[CQ-Contest] UBN reports, log checking, and Administration of same.

[Tom Lindtveit]

Let me make this clear: I AM NOT AGAINST COMPUTERIZED LOG CHECKING
I THINK THE NEW LOG CHECKING SYSTEMS WILL BE GOOD FOR CONTESTING IN THE LONG
RUN.

Having said that, I just got my UBN report for the ARRL DX CW contest. I've
looked at it as much as I can stand to and can barely make heads or tails
out of what it is TRYING to tell me. Now I know that the fellas that
VOLENTEERED to check the logs and do all the associated work do not deserve
to be yelled at, BUT we need to look at how this whole thing is being
administered.
 We have had three (ARRL) contests checked by computer. Each of the three
were done by different groups using different software as far as I can tell.
It also seems that each of the three had their own slant on what constitutes
a good QSO verses a bad one. And for sure they have all output the checking
reports in VERY different formats. This last report is so cryptic that I
can't really tell if I lost any Q's due to busted reports or what. The
abbreviations used are confusing at best, and in any case are explained
nowhere in the report.
 It is my opinion that as Contest sponsors go, the ARRL does far and away
the best job. They have almost always been responsive to requests. Their
rules are clear and usually followed. The awards go out in a timely fashion
(I'm still waiting for a certificate from the 1997 SAC, as a comparison).
But I think they should realize that they have made a mistake in the way
they are handling this log checking stuff.

Computerized log checking opens a whole new dimension to the sport and will
change the way we operate in the future (for the better, I hope). It seems
to me that in hindsight, it would have been nice if they allowed some sort
of warning that this was coming with the 98/99 contest season. Barring that,
they should have had  a ramp up year to avoid the shock many are going thru
looking at the beating their scores are taking. The negative feelings
created cannot be good for the hobby. In addition, and more importantly,
they should publish the exact criteria by which they are checking the logs
and how they are handling penalty points, etc.. Lastly, the reports should
be as easy to read as those we got for sweepstakes.
 It just seems to me that the stuff coming out of the contest branch in the
last six months has had too many surprises in it. I am beginning to loose
confidence.
  I think the new log checking will benefit the sport when things smooth
out. I think the folks that have done all the thinking, programming, and
work on these log checking programs deserve a hell of a lot of credit and
thanks. But I think the way this whole thing is being administered is ....
Well, lets just say it leaves a LOT to be desired.
 Sorry if this was long winded, but I've been off the reflector for a year
and a half (to keep my stress level under control) and I'm not yet back up
to speed on the "surgical strike".

73 es CU in the pile-ups
Tom, N2SA


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