[SECC] ARRL 175-mi contest circle for SECC

[Matt Lee, K4AQ]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: secc-bounces at contesting.com 
> [mailto:secc-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of K4SB
> Sent: Thursday, 09 September, 2004 11:21
> To: secc at contesting.com
> Subject: Re: [SECC] ARRL 175-mi contest circle for SECC
> 
> 
> In my work I have always used the data from the Buckmaster CDROM. I
> wrote a VB6 program which can decode the entire database into a text
> file, and from that file, I can extract
> any bit of information which you would normally see if you had the
> program on your hard drive and entered a callsign.

How does Buckmaster derive the Lat-Long data? I believe I entered mine
manually at QRZ.com and Buckmaster.

> I also borrowed a GPS for a day or so, and compared my co-ordinates as
> shown on Buck with the GPS. After walking around the yard for a little
> while, I found 1 spot which agreed to 3 decimals places.

When did you do this, Ed? Was the GPS WAAS-enabled?

I let my Garmin GPS III+ sit and average my readings when I need
"accurate" data. It isn't a WAAS GPS. The results are very close when I
plot the data in MapPoint (which uses WGS84).

> Some of you
> old timers will remember Carol and Steve Schrader. Steve, at one time
> was 1/2 owner in Buckmaster, and I seem to remember his telling me
> they purchased the data from satellite data gathered for the US
> government.
> 
> Gordon mentioned that it looked like the map could be moved South a
> little. Even a slight movement in that direction would begin knocking
> off AL members around Huntsville.
> Although I have a stong suspicion they probably do not give us their
> scores.

What ever became of the contest club in Alabama?

> In a previous post, I mentioned some members thought to be outside the
> circle were indeed inside. I just checked my program, and discovered
> those results were from my shifting the circle due West a few miles,
> so the remarks were inaccurate.
> 
> Guess this will be a work in progress.
> 
> 73
> Ed