[WriteLog] Yet another SS CW prefill file

[Ed Muns]

I don't have hard data or research either, but after years of operating with
and without prefill as well as log checking thousands of logs in NA RTTY
Sprint, CQ WW RTTY and CQ WPX RTTY, I observe:

1.  Using prefill does not mean the operator does "not copy and log what is
sent".

2.  Some people who use prefill do so as a typing aid.  They copy the
exchange, compare it to the prefill and if the same, they hit Enter, thus
saving the cumulative fatigue of typing for many hours over the contest
period.  Otherwise they edit the exchange appropriately.

3.  Of those people who successfully do 2. above, many of them still
occasionally  incur errors of accepting pre-fill when something else was
actually received.  It could be a moment of fatigue or fuzzy thinking where
the operator "thought" they copied what is in the Entry window and hit
Enter.  Or, the prefill biased what they thought they heard in the QRM, QRN
and QSB.  Using prefill is risky.

4.  Some prefill users have a net benefit of the typing aid over the errors
caused by using prefill.  Many prefill users have a net loss.  Each of us
needs to determine which group we're in and not everyone is in the same
group.  ;>)

5.  By not using prefill, you can insure that you don't have errors due to
inadvertently accepting prefill in lieu of logging what was copied.

6.  It's a personal decision, but one that should be made wisely with a
realistic knowledge of the pros and cons, not just the simplistic (and,
wrong) assumption that prefill users do not copy and log what they hear.

Ed W0YK


Randy K5ZD wrote:

No hard data or research. Just years of playing the game and learning from
others. YMMV

Steve W1SRD wrote
> 
> Randy,
> Sounds good (sic), but any data to support your hypothesis?
 
Randy K5ZD wrote:
> > Advice to anyone that wants to have maximum accuracy in their log.  Do
> not use a prefill database. Listen to what is sent and log it.
> >
> > I know this sounds flip, but the prefill tends to lull users into not
> listening as well as they could.  Especially in SS where any of the 3
> fixed exchange elements could change from a previous year!

Gary AL9A wrote:
> >> I just picked up a lead this afternoon from another reflector about a
> >> prefill adi file for SS CW that is maintained by the PVRC North
> >> Carolina chapter.  Apparently this file is a compilation of multiple
> >> years worth of ARRL SS results history that contains both CW and SSB
> >> history.  This file contains 8,624 calls in the file, significantly
> >> larger than my adi prefill file of 1,291 calls which is based on only
> >> CW calls from the 2012 contest.
> >>
> >> There is a caveat about the accuracy of this history file, so be
> >> aware that while you may get more "hits" with this file there is a
> >> higher probability that some of the data may be outdated and you will
> >> have to carefully verify what the station is sending this year and
> >> edit any fields that may be in error.  Also, due to "conflicting
> >> issues", the PVRC data is only through the 2011 contest season and
> >> doesn't contain any history from 2012.  And no, I don't have the time
> >> to try and merge my
> >> 2012 file with the PVRC file to add the missing 2012 info!
> >>
> >> I have downloaded the file and played with it a bit and it does work.
> >> There are three different versions of the prefill file on the web
> >> site - WriteLog, NIMM and TR/TR4W.  Be sure to select the correct
> >> file.  I will probably try running with this file in the contest.  If
> >> it proves too troublesome due to data accuracy issues I will switch
> >> back to my 2012 history file and just get the missing ones off the
> air.
> >>
> >> http://pvrcnc.org/