contest-v<version>-linux-x86_64.AppImage`
3. Run it.

#### Debian / Ubuntu

    sudo apt install ./KST4Contest-v<version>-debian-amd64.deb

Or double-click the `.deb` file in your file manager.

#### Fedora / RHEL

    sudo dnf install ./KST4Contest-v<version>-fedora-x86_64.rpm

#### Arch Linux

Via AUR (recommended) — updates automatically with your system:

    yay -S kst4contest-bin    # pre-built binary, fastest install
    # or
    yay -S kst4contest        # build from source
    # or
    yay -S kst4contest-git    # always latest git HEAD (1.42+)

Any AUR helper works (`paru`, `trizen`, etc.). `kst4contest-bin` is the easiest option since it installs the same pre-built binary as the release download.

Or install the release package manually:

    sudo pacman -U KST4Contest-v<version>-archlinux-x86_64.pkg.tar.zst

#### Flatpak

Download `de.x08.KST4Contest.flatpakref` from the latest release and open it, or run:

    flatpak install de.x08.KST4Contest.flatpakref

Or add the remote manually (recommended for nightly/beta access):

    flatpak remote-add --if-not-exists kst4contest https://praktimarc.github.io/kst4contest/kst4contest.flatpakrepo
    flatpak install kst4contest de.x08.KST4Contest

#### Flatpak Channels (nightly / beta / stable)

The Flatpak repository provides three channels, all served from the same remote:

Channel | Content | Built on
--- | --- | ---
`stable` | Current stable version | Every normal release tag
`beta` | Pre-release version | Tags prefixed with `beta-`
`nightly` | Development build (main branch) | Every push to main / daily

Add the remote once, then install the channel you want:

    flatpak remote-add --if-not-exists kst4contest https://praktimarc.github.io/kst4contest/kst4contest.flatpakrepo

    # Stable (default)
    flatpak install kst4contest de.x08.KST4Contest

    # Beta
    flatpak install kst4contest de.x08.KST4Contest//beta

    # Nightly
    flatpak install kst4contest de.x08.KST4Contest//nightly

> Note: Flatpak only allows one installed version per App-ID at a time. To switch channels, uninstall the current version first:

>     flatpak uninstall de.x08.KST4Contest
>     flatpak install kst4contest de.x08.KST4Contest//nightly

Updates work as usual with `flatpak update`.

The `flatpakref` files for beta and stable are attached to their respective GitHub Releases. The nightly `flatpakref` (`de.x08.KST4Contest.nightly.flatpakref`) is available as an artifact on the GitHub Actions tab (kept for 14 days) — for nightly builds, the manual remote approach above is usually more convenient.

### macOS

1. Download the DMG file for your architecture (Apple Silicon or Intel).
2. Open the DMG file.
3. Drag `KST4Contest.app` into your Applications folder.
4. On first launch, macOS may show a warning because the app is not notarised. To open it:
   - Right-click (or Control-click) on `KST4Contest.app` in Finder and choose Open.
   - Alternatively, go to System Settings → Privacy & Security and click Open Anyway.
5. Run KST4Contest from your Applications folder or Launchpad.

Settings are stored at `~/.praktikst/preferences.xml`.

## Updating

KST4Contest includes an automatic update notification service: as soon as a new version is available, a window will appear at startup with:

- information that a new version is available,
- a changelog,
- the download link for the new version.

### Update Process

#### Windows

Currently, there is only one way to update:

1. Delete the old folder.
2. Unzip the new ZIP file.

The settings file (`preferences.xml`) is preserved because it is stored in the user folder, not the program folder.

#### Linux

- AppImage: Download the new AppImage, make it executable (`chmod +x`), optionally delete the old one.
- Debian/Ubuntu: `sudo apt install ./KST4Contest-v<version>-debian-amd64.deb`
- Fedora/RHEL: `sudo dnf upgrade ./KST4Contest-v<version>-fedora-x86_64.rpm`
- Arch Linux (AUR): `yay -S kst4contest-bin`
- Arch Linux (manual): `sudo pacman -U KST4Contest-v<version>-archlinux-x86_64.pkg.tar.zst`
- Flatpak (repository): `flatpak update` – updates all Flatpak apps including KST4Contest.

#### macOS

1. Download the new DMG file.
2. Open the DMG.
3. Drag the new `KST4Contest.app` into your Applications folder, replacing the old version.

## Known Issues at Startup

### Norton 360

Norton 360 classifies `praktiKST.exe` as dangerous (false positive). An exception must be created for the file:

1. Open Norton 360.
2. Security → History → Find the corresponding event.
3. Select “Restore & Add Exception”.

(Reported by PE0WGA, Franz van Velzen – thank you!)