[CQ-Contest] Serial numbers

[Michael Coslo]

On Dec 21, 2005, at 5:36 PM, Tree wrote:

>
>>         Mutli-transmitter stations often start with different serial
>> numbers. Typically the first station takes 001 to 999, and the second
>> one takes 1000-1999, etc.
>>
>>         With the advent of network savvy logging software this  
>> doesn't have
>> to be the case any more, but then you have to have a local network
>> set up between your different stations.
>
> If only that were true.
>
> What if you start a QSO and hand out a number, but then you don't  
> complete
> the QSO - and in the meantime another station makes a QSO with the  
> next
> number.  Okay - what if 3 stations all do the same thing at the  
> same time...
>

	Busted QSO's, eh?

	You don't hit enter or that final tab until you have that QSO  
finished do you? 8^)



> You quickly make you head spin trying to deal with this...  and  
> what happens
> if the network goes down for a minute or two because someone  
> tripped on
> the network cable?

	Of course there are scenarios that can be a problem. We can come up  
with a lot of them just by using a computer at all.

	I would say that leaving a cable out in an area where someone could  
trip over it is not a good Amateur practice.

	There are other differences in network logging that can be an issue  
with some folks. For a software example, unless there is a field that  
tells you what your own personal rate is, you might only get the rate  
for the entire MM operation.


	But to the issue at hand, a proper local network is as reliable as  
the rest of the electronics in a station setup. The weakest link is  
the software running the log. Of course the prudent Amateur runs the  
software through it's paces before the contest!

	And of course, if the OPs don't care to use networked logging, there  
are other options. So much depends on whether you have computer  
network savvy Hams involved in the process.

	- 73 de Mike KB3EIA -