[WriteLog] Voice-keying of automated serial numbers

[Eric Hilding]

I'm firmly convinced there are potential improved options for dealing with 
the matter of voice-keying for automating "Serial Numbers".  For those of 
your interested in such matters, I'm sharing some additional thoughts I 
sent to a similarly interested party on one of the logger forums who I'm 
corresponding with directly...as well two other logger authors.

>>>>At 05:57 PM 12/20/03 +0000, The K6VVA wrote:
>>>> >I hear what you are saying, but have you heard some of the more
>>>> >recent improvements in some of these 'robots'?  I find the progress
>>>> >encouraging.
>>>>
>>>>Yes, but it still lacks the internal redundancies and intonation links that
>>>>make human-voiced numbers more understandable.  Try "one-three-one" through
>>>>QRM compared to "one hundred thirty-one."
>
>(K6VVA's Reply)
>
>>>Yup...understand.  But that's where some "innovation" and a special 
>>>config/menu system could be very interesting methinks.
>>>
>>>Computer software can be incredible...like assessing that a serial 
>>>number of "131" (given that such an option would be put into the logger) 
>>>would select TWO .wav files to send instead of one ("one hundred 
>>>thirty-on") or three ("one" PLUS "three" PLUS "one").  So, the result 
>>>*would* be:  TWO files yielding the desired "one hundred thirty-one" 
>>>ouput).  A ditto approach for dealing with 1,131 would then use THREE 
>>>files instead of ONE or FOUR.
>>>
>>>If I were an adept programmer, I would do this myself.  Along with, of 
>>>course, the "smoother/tweak/massager" fine-tuning mechanism(s) :-)
>>>
>>>Can you see how this *could* work???
>
>(Below) - Additional K6VVA thoughts...
>
>RE:  "131" serial number example
>
>Three options to approach with configuration panel...
>
>A. Logger selects & chains
>1. onehundred.wav (100 through 900 ... NINE .wav files)
>2. thirtyone.wav  (1 through 99 ... 99 .wav files)
>
>B. Logger selects & chains
>1. onehundred.wav
>2. thirty.wav  (10 through 90 ... NINE .wav files)
>3. one.wav  (1 through 9 ... NINE .wav files)
>
>C. Logger selects & chains "number.wav" plus:
>1. one.wav
>2. three.wav
>3. one.wav
>
>========
>Regarding 1,131...umh, more reflection upon this yields some options...
>
>A. Logger Selects & chains  "number.wav" plus:
>1. onethousand.wav
>2. onehundred.wav
>3. thirtyone.wav
>
>B. Logger Selects & Chains  "number.wav" plus: (Probably the most 
>desirable presentation???)
>1. eleven.wav  (realistically, 1 through 20 .wav files should do it, 
>unless someone does 21,000+ QSO's per contest :-)
>2. thirtyone.wav
>
>C: Logger Selects & Chains  "number.wav" plus:
>1. one-thousand
>2. one-hundred
>3. thirty.wav
>4. one.wav
>(The LEAST desirable method methinks)
>=======
>I think you see the incredible possibilities of options to make this 
>happen, and a "Master Configuration Menu" would NOT be that difficult to 
>understand and use if it's done correctly.  The design always has to be 
>with assuming the end-user is a borderline idiot.  At least that's my 
>philosophy about software design.  Including mini-Help lines 
>right-along-with-the-option-to-chose (like many Forum Board configuration 
>panels use) is, IMHO, a highly functional design.
>
>It's just a matter of considering ALL the possible serial number 
>presentation options currently used by most contestors and then doing it.
>
>Yes, a major initial recording adventure, but once again...amortized over 
>20 years of contesting and the potential benefits to the Automaphytes, 
>well, I believe it can work.
>
>======= end ======

73,

Rick, K6VVA