First, Most uniques stay in the final log. Only one contest removes uniques
and if you don't like that write or e-mail the sponsor and then if no
results don't work the contest!
Years ago the process was to cross check as many as the checkers had time
and remove dupes that were not removed (when found). Don N4IN is generally
given credit for identifying uniques and starting to take action. He would
enter all calls in a file on a TRS-80 and list out by call each unique.
However he did not remove uniques. He did this for two reasons...1.
Because he had the time 2. Some DX had far more uniques that the rest of the
contestants. This also gave him a second layer of cross checks.
What the modern log checking has evolved into is two layers of testing...
1. Cross checking all contacts no matter how large or small the log for
logs received and
in electronic format. Having one format such as cabrillo makes this
easy on the checkers plus gets the results done faster!
2. All uniques and busts are then identified and the resulting file for
the contest contains the checked log along with all UBN's. N or not in log
are removed and penalty applied.
B or busts are identified by fuzzy logic which has been proven to be
accurate. These are removed as many are dupes. Uniques are checked and at
least in my checking most are
left are pure uniques but some are marked for review by the log checkers in
the file. If a log is clean with no exceptions the log is made final. The
exceptions noted are reviewed by several criteria. They are good unless
proven bad by the checkers. The checkers make final changes to the logs and
the final file is made ready for reporting.
What has happened is all the logs are now given equal and fair treatment.
At least in the CQ 160 Contests the final scores are thus more fair and
accurate. I think the ARRL and the CQ WW contests are the same way.
Now if we can find a way to make sure a log is received. Every year several
who claim to have send a hand log don't get in and the same for e-logs.
Some e-logs just get lost. If they are not on archive at the robot or in my
e-mail log files I have no way to know if the contestant sent one. The
final court is to get a copy of the robot reply with the log number. Every
year one or two can't show this thus they get left out.
73 Dave K4JRB
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