[CQ-Contest] Rookie Contest

David Pruett k8cc at comcast.net
Sat Feb 13 15:01:52 PST 2010 

Speaking as one of the ARRL volunteer log checkers, our biggest problem 
is the people who can't seem to operate their logging software 
properly.  In fairness, a lot of people do, but a significant number 
can't seem to even set up their software so that their log is accurate 
(i.e., is a truthful representation of their activity in the contest).   
I check the ARRL 10M contest and you'd be surprised how many people send 
in logs showing the wrong sent exchange, and with even their own 
callsign wrong.  We spend much more time correcting such logs (where 
EVERY QSO is screwed up) than we do waiting for the logs to arrive.  I'd 
rather give people 30 days to submit logs properly than to rush them and 
have even more screwed up logs that we have to manually correct.

Some people seem to think this is no big deal, but if you send in a log 
under the wrong callsign or with the wrong sent exchange (i.e., that 
doesn't represent what you actually used in the contest) then everyone 
you work gets dinged unfairly with NILs or BUSTs.  As logcheckers, we 
try REALLY hard to not allow this to happen, but it's a mostly manual 
task which requires a fair amount of detective work and consumes a LOT 
of our time.

Bob AD5VJ wrote:
> Hi John
>
> Someone correct me if I am wrong, but I have read where this is an attempt
> to keep unscrupulous contesters from spending a lot of time manipulating
> their logs (which is understandable).
>
> The other argument I have heard is that the logs ever so slowly dribble in
> leaving the contest log coordinators waiting an unusually unnecessary time
> until the last log comes in.
>
> I agree that a month seems like an awfully long time under today's standards
> and technology. Originally, I am sure you remember, it was 30 days because
> you had to use manual dupe sheets - dupe out the log(s) and recheck the dupe
> sheets. You had a second and third contester in your group double and triple
> check all of that to insure the logs submitted were accurate before
> submission.
>
> Today the software we use does all that within minutes or even seconds (in
> my case HIHI). Even if we use paper logs we can always do some data entry
> into an application that will do the hard part then print it out for
> submission.
>
> 73,
> Bob AD5VJ
>
>
>   
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: John Geiger [mailto:aa5jg at yahoo.com]
>> Sent: Saturday, February 13, 2010 8:51 AM
>> To: cq-contest at contesting.com; 'James Duffey'; Bob AD5VJ
>> Cc: 'James Duffey'; 'Ward Silver'
>> Subject: RE: [CQ-Contest] Rookie Contest
>>
>> Or how about 30 days which is standard fare for every other contest.
>> Why reinvent the wheel-such a time limit has worked fine since the
>> start of contesting.
>>
>> 73s John AA5JG
>>
>> --- On Sat, 2/13/10, Bob AD5VJ <rtnmi at sbcglobal.net> wrote:
>>
>>     
>>> From: Bob AD5VJ <rtnmi at sbcglobal.net>
>>> Subject: RE: [CQ-Contest] Rookie Contest
>>> To: "'John Geiger'" <aa5jg at yahoo.com>, cq-contest at contesting.com,
>>>       
>> "'James Duffey'" <jamesduffey at comcast.net>
>>     
>>> Cc: "'James Duffey'" <jamesduffey at comcast.net>, "'Ward Silver'"
>>>       
>> <hwardsil at gmail.com>
>>     
>>> Date: Saturday, February 13, 2010, 8:48 AM
>>> I understand the reason for a time
>>> limit and agree there should be a time
>>> limit on submitting logs for any contest. However, 10 mins
>>> after the contest
>>> is just a little too short in my opinion. Too many
>>> possibilities of
>>> extenuating circumstances keeping one from meeting the time
>>> limit even if
>>> his intent was to do so.
>>>
>>> I know we want to target those who are lackadaisical in
>>> their submissions
>>> and agree we need to do something about them.
>>>
>>> I usually submit right after the contest, however, I have
>>> had circumstances
>>> here that would prohibit doing so.
>>>
>>> I agree let's think in terms of a time limit because there
>>> is nothing worse
>>> for a sorter to have to languish for days on end waiting
>>> for final logs to
>>> come in, but let's think in terms of one that would work
>>> even if there was
>>> trouble with submitting it.
>>>
>>> I have sometimes had internet problems for longer than 10
>>> mins.
>>>
>>> Let's consider 24 hours or 48 hours or something along that
>>> line, enforce it
>>> and stick to it.
>>>
>>> 73,
>>> Bob AD5VJ
>>>
>>>       
>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>> From: cq-contest-bounces at contesting.com
>>>>         
>>> [mailto:cq-contest-
>>>       
>>>> bounces at contesting.com]
>>>>         
>>> On Behalf Of John Geiger
>>>       
>>>> Sent: Friday, February 12, 2010 10:20 PM
>>>> To: cq-contest at contesting.com;
>>>>         
>>> James Duffey
>>>       
>>>> Cc: James Duffey; Ward Silver
>>>> Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] Rookie Contest
>>>>
>>>> I guess I still don't see the point.  How is
>>>>         
>>> having to have your log
>>>       
>>>> submitted within 10 minutes after the contest ends any
>>>>         
>>> more appropriate
>>>       
>>>> for rookie contesters than any other contester?
>>>>         
>>> How is it really
>>>       
>>>> appropriate at all?  After all, I do have a life
>>>>         
>>> outside of ham radio
>>>       
>>>> and sometimes things get crazy enough around here that
>>>>         
>>> I can't just
>>>       
>>>> drop everything and submit a log within the magical 10
>>>>         
>>> minute window.
>>>       
>>>> 73s John AA5JG
>>>>
>>>> --- On Fri, 2/12/10, James Duffey <jamesduffey at comcast.net>
>>>>         
>>> wrote:
>>>       
>>>>> From: James Duffey <jamesduffey at comcast.net>
>>>>> Subject: [CQ-Contest] Rookie Contest
>>>>> To: cq-contest at contesting.com
>>>>> Cc: "James Duffey" <jamesduffey at comcast.net>,
>>>>>           
>>> "Ward Silver"
>>>       
>>>> <hwardsil at gmail.com>
>>>>         
>>>>> Date: Friday, February 12, 2010, 3:06 PM
>>>>> Ward - Bravo to you and the others
>>>>> for moving the contesting world into the 21st
>>>>>           
>>> century. It is
>>>       
>>>>> long overdue and I hope that it grows from a
>>>>>           
>>> single contest
>>>       
>>>>> into many. It may not be appropriate for all
>>>>>           
>>> contests an
>>>       
>>>>> contesters, but it seems right for the new rookie
>>>>>           
>>> contest. -
>>>       
>>>>> Duffey
>>>>> --
>>>>> KK6MC
>>>>> James Duffey
>>>>> Cedar Crest NM
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>> CQ-Contest mailing list
>>>>> CQ-Contest at contesting.com
>>>>> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/cq-contest
>>>>>
>>>>>           
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> CQ-Contest mailing list
>>>> CQ-Contest at contesting.com
>>>> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/cq-contest
>>>>         
>>>       
>>
>>     
>
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