[CQ-Contest] LOTW and Contest Logs

[W0MU Mike Fatchett]

The only reason DX managers don't put their logs on LOTW is the mighty 
green stamp and IRC.


Mike W0MU

On 12/13/2012 1:06 PM, Robert Chudek - K0RC wrote:
> Hello Ed...
>
> Theoretically that idea should work fine, i.e., automatically 
> ingesting adjudicated contest logs into the LoTW system. Technically 
> is would "only" take a process of requirements gathering, software 
> design, coding, testing, implementation, and support. Casting all that 
> aside, there's another issue...
>
> I believe some people would not be as philanthropic as you, when you 
> wrote: /"However it seems a shame that my logs that are clearly 
> //"//in the system" for contest results can't be put to good use by 
> those that do like LOTW and that the league can't get more revenue 
> from it."/
>
> It would be argued that their personal activity should not be a 
> revenue source for "the league" in any manner. You only have to look 
> at the controversy that irrupted regarding the "open logs" policy of 
> the CQWW contests. And there's NO money involved with that! That boils 
> down to the "loss of control" over their data.
>
> But I am curious why you chose to not upload your logs to LoTW for the 
> benefit of other operators? You did participate in the system 5 years 
> ago, according to the "Last Upload" for your call sign. Your QRZ page 
> says /"I am QSL Manager for 9M6/N1UR, XX9TEP, C6ARS, A52UR, PJ2E..."/ 
> and none of those calls have ever participated. I would think you 
> would make a lot of people happy by loading those contacts into the 
> system.
>
> I will say the support for getting users "up and going" on the system 
> has REALLY improved since the last time you participated. There's also 
> a reflector dedicated to helping walk people through the process when 
> their initial attempt(s) get derailed.
>
> 73 de Bob - KØRC in MN
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> On 12/13/2012 10:15 AM, Edward Sawyer wrote:
>> I agree that LOTW could be considered "off topic" for contesting.  
>> However,
>> if the "backlog status and report" is going to be paraded in front of us
>> then this topic is more relevant than that topic, in my opinion.
>>
>> I personally am not an LOTW user.  And I don't feel like spending the 
>> time
>> to "re-certify my legitimacy" to be on it.  However it seems a shame 
>> that my
>> logs that are clearly "in the system" for contest results can't be 
>> put to
>> good use by those that do like LOTW and that the league can't get more
>> revenue from it.
>>
>> Mike, W0MU, has completely missed my point on "faked contacts". The 
>> League
>> has put all of its integrity eggs on the "validation of the source of 
>> the
>> log" from LOTW but none on the "quality of the log data".  The Contest
>> organizers, with CQ leading, have put all of their eggs on "verifying 
>> the
>> QSOs actually occurred" but truly very little on "did you really operate
>> from where you said you did?".unless someone actually accuses someone 
>> of a
>> non-legit operation.
>>
>> At the end of the day, the DXCC desk already has a system on making sure
>> that a contact does not get DXCC credit with a bogus operation. They 
>> do it
>> with every paper QSL submitted.  So the same system can be used to 
>> make sure
>> that "tentative LOTW confirmations" don't get DXCC credited when 
>> applied for
>> if the log uploader doesn't have sufficient documentation to prove where
>> he/she was and with permission.
>>
>> By having a system that puts security on the "upload" rather than at the
>> "DXCC credit" point (which is ironically exactly what the paper based 
>> system
>> has been for the past decades), the ARRL LOTW has limited itself 
>> immensely
>> in what should be a very painless expansion by just adding all final 
>> contest
>> logs to LOTW.
>>
>> Its too bad but I am sure far too "bought in by the administration" 
>> and far
>> too political to be changed.  Lets just realize what "could be" if it 
>> were
>> done differently.
>>
>> Ed  N1UR
>> _______________________________________________
>> 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