[UK-CONTEST] Re Contest results/publishing etc

[Donald Field]

Can I be permitted to shed some light? 

Firstly, IOTA isn't a "small" contest, even in world terms. Over 1500
entrants last year. Deadline for logs is end August but, in reality, paper
logs mailed from, say, Russia by end August are still trickling in to RSGB
by mid-September and then have to be typed up. With the best will in the
world adjudication cannot start until the beginning of October. In 2003 and
2004 I nevertheless managed to get the results out in time for the HF
convention (late October), but in 2005 this wasn't feasible as the
Convention was again in early October, so I allowed myself a little more
time (in any case, during this my son was admitted to hospital and there
were other "domestic" issues which prevented full-time work on the contest).
Nevertheless, the results were ready by end-December, later than I had
planned but still, I would contend, a reasonable date in the circumstances.
They were indeed notified to all contestants who provided e-mail addresses
(we didn't mail out the results as such, we e-mailed to give the URL where
they could be found). If e-mails didn't arrive in some cases, I can only
assume that is because they were trapped by Spam filters at the receiving
end. Those results were initially on the dedicated IOTA Contest web site,
along with hundreds of photos, plus soapbox - the URL had been well
publicised on this reflector and elsewhere - they arrived on the HFCC
website a little later because Tim M0BEW had been away (out of the country
or somesuch, as I recall).

As for the certificates, these are mailed by Alan G3XSV, on instructions
from Dave G3NKC to whom I send the results and addresses. This year we
agreed that, to save wear and tear on the Presidential pen, I would provide
Alan with a JPEG of my signature, so that he could press on. However, there
appears to have been a delay due to Alan's work commitments and other
factors. While I apologise for this, I don't see that it is a major issue.
Indeed, there is a lot to be said for sending such things out a month or so
before the following year's contest as it acts as a timely reminder that the
event is coming round again. It's not for nothing that CQ tend to publish
CQWW results a month or two before the next year's event. Incidentally, this
year CQ have also been sending out certificates for contests which took
place 2, 3 and 4 years ago. I don't think RSGB have got to that stage yet!

(if anyone is interested in more detail on what goes on behind the scenes
with the IOTA contest, there is a write-up on my website at www.g3xtt.com
(follow the IOTA contest link)).

73 Don G3XTT

-----Original Message-----
From: uk-contest-bounces at contesting.com
[mailto:uk-contest-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of G3SJJ
Sent: 14 June 2006 21:34
To: Contesting
Cc: uk-contest at contesting.com
Subject: Re: [UK-CONTEST] Re Contest results/publishing etc

Graham, I am sure the unpaid volunteer would be most pleased if you took 
over on the task. You would then be in a position to make a real difference.
Chris G3SJJ


Contesting wrote:
> Quoting from the message of Wed, 14 Jun 2006 19:18:33 +0100 from "Phil
> Cooper" <pcooper at guernsey.net> :
>
>
>   
>> How do we get new blood into the contesting fraternity? Well, taking 11
>> months to produce results from IOTA doesn't help in this age of instant
>> gratification! 
>>     
>
> Just a small correction Phil.
>
> The 2005 IOTA Results have been on the HFCC Website since
> January.......I will ignore the statement that 'Results will be sent to
> all participants who provide an e-mail address' as that has failed to be
> implemented as far as my Mailbox is concerned.
>
> My Gripe is that come June 14th - ie: Five Months after publication I
> have not receieved my Certificate. A posting to the IOTA yahoodlegroup
> elicited no response, although I have now stirred the matter up with the
> powers that be, but I do not know whether *anyone* has received theirs
> as yet. 
> If the answer is in the negative then it is throwing a very bad light
> onto what is supposedly the RSGB's Premier International Contest.
> I just hope that the eventual excuse is not along the lines of 'The RSGB
> President has lost his pen' as when I was chatting to Sylvia at HQ about
> other matters in late April, She had managed to get him to sign the IARU
> ones and at that time had not even seen the IOTA ones.
>
> 73 Graham M5AAV
>
> PS Thanks for the QSO in ANARTS Phil - GU was actually a new DXCC for me
on 20
>
>   
_______________________________________________
UK-Contest mailing list
UK-Contest at contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/uk-contest