[ILQSO] Re: Read the Rules

[dpease at adams.net]

I know all the IQP log checkers are nodding their heads up and down right 
now.  Ward hit the nail on square on the head.  Unfortunately, it is too 
late for the IQP this year, but this would be a great article to send out 
next year just before the contest, or even add it to the RAMS web page with 
a BIG "READ ME FIRST" label.  Having a little info from what N9JF has done 
with electronic logs so far, I can only guess what the paper log checkers 
have to go through.  We are very lucky to have a dedicated club behind the 
IQP, a lessor group would have called it quits some time ago. 

Well done RAMS, well done!! 

Danny  NG9R 

w9dy at juno.com writes: 

> 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:
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Danny Pease
dpease at adams.net 


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