[UK-CONTEST] SSB FD - PC logging

[ian fugler]

Chris (G3SJJ) has already commented on our experience as Contest Cumbria in
FD (M0CMU/P).  The weather was appalling.  Our first choice of field was
washed out - a virtual river running through the only entrance!  We moved to
a new field during the morning, but lost valuable set-up time in the
process.  Despite the weather, poor conditions and a compromise on the
aerial situation, we still had bags of fun.  I apologise to those who called
and had to give several repeats of the exchange.  The noise of the rain on
the tent simply drowned out that from the headphones.

On the positive side, we introduced three new licensees (M3s) to contesting.
The bug seems to have bitten with at least one of them already.

On the electronic logs question and as one who is about to start typing up
some manuscript IOTA logs, I would support any initiatives that continued to
encourage e-logs.  There was a comment that those who use PCs to log QSOs
then submit electronic versions.  That was not my experience last year.  I
received several logs for typing up that were clearly created using SDI and
other software, but which, for some reason, were printed out and submitted
by post.  Now, those are very frustrating.

As for OCR, I do not have one log here that lends itself to scanning.
Indeed, I have already had to seek advice from the YL to help interpret some
of the more interesting manuscript entries.  A quick scan of the logs that I
have clearly shows most are from east European/Asian stations and, as far as
I can tell, not newly licensed individuals.  I guess the availability of
even rather dated PCs is still an issue in those parts.

73, Ian G4IIY