[CQ-Contest] Sweepstakes -Automatic Fill - 93 or 67

[Dick Green WC1M]

The fact that you can't know what the other station logs is probably why the
status quo in log checking is to *not* hold you responsible for the other
station's errors -- up to a point. You won't be penalized for a
one-character error in your call, but you will be penalized with a NIL if
the other station incorrectly logs two or more characters in your call. This
probably has more to do with practical considerations than holding you
responsible for the error: it's somewhere between difficult and impossible
for the log program to accurately match your call when more than one
character is different.

That said, I think you do have an ethical responsibility to correct the
other station when you know your call or the exchange hasn't been copied
correctly. For example, When the other station responds to my call with
"WK1M" or "WY1M", I could just do nothing and let the station log me that
way. I would suffer no penalty, but the other station would -- in some
contests it would cost the other station a multi-QSO deduction. But I always
try my best to correct my call in cases like this, even though I don't have
to, and even though it takes precious time and even though I'm not always
successful (especially on 160!) It's not correct to assume that the other
person is a poor operator and thus undeserving of help: a badly timed static
crash can garble a call in the ears of the best of us.

Part of the justification for allowing amateurs to use valuable spectrum for
"playing contest" is to develop station equipment and operating skills that
are needed in emergency situations. By stressing accurate transmission and
reception of the message, as SS does in spades, we develop traffic handling
skills. Obviously, if you're in a life-or-death situation, you will do
everything in your power to make sure the message is copied accurately,
regardless of which end of the transmission you're handling. You would, in
fact, take responsibility for the other station copying you, to whatever
extent is possible. I think it's quite healthy to expect contesters to do
the same: if you know the other op made a mistake, you have an
responsibility to help correct the error, even if it takes extra time to do
so.

73, Dick WC1M

 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: N7mal [mailto:n7mal at citlink.net]
> Sent: Thursday, April 09, 2009 12:57 AM
> To: cq-contest at contesting.com; Tom Frenaye
> Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] Sweepstakes -Automatic Fill - 93 or 67
> 
> Thanks for your comment but how could I possibly be penalized because you
> didn't copy the exchange correctly? Without my physically seeing your log
> how, and or, why could I be held responsible for your mistakes? If we both
> send "QSL" I have to assume(ass/u/me) you copied what I sent correctly.
> I would like the contest sponsor to chime in and explain what ""logged
> correctly by each station "" means.
> Thanks again
> Best 73
> 
> 
> MAL
> N7MAL
> BULLHEAD CITY, AZ
> http://www.n7mal.com
> Everyone in the world is
> entitled to be burdened
> by my opinion
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Tom Frenaye
> To: cq-contest at contesting.com
> Sent: Thursday, April 09, 2009 2:34
> Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] Sweepstakes -Automatic Fill - 93 or 67
> 
> 
> At 09:46 PM 4/8/2009, N7mal wrote:
> >I've been following this thread and many other similar threads with one
and
> >only one question: Why do you care how someone else logs you???? There is
> >no
> >penalty to you if the other guy copies your exchange wrong. As long as
your
> >log is OK and has been pointed out your exchange is consistent throughout
> >the weekend, why do you care???
> 
> Actually, Mal.  The way I read the ARRL contest rules, you could be
> penalized if the person you work copies your exchange or callsign
> incorrectly.  That isn't what has been done in the past, but I think it
> could happen.
> 
> http://www.arrl.org/contests/announcements/rules-all.html
> 
> Under section 3 of the General Rules for all ARRL Contests, it says:
> 
> "3.2. All callsigns and exchange information must be sent, received,
> acknowledged and logged correctly by each station for a complete QSO."
> 
> and section 7:
> 
> "7.2.  Score reduction may be made for taking credit for unconfirmed QSOs
or
> multipliers, duplicate contacts or other scoring discrepancies."
> 
> So - after a quick reading, it appears the log checkers could assess
> penalties to both sides if one station has something incorrect.
> 
> I'm not suggesting that should happen, but it could.
> 
> And, I do care if someone copies my exchange or callsign incorrectly.  It
> matters.  The rules say so.
> 
>                     -- Tom
> 
>