> Getting the results sooner would be great and maybe set a new standard for
> faster result turn-around times for all ARRL contests.
There are already steps that have been taken to start reducing the result
timing with respect to the log submission deadline. The automated
processes for many of the contests are now mature enough to support this,
although this might not yet be true for the VHF contests (they were the
last ones to move to computer log processing).
Also, having the results on the web has done two things. In addition to
removing the publishing and mailing delay, it has made the scores and
the results two different entities - which means the scores can be publised
before the written article.
Two of the biggest hurdles are:
1. Not all logs are submitted electronically. And so far, the ARRL (and
other major contests sponsors) have not chosen to go to a "electronic
only" requirement. In fact, I am not sure of any contest that has, other
than some very small contests.
2. Even some electronic logs are not correct. People don't always have
the latest versions of their program and don't respond quickly to either
robot messages or personal requests for the correct format.
For the contests I am involved with for the ARRL, I believe the results
are clocking in about one or two months sooner than before.
There are smaller contests, such as the NCJ CW Sprint, where the results
were on the web about 48 hours after the log submission deadline. To
do this takes a lot of work during the submission deadline, to keep on
top of the logs. This might not be practical for the ARRL, where they
are probably focused on getting the results pulled together for some
other contest and can't divide their focus. It also isn't practical
when the number of submissions gets very large.
73 Tree N6TR
tree@kkn.net
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