[VHFcontesting] ARRL Contest Scoring Discrepancies

Tue Mar 24 18:23:14 EDT 2026

 All,

I think that the ARRL log checking process is pretty much accurate. I have had QSO's dropped for one reason or another but after investigating I realize why they were disallowed. Sometimes it is my fault for not copying a call sign or grid square correctly or not getting a confirmation at the end of the contact, or some other reason. Other times it is the other operator who has not properly logged our contact, in my opinion, and we both lose out. I proof read my log at least twice before submitting it and do catch fairly obvious problems, but I have no control on how other contesters submit their logs and can only hope for the best. And they are in the same position in regards to my logging.

I have asked about what the allowable time difference for contacts in the ARRL VHF contests and have been told it is 10 minutes. I make sure to reset my UTC station clock to the exact time prior to the start of every contest and if in doubt put in a fresh battery before setting the clock. One thing to watch out for is logging contacts around the time the UTC date changes. If propagation is marginal for a contact it may take a while to complete and confirm the exchange. If one person logs the contact at the start of the exchange and the other person logs the contact at the end of the exchange then the 10 minute limit may be exceeded and if the dates are different that can be a problem. I've asked ARRL about logging times and have been told that everyone should be logging the contact date and time after the exchange is complete no matter how long it takes.

Also, I have noticed that towards the end of a contest I am not the sharpest knife in the drawer and am much more prone to logging issues when I am really tired. I find that caffeine helps with that. I log by hand with pencil and paper and then after the contest use the N3FJP VHF Contest logging software in post contest mode to enter my log and then proof read it, and then proof read the Cabrillo submission file that I generate prior to submitting it. I think that different potential problems arise depending on whether one initially logs by hand or computer. Logging software can automate and speed up contact entries but can also lead to problems through the software making assumptions that might not necessarily be still true, e.g. grid square and from typos on the fly. Hand logging can be problematic during periods of high QSO rate, e.g. sloppy hand writing, and then post contest typos can occur.

As to duplicates, the ARRL tells me that they are no longer penalized during log checking and in fact they are encouraged to be left in logs though I'm not sure why. I think the CQ WW VHF Contest takes the same approach to duplicates.

The bottom line is that mistakes are going to be made and each contester should try and minimize their own mistakes. When all is said is done VHF contesting is a lot of fun for me. If I lose some contacts for whatever reason and those lost contacts cost me points, grid square multipliers, and/or results placing that is too bad but invariably I survive it and look forward to the next contest. In the long run I think that mistakes even out and I'm glad there is a log checking process and the LCRs are made available once the results are official. It's nice to know where mistakes were made and hopefully improve the next time out.

73, Steve W1NIV
     On Wednesday, March 18, 2026 at 08:40:09 PM EDT, Scott Armstrong <aa5am.scott at gmail.com> wrote:  

 Dave,

Check your LCR and compare the contacts you got dinged for against the
Public Log for that station. You might be surprised.....

2 years ago in the 10G and up contest I got dinged for a few QSOs as NILs
and/or incorrect grid or callsign. I checked those against the Public Logs
of the other stations.  Those "bad" contacts were in every log and all the
data was correct. Submitted a query to the ARRL and never got a response as
to why I was penalized for those QSOs.

I just checked my 2025 Sept. VHF LCR. Most of the deductions were with
rovers and due to NILs.
One of those QSOs listed as NIL is wrong. I am in the other station's log
and lost QSO points and mulplier for that one.
There was another NIL in which I am in the other staion's log but there is
a 7 minute difference in logged contact time. I don't know what the
tolerance is for logging times so that may be valid deduction.

Whatever  the ARRL is using to score the contests and comparing logs is
flawed.

73,
Scott AA5AM

On Wed, Mar 18, 2026 at 5:34 PM RT Clay via VHFcontesting <
vhfcontesting at contesting.com> wrote:

> Regardless of paper or software logging, either you logged something
> incorrect or you were not in the other station's log. Look at
> contests.arrl.org for that contest, there you can access the log checking
> report (LCR) showing which qsos were deducted.
> Tor N4OGW
>    On Wednesday, March 18, 2026 at 03:50:28 PM CDT, David R Buckwalter via
> VHFcontesting <vhfcontesting at contesting.com> wrote:
>
>  Maybe it's just me, but I am starting to be irritated by the ARRL scoring
> of
> logs submitted for the VHF contests.  Several times in the past 2 years or
> so, my final score posted has bee lower that what was submitted as
> "claimed"
> score.  For the past September contest results just posted my score is
> shown almost 5000 points below what I submitted.  This would not concern me
> if we were still back in the day of paper logs and multi-page cross matrix
> dupe sheets, but I pay for and use logging software that tracks and flags
> dupes as well as maintaining a running and final score.  The score I submit
> should be no different that what is posted in the results, minus some
> minimal amount for fat fingering incorrect callsigns and grids into the
> logging software.
>
>
>
> There, I said it.  And it didn't help.  I'm still irritated.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Dave -  K3SK
>
> FM07
>
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