[CQ-Contest] [RTTY] dupes

[Steve Harrison]

At 07:41 AM 8/27/2007 -0700, Ed Muns wrote:
>> Writelog notifies you if it's a dupe, but there's no warning 
>> or prevention for letting you enter it in the log.  It just 
>> doesn't score any points.
>
>That's fine for when you are in run mode and someone calls you.  But I do
>think it is convenient when the program can be configured to prohibit my
>calling a dupe when I am in S&P mode.  That way I can quickly enter a call
>sign, hit <Enter> to let the program dump my call sign in based on whether
>it is a new QSO or prohibit transmission if it is a dupe.

Some of us still aren't entirely proficient at entering callsigns for a
dupe check the first time without a typo and so the logger "dupe-check"
transmission-prevention feature doesn't catch our error. As Steve London
has said on the N1MM logger reflector, that's the primary reason for what's
now called the "Visible Dupe Sheet" (VDS) in N1MM Logger: it lists all
worked calls and is far, FAR easier to watch than most logger programs'
check-partial lists. One really nice thing about it, especially compared to
a check-partial list, is that when a callsign takes a dive due to
QSB/QRN/QRM, the list helps me decide whether it's someone I've already
worked or a possible new one; that saves lots of time since logger programs
must otherwise have the entire, and CORRECT, callsign typed in before they
can perform any sort of dupe check.

Most lately, I've found watching the VDS is way easier and prevents me from
a flurry of keyboard-pounding to see whether I've worked someone I hear.
And using the VSD seems to have also helped me remember that I've worked
someone. It saves my energy, helps me concentrate, and generally gives me a
good feeling that I'm keeping up with what I'm working.

The major bad part is after some hours, the VSD list can become large and
cumbersome. Since it was developed primarily for the NAQPs, it's also
limited to displaying only up to 300 callsigns PER BAND so is of limited
utility in major contests after some hours when it gets filled up.

Steve, K0XP