Topband: Stew Perry and prefills

[Tree]

The Boring Amateur Radio Club has become aware that there might be some
ambiguity in Rule 6 about the use of callsign and exchanges databases.

We understand that not everyone has the same interpretation of the rules -
which is likely a result of our poor word choices.  We do want to make sure
the rules are clear - so that this confusion is eliminated as much as
possible.

It was never our intent to prevent people from using callsign databases
that are generated before the contest.  For better or worse - this has
become standard operating procedure for most anyone using computer logging
for the past 25 years.

The use of a database of grid squares - either generated from previous logs
- score listings or even callbook resources - is more of a gray area...
but again - it was never our intent to prevent these from being used.

It has been our experience that people who rely too much on these data
sources will actually end up with a higher error rate than those who choose
not to use them.  This is because some people actually do move around year
to year and operate from different grid squares.

The practice we wanted to prevent was using something like QRZ.COM to fill
in the grid squares of stations you worked and weren't sure about the grid
square.  We consider this immoral and not the way the contest should be
played.

I am sure reasonable people can disagree about whether there is really a
difference between looking up the callsign after the contest - or putting
it into a database before the contest.  Some people are better than others
at remembering grid squares.  For example, most of us know that VK6VZ is in
OF88 and KV4FZ is in FK77 (or did I get those backwards).  Our thinking is
that the exchange database is a piece of data that you can look at during
the QSO and make the decision whether or not it is the correct exchange.
This can be done during the time the QSO is being made.

We will look at improving the wording of rule 6 to make it more clear what
the intent is.

Thanks for bringing this concern to light and providing the opportunity to
improve the clarity of the rules.

And don't forget - the Stew Perry topband distance challenge is coming on
Dec 30/31.

You can find rules and results here - http://www.kkn.net/stew

73 Tree N6TR / K7RAT
tree at kkn.net