[CQ-Contest] Determining ASSISTED vs NON-ASSISTED -- was: =>RE: Chea

[Bill Coleman]

On Sep 28, 2011, at 6:14 PM, Mike Fatchett W0MU wrote:

> Bob,
> 
> I think this is a big stretch.  The contest period to me is the period 
> of time where valid contacts can be made.
> 
> What you are suggesting is at the end of the contest much like the Iowa 
> Tests of Basic Skills put your pencil down and you are done.  At the end 
> of the contest all loggers will lock down the log and you can't change 
> it.  I don't think this is the intent of CQ or ARRL.  We all make 
> mistakes in the heat of battle.  Most believe that obvious errors or 
> notes can be addressed after the contest period has ended. 

It's not unusual for me to run into situations in a contest where I note something that needs to be fixed. Like in NAQP where I obviously logged someone's name incorrectly on another band, or have someone who gives me enough duplicate contact information so I can fix his callsign in the previous QSO.

I don't always have time right at that moment to fix the log entry. I keep a pad of paper handy to write things down. If I have time during the contest, I'll follow the note and make the fixes. However, if the contest is going really well, I won't have time to execute my note until after the contest.

I don't consider this "cheating" in any way. I'm using the information gathered during the contest to fix my log. 

Back in the old days of paper logs, it wasn't unusual for people to re-write their logs before submission. In the course of that process, innumerable  little issues would be fixed. Certainly a note such as the ones mentioned above would be followed.


Bill Coleman, AA4LR, PP-ASEL        Mail: aa4lr at arrl.net
Web: http://boringhamradiopart.blogspot.com
Quote: "Not within a thousand years will man ever fly!"
            -- Wilbur Wright, 1901