Topband: DX window

[Shoppa, Tim]

Don't mean to leapfrog you guys technologically. But you don't need to interface your radio to your computer, because lots of other hams have already done this. CQ'ing stations are logged in the "Reverse Beacon Network" automatically. http://reversebeacon.net/

The reversebeacon data clearly show all the US and VE CQ'ing stations I heard in the DX window. There were several consistently CQ'ing in the DX window the first night of the contest. It even shows that I (briefly, like a minute or two) CQ'ed in the window!

While I like to complain too, there was a marked reduction in US/VE CQ'ing in DX window the second night of the contest and many DX stations were clearly audible to me on fairly clear frequencies both inside and outside the window. I was a little surprised that there wasn't a line of callers for the stronger DX stations. I strongly suspect comments made on this mailing list and forwarded/read by those stations, helped rectify the situation.

Tim N3QE

-----Original Message-----
From: Topband [mailto:topband-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of Bill Cromwell
Sent: Thursday, December 06, 2012 9:07 AM
To: Topband at contesting.com
Subject: Re: Topband: DX window

Hi Darrell,

I have started wading into computer logging and I usually use paper.
After the contest I enter the info into the computer but I plan to just have the computer running and do it one QSO at a time.

None of my radios have any kind of CAT "feature". I do NOT want my radio to be smarter than me so they have to stay pretty dern stooopid. The logging programs let me enter the frequency I am using in whatever format I want AND just keep using the same info for each QSO until I change it. I would enter something like 160M or 1.8 (as in mc) but I could as easily put in 1.835001. Radios smarter than me can tell the computer where they are operating (maybe to the nearest 50 or 100 cycles. Checking for W/VE QSOs in the DX window would work for at least those stations with Baccalaureate radios. Any kind of policing of that nature would be encumbered with challenges and appeals processes and final results could take years.

If CAT and computer logging become a requirement those of us without CAT or computer logging will be banned - de facto. Come to think of it my contest operation is already pretty low key. There are always the WARC bands and the expected new allocation at 600 meters. I can't imagine contests in THAT band.

Or...we could all just play by the contest rules and agreements.

73,

Bill  KU8H


On Wed, 2012-12-05 at 18:22 -0800, Darrell Bellerive wrote:
> Being unencumbered by knowledge of contest log reporting and checking 
> perhaps I am missing something.
> 
> Since virtually all contest stations use automated logging programs 
> and these programs could get the actual transmit frequency directly 
> from the transceiver as the contact is logged, then why couldn't a log 
> check computer program simply check for non DX contacts within a DX window?
> 
> I guess that would mean requiring an exact frequency rather than a 
> generic frequency to be submitted in the Cabrillo format, but 
> certainly that doesn't seem to hard to code into the logging program.
> 
> I suppose this could even be crosschecked in the other station's log 
> to rule out computer errors.
> 
> Apply penalties for a certain number of violations to allow for true 
> mistakes, but once above a certain limit, disqualification.
> 
> I will crawl back under my rock now.
> 
> 73, Darrell VA7TO
> 
> Darrell Bellerive


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