John, K4BAI, makes a very good point and one that I had not thought of, e.g.
the computer sends one higher number than it should be. There is also the
other side of that problem. In most programs if there is no info in the
"Call" column, it sends the previous QSO number or one less than it should
be. This can happen if you miss the call and are waiting for it to be sent
again or even if you have just fallen behind becuz you can't type at 200
QSOs per hour. If you are receiving this info and have not been listening
to the station sending for a while, you would never know that the number
sent was in error. And, in many cases, the sending operator is totally
unaware that the computer just sent a wrong number because he's busy trying
to type in the missing call. I think the checking computer is totally right
to allow a QSO number plus or minus one without penality.
73,
Dennis K2SX
----- Original Message -----
From: "John Laney" <k4bai@worldnet.att.net>
To: "Chuck Adams, K7QO" <k7qo@earthlink.net>; <cq-contest@contesting.com>
Sent: Wednesday, November 06, 2002 3:07 PM
Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] SS CW thoughts
> Chuck:
>
> Thanks for the QSO. I was guest op at W4AN.
>
> Not everyone who uses a bug has trouble sending numbers correctly. You
> can't know who is using computer generated CW or just using an
> electronic keyer. The computer generated numbers are at least as
> unreliable as the ones sent by an electronic keyer. In some programs,
> if you ENTER the QSO before giving a fill, the fill sends the NEXT QSO
> number, not the one that you intended to send. If you are not
> listening, you will not catch and correct the error. The guy with the
> electronic keyer (or bug) will NOT make that mistake. I am pretty sure
> that I had two guys give me the wrong number because of that very
> problem...I asked for a confirmation or correction and they sent me the
> number after the one they had originally sent, but both insisted that
> the second number was correct....so what can you do but log the later
> number?
>
> You worry too much. Those guys will probably not send logs in and no
> one will lose the QSOs. Or they will send in a paper log that won't be
> used for cross checking. Even then, if you lose the QSO, you lose the
> QSO. There is no penalty as there is for a NOT IN LOG claimed QSO. So,
> you lose nothing by making and logging the QSO.
>
> I have been told that, in at least one contest, the logging software
> does not kick out QSO numbers that are off by only one number, apprently
> because of the computer problem I mentioned previously. (This was not
> ARRL SS.)
>
> We do this for fun. Let's keep it that way.
>
> 73,
>
>
> John, K4BAI/8P9HT/8P9Z.
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