[CQ-Contest] Trying to compile list of all known Cabrillo contest IDs

[Scott Andersen]

VR2BrettGraham <vr2bg at harts.org.hk> wrote:

> Like WM5R pointed out, the spec is the spec.
>
> If it isn't in the spec, then it is not Cabrillo.
>
> If all these deviations from the spec were not called Cabrillo, then
> it would be fine.
>
> But they all define what they think is Cabrillo.

--snip--

As someone who has attempted to provide a Cabrillo-producing
program to the contesting community I admit I have been
frustrated by the generic usage of the term "Cabrillo" and
the imprecision of the specification. As the old saying goes,
"the best thing about standards is: everybody can have their
own."

In the end it only matters that you produce what the consumer
(the contest robot) wants. As an example, the specification
is silent on the form of the line-ending characters (CR? LF? CRLF?)
After banging my head against the wall for a while, I discovered
one particular robot really wanted the 'brand' of line-ends (CRLF).
Small you say? Picky? Sure. Until your log isn't accepted.
I can't be sure my program produces correct output until it is
tested against the particular contest robot with its unique
peculiarities.

I applaud the notion of tightening up the Cabrillo specification.
If this is the purpose of a V3 committee, then I look forward
to the fruits of their labors. The current "specification" is
really, at best, just a set of example templates that have been
implemented inconsistently by a myriad of contest sponsors.

The question is: do we have the will to clean this up? Or,
are we really just too entrenched with this pseudo-standard
to accept a wholesale change? I hope for the former, but
fear the latter is true.

-- Scott (NE1RD) author of Cab-Converter(TM)

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/cab-converter/


B. Scott Andersen    | "Magic is real, unless declared integer."
bsandersen at mac.com   | -- The collected sayings of Wiz Zumwalt
Acton, Massachusetts | Ham: NE1RD, QRP ARCI#11588, FP#-910