[CQ-Contest] Maybe a better idea for certificates

[Radiosporting Fan]

--- Jim Monahan <K1PX at msn.com> wrote:

> The method that I envision for certificate
> distribution eventually is to be able
> to access your results and then print your own
> certificate from the contest sponsors
> website for those that are eligible.

Bingo, Jim!  We have a winner!

Radiosports in the 21st Century should be exploiting
21st Century technology in its support.  The contest
robots were a good start, but there is a lot of room
for improvement and your suggestion is the right next
step.  There are more steps to take, but I'm reserving
my opinion on them until after the flame war on this
post has subsided a bit. :)

A v-a-s-t majority of radiosporters use web/e-mail. 
Dare I say that ALL of the top radiosporters (those
who would be most likely to qualify for such a
certificate in the first place) do?  Here's a very
simple strategy that sponsors can use *now*.  It is
one [of many, btw] that will work well for those who
are still shackled to manual processes to a large
degree, and requires only minimal web-skill to
implement...

1. Create a computer template for the certificates.
2. Create a mail-merge of the recipients.
3. Download on of many *free* PDF writers.
4. Do the mail merge, creating the PDF certificates.
5. Upload them to a website where folks can download
and print their own at their leisure.

On the other hand, those sponsors (and participants)
who don't utilize the advantages that such simple
technology can provide get what they bargained for and
should stop complaining about the delay in getting
hand-generated paper snail-mailed to them.

Ev Tupis, W2EV



		
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