[UK-CONTEST] Club Calls

[Paul O'Kane]

On 14/11/2010 16:56, dave wrote:

> If other loggers can't hack it, that is no reason to change the
> exchange  and permit abbreviations.

My point is that abbreviations are already permitted
in the log. Not only are they are permitted, they are
recommended by the RSGB, the contest organisers.

As a result, what was sent and what you log are, in
most cases, two different things.  The integrity of
the event has therefore been compromised because some
entrants are likely to send the abbreviations since
that is all the receiving station has to log - it is
pointless sending redundant information in contests,
and even more pointless having rules that expect
entrants to do so.

> The problem has been for Organisers in each Club to get all its Members
> to send the official name,

"Official names" may be wishful thinking.  For example,
one club is listed in the table of abbreviations
www.rsgbcc.org/hf/clubcalls.xls as READING AMATEUR RADIO
CLUB, and the corresponding abbreviation is READING ARC.
However, its name, according to the latest yearbook, is
Reading And District Amateur Radio Club.

Who is going to say what the "official" names are, and
who is going to verify that each and every one of them
is actually sent in full on-air?   And why should clubs
with long names be penalised in each and every QSO,
simply because they have a long name?  Wouldn't standard
5-character abbreviations be fairer to everyone?

Here's a suggestion for making logging simpler.  Since
only official club callsigns are permitted, it is a
simple task to make up a reference list showing callsign,
club name, and a unique 5-character abbreviation, which
can be accommodated by all loggers.

The only thing remaining, after the contest, is to
expand the logged abbreviation to the recommended
abbreviation.  But why bother?  Wouldn't it be better
to adopt standard club abbreviations (long enough to
be unique but no longer) for the same reason that
district codes are used in other RSGB contests?

And if you answer "no", it's the long exchange that
makes Clubs Calls special, then why are abbreviations
already permitted.

73,
Paul EI5DI