[ILQSO] Read the Rules

[w9dy at juno.com]

Hi all, 

You probably get the ARRL Contest Rate Sheet by free subscription.  If
so,  Please forgive and ignore this, unless you have not read the Rate
Sheet yet.   Here is an excerpt from Ward's column.  It certainly is
timely, now that we are about to try to figure out the logs for the ILQP.
  Jim Funk has already started
Read The ... Rules!
 
Man, oh, man, it sure is contest season, isn't it? (All the sufferin'
spouses nod their heads vigorously in the up and down direction.)
Beginning in September, the fall weekends pile up with "majors,"
peaking in the seven-week period between CQ WW SSB and ARRL 10-Meter.
Like a miniature baby boom, thirty days later the log submissions
peak in the sponsor's post and email.  Then it's time for the log
checking to begin.  Or is it?
 
Well, not really, because first they have to process all of the logs
that were submitted.  Piece of cake, right?  Let's listen in as the
contest manager gets started..."I'll just open up this email
attachment and...what format is this in?  The subject just says
'Contest Log,' so whose log is this?  Sheesh.  Maybe I'll start with
the paper logs.  R-r-r-r-i-i-p-p-p-p-p!  Oh, no - they didn't include
a summary sheet.  I'll have to count the mults by hand.  Oops, the
abbreviations are non-standard.  Sigh.        Honey, where's the
aspirin?"
 
Speaking as one who handles some of a state QSO party's logs and who
occasionally trangresses in his own submissions, I can tell you that
many of us - prepare yourself - do not read or follow the log
submission instructions.  Until you actually work on a contest
committee, you won't understand the magnitude of the problem, but I
can assure you that handling the log submissions is a major drain on
time, energy, and enthusiasm.  Ever wonder why it takes so long to
get results and certificates done?  It starts with the excessive
amount of time it takes to get the discrepant log data into a
checkable format.
 
Some of the big contest sponsors have robot software that only
accepts logs that have the correct format and all of the necessary
identification data.  Before a standard log format (Cabrillo) was
developed a few years ago, the really big contests were drowning in
log format problems.  Sweepstakes logs were submitted in over 80
different formats.  Yes, 80, and that's only the electronic logs! 
How much time do you think it took to get all of those handled
correctly and ready for the log checkers?  If any QSOs were lost (or
heaven forbid, a whole log) you can bet that angry phone calls and
emails started flying, as well.  While there was a lot of squawking
about Cabrillo at first, the robot log submission process has done
away with a lot of eror-prone drudgery.
 
But what of the so-called "minors?" The state QSO parties, smaller DX
contests, specialty mode or band contests, etc. most likely don't
have the resources for robot log submission.  They may not have the
tools to process Cabrillo format logs.        They depend on the entrants
providing logs in a format they can process manually and generally
spell this out in their rules.        Yet many logs are submitted in
wildly
varying formats, without summaries or other supporting documentation,
and occasionally very poorly identified.  If contesters want the
smaller contests to prosper, then they're going to have to minimize
the burden on the sponsors.
 
First - you, the contester, need to pay attention to what the sponsor
asks for in the rules for log submission.  If they say "ASCII text",
then send them a text-only file.  Don't send your CT BIN file or an
XLS spreadsheet.  If they require a summary sheet, be sure to fill
one out and send it. If you've written your own logging software,
bully for you, but be sure its output is usable by the contest
sponsors and includes all of the required information.
 
Identify your submissions.  If you send the log by email, and most
do, be sure the subject line of the email message includes the
contest name and your call.  If the contest covers more than one mode
(such as Sweepstakes), include the mode in the message.  For example,
"N0AX CW Sweepstakes Log".  It is depressing to look at an Inbox full
of messages titled "Contest Log."
 
Should you send Cabrillo?  Unless the sponsors request Cabrillo or
say that they accept it, don't send your log in Cabrillo format.  Why
not?  Because Cabrillo does not identify new multipliers, manually
scoring logs becomes a royal pain.  Most logging software has the
option of generating logs in several different common formats and one
will surely indicate each new multiplier.
 
Be extra sure that your log includes all of the required information
with each QSO, including your complete exchange. If standard
abbreviations are offered for counties or regions, use them!  If the
sponsor has a standard summary sheet form, use it! If there is an
on-line log submission form or Web page, use it!  If there are
different types of multipliers or bonus points, be sure they're
tallied separately as the scoring rules require.
 
Now sponsors, you also have an obligation to make your log submission
rules and requirements crystal clear.  If you don't tell entrants
what you want, you surely can't complain when you get a heap of logs
in wildly divergent formats.  Your rules don't have to be full of
legalese, but they need to be clear.  Have someone relatively
unfamiliar with your contest read them and tell you what they think
would be an acceptable log.  You might be surprised!  Ask yourself
how different kinds of logs should be submitted - paper, diskette,
email.        Have someone go through the process and see if it works. 
Save the committee hours and hours of unnecessary labor by spending a
little time up front on the log submission rules.
 
There's another guy or gal just like you handling those precious
logs. They'd rather be on the air, just like you! You'll make the
sponsor's job easier (which leads to quicker reporting) and reduce
the effort required to check your log (which leads to fewer missed
mults or bonuses and to higher scores).  Needless to say, all this
time saving leads to more time for contesting! Just put yourself in
the "sponsor's moccasins" for a mile or two before clicking the
"Send" button.
 
73, Ward N0AX: