[RTTY] FRIEND Files

[Rfmandmpm at aol.com]

In a message dated 31/08/2003 9:25:41 PM Mountain Daylight Time, 
k4sb at earthlink.net writes:

> Rfmandmpm at aol.com wrote:
> >I finally succeeded in getting the previous FRIEND file corrected to BOB 
> from BEN, however it is back to BEN in the file that was recently released.
> ------------------------------
> Unless my file has been modified, your name is listed as BOB in the
> latest file I sent to Don! Since I created it, and just checked it, I
> should know.

Looks like we have a problem. I do not wish to start a thread on this 
subject, however I also do not wish to look like a fool.

I downloaded the zipped file aa5au_rtty081503 from Don's website on 24-08-03 
and unzipped FRIEND.ini 147 KB dated 16-08-03. My copy shows VE6YR=BEN.  Check 
your file, fellow RTTY operators. What does your copy show? Am I the only 
person with this error? Why did several operators called me BEN in the SCC 
contest? This is a portion of the data I had downloaded on August 24.

VE6YJ=EDWARD
VE6YP=TONY
VE6YR=BEN
VE6ZX=DENIS
VE7/KB7QEQ=BOB
VE7AGJ=PAT

For the previous version of the Friend file, it took repeated e-mails to the 
author to correct my name. To at least one of these e-mails, I offered over 
100 callsigns with names and I also corrected several existing names. Now, my 
copy of the latest Friend file shows the previous holder of my callsign. 
Apparently, some fellow named Ben gave up that call, more than five years ago. I was 
issued the call more than three years ago.

It is a huge task producing such a helpful file. The author of the latest 
Friend file must have devoted countless hours developing it. We owe him a vote of 
thanks as well as to all the other authors of similar files. These people do 
not get paid for their efforts. They do it for the love of the hobby.

Only because I noticed the reoccurring error in my callsign and in others, 
the difficulty of permanently correcting the problem and because of the large 
size of the file, I developed a smaller file that fits my needs. My previous 
offer of a copy to any ACTIVE RTTY OPERATOR, remains unchanged.

73    VE6YR=BOB