[CQ-Contest] Additions to WCSD

[Pete Smith]

I'm happy to announce addition of two new features to the World HF Contest 
Station Database.  A specialized search has been added for amplifiers, 
along with radios and logging software, and each of the specialized 
searches now reports the number of hits, depending on your search criteria, 
so you can see (within limits) how many listings there are for Icom, Yaesu 
or Kenwood radios, or who uses which logging program.

Before the partisans of various radios, logging software, etc. jump on 
these numbers as proof of anything, be aware of a few things:

Listing in the database is purely voluntary, so results may not be 
representative of any particular stratum or group within the contesting 
community.

Entries in each field are composed by the contributor of the information, 
and no editing has been done for consistency of format, so the Heath SB-220 
amplifier, for example, may be represented as "SB-220" or 
"SB220."  Depending on whether or not the hyphen is in your query, the 
results will be quite different.

There are data in the database that have not been updated since as long ago 
as 1996 or 1997.  There are also multiple listings, where an operator chose 
to list both a special contest call and a regular call-sign.  And there may 
well be duplicative information; I just discovered that a well-known 
Florida contester is listed under his callsign /4, from 1997, and also 
under the straight call, but with Florida information, from 2000.  Guess who?

For all that, I hope you get some fun out of the database, and if you catch 
any hiccups in the data, please let me know, either by updating your 
listing on the web page, or by sending me an e-mail.  Please *don't* update 
anyone else's information; I'll probably catch it, but there's too much 
potential for confusion.  Also, don't expect your update or new listing to 
show immediately; for quality control, I do the updating off-line every few 
weeks.

Thanks!

73, Pete N4ZR
The World HF Contest Station Database
is back, at www.pvrc.org/WCSD/WCSDsearch.htm