The cabrillo format makes contesting easier, it makes log checking much more
accurate and useful to both the contest committee and to the person who is
contesting.
Back in the "old days" when I started this game we would print out the log
right after the BARTG, put a bunch of pretty stamps on about 1 1/2 pounds of
package and fire it off to John at BARTG.
Some months later there would appear a magic list with the results of the
contest.
Now I started having a few problems shortly after reading some of the
results on the RTTY Roundup a contest I knew fairly well. Seems some
stations would have things like 232 mults. Now having just won this contest
with say 109 or something I knew right away two things.
1. The results were meaningless in general.
2. The results were not even looked at by the people putting down the
scores.
3. Maybe the top 1-10 were checked but I doubt it.
More of this came about some years later on a CQWW when the famous log
arrived a couple of months after the deadline. Then there was the time I
heard about them using the CT stuff and the "master database for SSB"
against our logs.
Only with Cabrillo has come great log checking. Now if you win you know you
have won. People whine about reduced scores, now not to open that can of
worms, but I looked very carefully and yes, I had to tell my good friend
Gary K7GS that it was worthless to work me if he didn't send in his log. So
guess what after loosing him in probably 10 contests this year he started
sending in his Roundup log. He stated to me today at lunch, its "just so
easy to do, a couple of clicks" he actually sent 'em 6 copies which Trey's
cool robot at the ARRL handled just swell.
The ONLY problem with Cabrillo is if the contest software doesn't have a
contest module or it doesn't work (this is the case for the NA SPRINT in the
RTTY mode) It doesn't work very well. People use the old internet sprint,
etc., etc..
So for my two cents worth Cabrillo and real log checking along with the
uniques and all the rest makes the game even more fun.
Send in those logs! It really is cheap and doesn't take much time. I must
admit that my RU log took me three try's to the robot.
Jay
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