[CQ-Contest] Post contest review, Opinions?

[Mitchell, Tim T.K.]

As a log checker* and as a participant, here is my personal opinion:

There is a stated contest period in the rules.  During this time it is
acceptable to make changes to the log (within the rules).  Once the contest
is over... well, the contest is over (NO CHANGES, in case that was not
obvious).  (except where the rules specifically allow a period of time to
make changes, like wrtc... in which case the contest is not really over).

*As a log checker I have to do what the contest sponsor wants.  If they ask
me to do something I don't believe in, I opt out of participating in
checking their logs.  As a log checker, I think people need to review (not
change) what they send in to make sure a few simple things: they are
submitting the correct contest log, they have generated a complete log, they
have sent a cabrillo log, the call they used in the contest is the one in
the log, they have sent information, etc.  This type of stuff is where the
post contest verification needs to be.

For those who want to split hairs:
 - I don't believe it is fair/ethical or anything else to scrub a log
   with recordings (during the contest or not).  You have your opportunity
   to make the qso at the time it is happening, if you miss something...
   and the station is gone, oh well, no qso.  Find him later and work em.
   They will likely say B4 but hit them with a NO NIL and if they
   work you again, great... If not, the log checkers will get them.

   Personally, I will not hit you with a B4.  I will work you again
   anyway.  That is faster.

 - If someone doesn't confirm my qso in sprint... I delete the qso from
   my log.  This weekend there were several.  If they take off and don't
   handle my question for some part of the exchange... no qso.
   (on the topic of sprint, people with quick trigger fingers/qsk are
     a real pain in the butt.  wait a micro-second after I send to
     start sending.  Especially if I ask for a repeat and you do the
     same thing, again.  If you're talkin before I'm listening...
     nothing good can come from this!)

  To qualify this, if we finish the qso and no one has chimed in before
  we confirm... and it is OBVIOUS that you didn't confirm.  You're out.
  If there is a mess, and I am in doubt... I will ask u to cfm.  If u
  choose not to, you're out.

 - I don't think it is ethical to use callsign databases to scrub the
   log after the fact.  If you want to use supercheck during the qso,
   that is ok (emphasis on during the QSO).  If you guess at the call...
   you are still guessing.  Personally, I don't like supercheck, it
   makes it too easy to guess rather than actually listen.

This view is only my own and you can do what you want.  This is my interp of
the rules and allows me to sleep at night.  Perhaps sponsors need to state
this stuff but then again, enforcing it would be impossible.  If someone
wants to cheat, they will.

Personally, I think 30 days after for submission of logs is way too long (in
the old paper days, fine).  Of course you have people in locations with
limited access, so wrtc style (10 minutes after) is not possible so maybe
something like by Friday of the week after the contest ends (no weekend
involved)?  This would also help the other gripe about results publication
being delayed.

73 Tim K9TM
   


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