[CQ-Contest] CTY-1509 Release Notes

[Jim Reisert AD1C]

Howdy folks,

I have put up some release notes for the next revision of the Contest
Country Files:

    http://www.k1ea.com/cty/history.htm#CTY-1509

    * Changed name of Western Samoa, 5W to Samoa

    * Removed the following exceptions under United States, K: K0RH,
      K3EST, K4GM, K4LW, K4OH, K7RL, KH0A, KH0R, KL7CQ, KL7FDQ, KL7P,
      KP2AA, KP4US, N3UA, N7BF, NH2DX, NP4H, NP4V, W2GB, W2RU, W3TZ,
      W5ZL, W6AZ, W6PH, WH2V, WK4R, WL7PC, WP2Z, WT6G, WW5DX and WY4Y 

    * Added the following exceptions under United States, K (because
      another exception call is similar): K0JJM, K0JJR, K0TVD, K1GUG,
      K1NTR, K2HTO, K4BXC, K4VUD, K5ZDG, K7GMF, K7REL, KD5MDO, KL7FDQ,
      N2BJL, N4IRR, N6MWA, NA4MA, NU4BP, W0YRN, W0ZZQ, W1DYH, W1DYJ,
      W7LRD and W9GEN

    * 4U50VIC is Austria, OE (except during CQWW)

    * PW0ZT and PX0T are both prefixes for Trindade, PY0T (a comma was missing)

    * VA2ZM, VA2VFT and KD3TB/VE2 are all in CQ Zone 2

    * Fixed some more callsign exceptions that did not make it into ARRL.CTY 

Let me explain the new process I use for the USA callsign exceptions:

I take the current FCC database and search it for all calls that are
in a different CQ zone than the callsign indicates, i.e. K5ZD in Zone
5 or NL7CO in Zone 4.  Note that over 11% of the calls in the October
2005 FCC database fall into this category!  Then I compare this list
against the master callsign database compiled by Randy, K5ZD.  If an
exception call is "popular enough" (found in large number of logs),
that call is added to the country file.  Currently the threshold is
100 log appearances to be included.  This is because both CT and NA
impose hard (software) limits on the maximum number of callsign
exceptions, and I have to support these two programs.  This is all
automated by a program and only takes a few seconds to run, easier
than typing calls in by hand (it takes longer to download the database
from the FCC)!

Note that in some cases, the address in the FCC database does NOT
match the QTH of the station - WP2Z is a case in point.  I have a
list of these "exceptions to the exceptions" built into the program
and strip them from the exception list.

Another complication is that by adding an exception callsign, the
software treats this as a PREFIX, so this exception might affect other
calls.  For example, K0TV is in NH, CQ Zone 5, but K0TVD is in IA, CQ
Zone 4.  Therefore, I have to add back in some other callsigns from
the master database so that they come up correctly.  There about 20
extra callsigns added because of this.

I am no longer accepting requests to be added to the list.  Make a lot
of contacts and maybe you will be added some day.

I hope this explains the process.

Please send me any other corrections ASAP.  I hope to publish the new
file Wednesday evening (Thursday morning GMT).

73 - Jim AD1C