Paul, I use NA extensively in RSGB Contests including the IOTA Contest. Last
year,
Dave, K8CC, kindly included support for the IOTA Contest, although we (GU6,7,8D)
had used it previously with manual mult checking. In 99, we had no major
problems
using two laptops with PCMCIA cards, networking the computers and DX Cluster on
the mult position computer. If only our access to a node had been more
reliable! One
thing Dave included at my request was the ability to "think" about IOTA
references. So,
you can type E5 and it will record EU005, N14 gives NA014. This is certainly
helpful
when running at100 plus an hour (Ok that's not fast, but it is when your FULL
exchange
is something like 59 1587 Europe 114)!!
The main problem area I would say is that if you type in A4, it doesn't know if
you mean
AF004 or AS004, so you do have to say which, ie AF4 or AS4. I am not sure if
Dave
wishes to pick this one up, I haven't particularly pressed him, but it seems to
me that the
Continent could be picked up from the callsign. Tell you what, that would be
neat as all
you would need to type in would be say 7 if you were running JA, Honshu Island
(and we
did just that last year!)
There is another potential problem area for multi-op groups and that is the
allocation of a
serial number for a new mult qso on the second computer. Currently the rules
allow just
one series of numbers, so the mult station has to "allocate" a number. It's a
bit messy but
workable given that the mult station would only be working around 10 Qs per
hour.
I need to get some debate going as to whether we should change the rules on
this one.
As regards RSGB domestic contests, I use NA in both CW and SSB Field Days.
Obviously the scoring routines aren't available, but it's no hassle to stuff
the .LOG
file into Excel, add points in a new column and calculate. (I do that anyway to
check
for funnies such as missed /P.) For SSB, I produced a template which tidies up
the
logging screen and the correct the mults.
AFS and the LF Cumulatives are ok as scoring is simple. In the past I produced
a mult file for the county codes but haven't done so yet for the new district
codes.
I have talked to Dave about templates but to be honest it is not worth his
trouble,
given my above comments.
Hope this is useful to you and other NA/RSGB contesters. Chris G3SJJ
IOTA Contest organiser and until recently Chairman RSGB HF Contests Committee
----- Original Message -----
From: Paul Brice-Stevens <paul@g0wat.demon.co.uk>
To: <na-user@contesting.com>
Sent: Wednesday, February 09, 2000 8:19 PM
Subject: [na-user] Supported Contests - RSGB?
>
> I would be obliged if there are any NA users out there who could
> enlighten me as to the contests NA supports. this iis in particular
> reference to IOTA and the possibility of configuring NA to cover RSGB
> contests such as NFD.
>
> Yours in need of enlightenment prior to possible purchase
> Paul
> G0WAT
> --
> Paul Brice-Stevens
>
> --
> Submissions: na-user@contesting.com
> Administrative requests: na-user-REQUEST@contesting.com
> WWW: http://www.contesting.com/datom/
> Questions: owner-na-user@contesting.com
>
>
--
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