[CQ-Contest]

[Henderson, Dan N1ND]

As we progress with the ARRL Contest Robot project, we are able to add some
new features, which will help all of us towards our goal of the most
accurate results possible.

To that end, we have today posted on the ARRL Contest Branch web page a list
of clubs that have participated in ARRL contest events in recent years.  In
order for the robot to process your entry properly and count it towards your
club's total, it needs to have some type of standard designator for each
club.  You will find our list at http://www.arrl.org/contests/club-list.html

If you can't determine which entry is your club, please contact me.  We can
adjust the full club names when necessary.  If you don't see your club
listed get in touch with me as well.  We can edit the list to add new clubs.
Keep in mind this is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all ARRL
affiliated clubs.  It is simply a list of clubs that have been participating
in the ARRL Affiliated Club Competitions and Field Days in the past few
years.

It was suggested that a list of abbreviations be added to the list.  We have
not done this at this time for the simple reason that some clubs might share
the same acronym with a different club in another area.  For example, the
Greenville ARC and the Greenwich ARC might both use GARC - but our robot
wouldn't know the difference.  If we used GARC for the Greenville ARC and
GrARC for the Greenwich Club, there would be cases where the Greenwich club
would complain "that isn't our club abbreviation" or would still use what
they traditionally use anyway. To keep possible problems to a minimum, we
have chosen to go with full club names (with a few abbreviations such as
ARC, Cty, Asoc. etc).

While we realize it isn't the perfect solution to the problem or the
solution some would have chosen, it is a system that works within the
framework of the database programs we use at the Contest Branch at ARRL
Headquarters. Please help spread the word to your friends, local reflectors,
etc. If you have questions, please feel free to contact me directly at
contests at arrl.org or by phone at 860-594-0232

Thanks and 73

Dan Henderson, N1ND
ARRL Contest Branch Manager


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