[WriteLog] Multiplier lists for WriteLog

[W. Wright, W5XD]

For those of you that would like to hear more on this subject, I will try to
shed some light and maybe we can all move on to something more interesting.

I have learned two facts in this discussion that affect how I plan to make
WriteLog handle multiplier lists properly:

1. The contest sponsors want the multiplier entry in the Cabrillo submission
to be sanitized such that the Cabrillo file contains only standardized
abreviations. (I hadn't thought much about it, but it seemed reasonable that
they might want what the operator entered.)
2. At least some contest sponsors currently have their Cabrillo parsing
tools set to convert some non-standard abbreviations to the standard ones.
So while what they want the logging software to do is item #1, their current
software tolerates non-compliance--for now.

Obviously, WriteLog should conform to #1. Version 10.37 does not. And there
are two reasons:
a. The multiplier lists it is using are in the file namedmul.ini, and those
lists are not correct per the ARRL web site.
b. WL's Cabrillo generating logic is customized for each contest, and for
these contests, WL does not currently sanitize the Cabrillo output: ARRL
160m, ARRL 10m, Sprint, RTTY Round Up, NAQP, ARRL DX (outside W/VE). WL
output what the operator logs for each QSO into Cabrillo for these.

As far as I can tell after checking the ARRL website, not one single QSO has
been disqualified in anyone's log because WriteLog put ORE into the Cabrillo
output instead of OR; PQ, QU,or VE2 instead of QC; MR, NB, NS, PEI, VE1,
VE9, or VY2 instead of MAR; YT, NW, VE8, or VY1 instead of NWT. This is a
complete list of the errors that might have been in a Cabrillo submission
for ARRL SS, ARRL 10m and ARRL 160m. The ARRL log checking did the "right
thing" for all of these.

Here is the schedule for getting WriteLog to comply:
1. A corrected namedmul.ini is posted on www.writelog.com/downloads.htm
along with instructions on how to install it. This file might still be
wrong. If you find an error in it, and if you are willing to be responsible
for maintaining the file, then send me a copy of your corrected file. I'll
post it on the WL website and credit your work, and we'll even post your
email address if you would be willing to respond to questions/comments about
your skill at maintaining the file.
2. WriteLog's multiplier modules (listed above) will be updated to output
only sanitized multiplier abbreviations. This fix will be available sometime
in January, 2003. It will NOT be in version 10.38, which is in the final
stages of beta test. I don't see any good reason to delay the release of
10.38 to get features that nobody needs anytime soon.

Thanks,
Wayne, W5XD