[CQ-Contest] Contest Log Processing

[Michael Coslo]

On Jan 28, 2009, at 11:41 AM, Lee Buller wrote:

>
>
> I've been working with a group to help put on the Kansas QSO Party  
> this year.  One of the issues that I've been thinking about is how  
> are logs processed?  I do NOT want to do them by hand.
>

What you need to do is get some sample cabrillo logs from as many  
different programs as you can before starting. When I bring a log in  
to work on it, the field order is different from log to log. So there  
is going to be hand work whether you do it by hand, or  
"automatically". Plus some logging programs put out different  
information for the same thing.


> Are the Cabrillo Logs all placed in a database and then you run  
> through everyone looking for issues?
>
> Is there any software already out there?
>
> I wonder how long it takes for something like SS logs to spin  
> through a database?  Just asking, don't know what goes on in  
> tabulating and checking log scores.


If logfiles were consistent, and you were not going to make any  
judgement calls and rely on the computers judgement, (not really  
recommended) not much time at all. Minutes maybe?

But there are judgements to be made. At what point do you consider a  
call busted? Some logging programs accept any letters typed into a  
field, some don't. Sometimes say a section name is mis-typed, Say MTN  
instead of MT, but looking at the other log, you can see it was a good  
QSO. Computer is going to say it is wrong, but let's not forget that a  
lot of programs won't allow a misspelled entry. So in my book, that is  
a good call. I draw the line when there is just no way to figure out  
the section.

That's one example. There are others. You will be looking at a lot of  
logs and parts of logs whether you do it by computer or not.  The idea  
of plugging logs in and getting the answer immediately is shared only  
by those who never had to do log checking, automatically or by hand.


-73 de Mike N3LI -