The Russian DX Contest (www.rdxc.org) is one of my favorite contests. It is
only 24 hours long, uses both modes, and has generated a very high activity
level during its short life.
The RDXC committee mailed a UBN log checking report to every entrant. I had
a much higher score reduction than I am normally used to so I studied the
file.
I lost 105 QSOs (out of 1740 claimed). Ouch! This also cost 13
multipliers.
Bad calls = 2
Bad exchanges = 19
Bad callsign or not in the contest = 10
Those I am fine with and they are in line with my normal error rates. It
looks like these busted QSOs carry 1 additional QSO penalty.
I was very surprised to discover that I also lost credit for all QSOs where
the other station made a copying error.
19 stations busted my call: KH7D (3), K9ZD (4), K5GD, K5ZT, KH8ZD, K5EZD,
K5ZB(2), K5ZI, K5ZM, K57D, K4ZD. They are mostly common busts of my call
(e.g., H for 5 on CW and 9 for 5 on SSB). One stretch of busted QSOs must
have been created by a callsign error on packet. Not sure what I can do
about these.
45 stations busted my number. Many were off by only one digit, but that's
enough to lose the QSO (and the mult).
So of my total score reductions, 31 were in my log and 64 were from the
other station's log!
The RDXC clearly spell out the log checking penalties in the rules. (Another
good reason to always read the rules before the contest!)
"16. Penalties are counted as tripled good QSO points.
QSO is penalized for the following:
- incorrectly logged calls (Bad Call)
- incorrectly logged exchange numbers
- QSO is not present in the other station log (NIL)
QSO neither counted nor penalized for the following:
- other station incorrectly logged entrant's call
- other station incorrectly logged entrant's exchange number
- QSO time in entrant's log and other station's log difference is more than
3 minutes (except systematic computer errors)
- QSO bands or modes in entrant's log and other station's log differ.
- dupe QSO which is not in the other station's log. "
I am all for accuracy in contest exchanges. Being sloppy should cost
points. However, I think it is important for everyone to be aware of the
accuracy standard being applied for this contest. Everything must be
confirmed both ways for a QSO to count.
If you are not serious in the contest -- please don't send in your log.
This will just cause lost points for the other stations.
If you do send in a log -- please make sure you are copying everything
correctly. There is no point in making a QSO that will not be counted due
to any possible error.
I will operate the RDXC seriously this year because it is a WRTC qualifying
event. I plan to send slower (I already send slower than most!), send my
call more (every QSO), and confirm that other stations copied my info
correctly (now I know why the Russians often repeat back what they copied).
If you work me, please get it right!
Randy, K5ZD
PS - You can view my UBN file at
http://www.k5zd.com/scores/ubn/rdxc08_K5ZD_ubn.txt
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