[UK-CONTEST] Contest end time - a consensus please.

[Peter Bowyer]

On 3 November 2010 10:59, Andy Cowley <andy.cowley at uwe.ac.uk> wrote:
>
> I _think_ that most adjudicators will allow errors of +/-
> 2 or 3 _minutes_!!! when comparing logs. This allows paper
> loggers some leeway so they don't have to log accurate time
> for each QSO - quite time consuming if trying to run at a
> reasonable rate. Software logging only records time to minute
> precision anyway, so a small clock skew can easily produce a
> difference of 1 minute on a PC.

You have to allow leeway. In some VHF and up contests, a QSO can take
several minutes to complete. Some entrants will log the start time,
some the end time (and the 2 participants might differ on their
opinion of the end time), some will log a random time somewhere in
between. This happens whether computer logging or paper logging, and
in the case of computer logging, various logging software handles the
logged time in different ways. You can't legislate for this.

In my days as adjudicator, automated checking always allowed a 'clock
drift' window which was configurable per contest - QSOs within the
allowed drift were always allowed; those outside were flagged for
human intervention. It's quite easy to tell from an adjudicated log
that an entrant has their clock wrong - every QSO is 'out' by the same
amount. A sensible adjudicator will allow through a log like this and
give  the entrant a friendly heads-up, and consider applying penalties
for repeat offences.

The 'started so I'll finish' debate just requires the application of
common sense.

Peter G4MJS