SURVEY: Amateur Logging Data Interchange Format

[Tom Morrison]

The following survey is intended to gather information for those of
us who have been discussing a standardized means of exchanging
data among amateur radio logging programs (known as ADIF).  This
effort started from a basis of contesting, so with the tacit consent
of the ADIF group, I am submitting this to the subscribers to
cq-contest.  Responses are solicited from USERS, AUTHORS and
CONTEST SPONSORS.

The intent of this survey is data gathering.  The questions are
intended to promote informative replies.  Please feel free to go
beyond the questions.

Please e-mail me directly at t.morrison@liant.com.  ADIF members will
receive a summary; if you are not subscribed to ADIF and wish a summary,
let me know.

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What is/are the main reason(s) we need a standard for data
interchange?

What advantages do you expect from a data interchange standard
for amateur radio logging programs?

As a USER of a logging program(s):
Which program(s) do you use?
Do you export/import data among different logging programs?
Do you export information from your logging program(s) for
use in other (nonamateur radio specific) programs?
What data field(s) are absolutely required for export/import?
What data field(s), while not absolutely necessary, are highly
desired for export/import?
Would you expect an ADIF standard to allow a log to be
exported from one contest logging program and imported
into another so that the receiving program would
be able to accurately score the log without additional
information (provided both programs claimed support for
a contest)?
Are you sure the author(s) of your program(s) are participating
in the ADIF standardization effort?

Are you an AUTHOR of a amateur radio logging program?  If so:
Is it designed primarily for contesting? for DXing?
What are the system requirements for your software?
What formats do you currently import?  Export?
What is(are) the implementation language(s) of your software?
For contesting programs:
How do you configure (rules, multipliers, etc.) for various contests?
Do you maintain a callsign "database" among/between contests?
Do you suggest correct callsigns from partial callsigns?
How do you resolve multiplier status that cannot be derived from
the callsign?

Are you a CONTEST SPONSOR?  If so:
What contest(s) do you sponsor?
Would you accept ADIF files as submissions for your contest(s)?
What data would submitted logs be absolutely required to contain?
What data would submitted logs ideally contain?
Would you be willing to use ADIF as a means to distribute contest
information such as multipliers?  Scoring information?

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Tom Morrison, T.Morrison@liant.com
Liant Software Corporation
512-719-7019  FAX:512-719-7070  WWW: http://www.liant.com/