[UK-CONTEST] RSGB Cabrillo update

[G3SJJ]

Absoluely correct Nigel, as usual!

I have no problem with us all moving forward, but if HFCC are changing the
rules it is necessary for THEM to either get ALL the software writers to
conform or to provide some form of bridgeing system. Of course this
bridgeing system can be at either end, ie with the adjudicator or with the
entrant. If it was with the adjudicator then the whole thing would be
seemless to us, the punters.

What appears to have happened is that the rules have been changed and the
onus put on the entrant to comply. Like Nigel and Clive, I am not convinced
this is the correct way. I am certainly not going to start messing around
with text editors again. Either HFCC convince all software writers to
conform or they provide a conversion kit or they accept my entry, or I just
don't enter.

BTW, I haven't used CT for some years. I changed to NA after being lent a
copy by BUO about 10 years ago and stuck with it ever since. I have recently
changed to Writelog which I find far better than the old DOS software.
Similarly I am waiting (and waiting and waiting) for the new Windows version
of Turbolog. I only need 2 programs , one for contesting and one for station
management.

Chris G3SJJ

-----Original Message-----
From: uk-contest-bounces at contesting.com
[mailto:uk-contest-bounces at contesting.com]On Behalf Of Nigel Cawthorne
Sent: Monday, March 03, 2003 9:25 PM
Cc: [unknown]
Subject: Re: [UK-CONTEST] RSGB Cabrillo update


Hullo UK Contesters:

I agree with Clive GW3NJW entirely and with Chris G3SJJ mostly.

There are three parties involved in this 'triangle': the contest
organisers, the logging software writers and us, the QSO fodder.

At the end of a contest, I just want to be able to press a button which
creates a file which is in the appropriate format to submit the log there
and then. OK it might need "topping and tailing" with some station details,
comments etc, but the basic log must be ready to be E-mailed immediately.

If RSGB approved Cabrillo-style format(s) is/(are) not immediately
available
from the logging program, I wouldn't have the patience to set up the
correct format (as I have done in the past), by shuffling columns around
until everything is in the correct place.

Is there a possible intermediate stage? Could the RSGB HFCC provide
a set of file-converters which can be down-loaded from their website
for taking, for example, a CT .RES file and turning it into whatever the
appropriate format is for submitting the AFS log? That way Chris G3SJJ can
do his AFS in CT (as many others do) and then can take the appropriate flat
text file generated by CT, put it through the RSGB HFCC supplied
'converter'
so that the submitted log is in the most efficient format for the
adjudicator.

The same could be done for Writelog, NA and any other major contest
logging programs. You'd only need to provide converters for a handful of
the major contest logging programs.

Yes, it would require an extra processing stage by the entrant. Also it
puts
the contest organiser somewhere between the logging software and the
entrant, but this is preferable to having no log submitted at all.

Yes, I expect we'll get there one day, but Clive is right to make a direct
correlation between the ease of submission of a log (in the appropriate
format) and the success of a contest. It's a challenge for the RSGB HFCC,
that's for sure, but it's in the interest of improving [RSGB] HF contests
for all;
an improving contest is one in which there is "more" and "better" stuff to
work each year.

73 - Nigel G3TXF

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