[CQ-Contest] Reprogram the robot

[Michael Keane, K1MK]

On Tue, 10 Dec 2002, "Dallas Carter" wrote:

> I think this is another issue that's being beaten to death here.

I must agree with Dallas W3PP, there's a lot less to this than meets the
eye.

So far there's been nothing to suggest that this has anything at all to
do with what is or isn't permitted in the exchange.

Am I wrong in concluding that, in this case, the robot isn't rejecting
the log because of what's shown as having been sent over the air as part
of the exchange. Rather, the robot is refusing to accept the log because
it has something non-standard on the ARRL-SECTION line of the Cabrillo
file. 

If so, it'd be a mistake to extrapolate from the robot's actions that
similarly strict restrictions also apply to what can or can't be used in
the exchange.

I don't see how the situation that's been described is any different
from what guys in EM(EMA), DEL(DE), WM(WMA), EP(EPA), MD(MDC), HI(PAC),
etc., etc. must be prepared to deal with should they also chose to send
something other than the ARRL's standard abbreviation to indicate their
"section." 

Is it such a big deal to have to edit the single instance of YT that
appears on the ARRL-SECTION: line in the Cabrillo file from YT to NWT?
That's all that it would take to make the log acceptable to the robot,
isn't it? 

That's no different from the review and possible correction of the
Cabrillo file that everyone who're not in YT(NWT), but who do employ a
"non-standard" abbreviation in their exchange, need to go through.
Actually, the review of the Cabrillo file is something that everyone
probably should go through. 

If the robot were to be "reprogrammed" and made to accept YT as a valid
value for ARRL-SECTION:, the ARRL would still list score(s) from VY1
under the heading of Northwest Territories in the results, And won't
Northwest Territories still be put on the certificate? Those are things
something that aren't going to change, are they? 

So why all the fuss about the form of a designator whose only use is to
be reported back to the ARRL and which no one outside the ARRL will ever
get to see or otherwise be cognizant of? 

NWT may be a terribly inappropriate choice as the "section" designator
for the VY1/VY0/VE8 multiplier, but since it is a "harmless fiction"
can't it be used even once, not on the air, but in the header line of a
Cabrillo file?

73,
Mike K1MK
 

Michael Keane K1MK
k1mk at arrl.net
________________________________________________
PeoplePC:  It's for people. And it's just smart. 
http://www.peoplepc.com