[CQ-Contest] The ZQP'S....BIG PICTURE ISSUE with switching to counties

[David Gilbert]

I really enjoy contests with a strong domestic content (SS, NAQP, CQ 
WPX, etc), but the single biggest reason I avoid most state and regional 
QSO parties is the ridiculous non-uniformity of county abbreviations.  
There simply is no justification for the confusion they all cause, 
especially on weekends with multiple events.  Adding the ZQP with no 
county at all doesn't help matters much.

73,
Dave   AB7E


On 11/17/2010 10:02 PM, Robert Chudek - K0RC wrote:
> "The issue with switching to counties is the three contests operating this weekend, the 7QP QSO party... etc... etc... etc..."
>
>
> You know, the 3077 county codes were developed to eliminate all the
> problems you stated. I am certain to get my head handed to me once again
> to suggest that ALL qso parties adopt that code system developed
> specifically for that reason.
>
> Contesters should be flexible enough to keep or drop the state
> designator if there are potental abbreviation conflicts on any specific
> weekend. Software developers could build the code list ONCE and be done
> with it, instead of the yearly tweaking that always seems to go on.
>
> But I also remember all the non interchangable logs that could not be
> (easily) transported to a different logging system. Then "all of a
> sudden", ADIF was invented. Problem solved.
>
> I applaud your enthusiasm and conviction, but from my vantage point,
> you're trying to pour water uphill.
>
> 73 de Bob - KØRC in MN
>
>
>>    We wont change from a state qso party to county because....
>>
>> A change to ZQP counties will cause the NEQP, 7QP, and IN sponsors to change
>> their log analysis software. It is a lot easier to manage a single QSO party
>> than trying to add a multi-state party into a weekend with three other QSO
>> parties.
>>
>> We can take other peoples logs during the contest and they can take ours so
>> its all good and realized...
>>
>> The issue with switching to counties is the three contests operating this
>> weekend, the 7QP QSO party has the state "first", the NEQP has the state
>> "last" in the five character exchange, the NEQP has alternate three
>> character abbreviations, the IN contest does not include the state, some 7QP
>> counties "end" with state abbreviations from the NEQP region, and some five
>> character NEQP abbreviations begin with state abbreviations from the 7QP
>> region.
>>
>> By not messing with the other county hunters contests, and getting a very
>> active coast to coast contest weekend we can be sure to add fuel to the
>> overall contests, and allow each ZEROLAND state to do what it already has in
>> place, thats a county qso party.  The ZQP is here to activate the rare
>> states that never get to be the focus and the ZQP allows zeroland stations
>> to be in the middle and make a ton of contacts all over the world.
>>
>>
>> I hate to keep pointing this out its wearing people down, and i dont mean to
>> do that..
>>
>> 73
>> Joe W0IW
>> ZQp STAFF
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