[PaQSO] W3UU signing and PQP logging

Sat Oct 2 09:52:17 EDT 2004

I have taken some time and run through the WriteLog program to test
scenarios suggested for W3UU logging.  It appears that WriteLog will accept,
log, dupe, and score all suggested scenarios.  These include, but are not
limited to, logging as:

1. W3UU
2. W3UU/R
3. W3UU/(county)
4. W3UU/R/(county)

Of course, the "/M" identifier works the same as well.  I have no stake in
the WL program, nor am I any type of certified beta-tester.  However, I am a
very avid participant in the annual PQP.  I might even go a bit further and
give credit to the N3KAE team for giving you WYO since 1999.

I have seen the other posts from people who use NA, and from Don, KA3JWE as
well.  Don's latest posting is attached.  I feel that since time is short;
almost as short as some of the tempers being flared, it is time for W3UU to
make a stand and TELL US how they intend to SIGN these stations.

Signing is THEIR responsibility.  Logging is OUR responsibility.  The only
scenario I see that works for logging across all program platforms is:

1. W3UU/R   (or /M)

But, I see no logging concerns raised by the NARC for this year.  Regardless
of the logging end, valid points have been raised on the validity of W3UU
signing as (W3UU/county).  FCC rules supersede PQP rules, so I went through
logs of years gone by and was amazed at how hypocritical of an argument we
have at hand.  

So many times, and especially on Sunday afternoons, stations that moved to a
rarer county began signing as (Call/County).  This didn't mean we had to log
them as such, but I certainly did!  I did not see any trouble with it (since
WL handles it well).  It was also nice to know at a glance that you did not
have a DUPE at hand, but had that long needed county ready to work.   I am
also guilty of this heinous operating in past contests.  I use 100 W and
dipoles.  Having amps and beams a few kHz on either side of my frequency
doesn't help trying to give out WYO.  When people begin looking, I feel it
helps to toss out the county name on Phone or CW in an effort someone will
hear it. 

Unfortunately, in the case of this Bonus Station, the "Nay-sayers" of this
list seem to want this "Sunday-Afternoon-Syndrome" throughout the entire
2004 PA QSO Party.  This only works against those trying to work W3UU.  Now
you are asking to hear (or see) "W3UU/R" and "W3UU/M" all weekend long.
Instead of knowing the county at a glance, you will need to wait for them to
identify to know DUPE vs NEW!  Oh, you may even have to wait a second time
because of the amps and beams hanging around nearby.  Then, finally get in
line and take a number if you need them and you are not QRO.  Boy isn't this
a grand setup to criticize how W3UU is responsible for slowing things down,
confusing the issue, and for killing RATES during the test.  Hypocritical?

I feel W3UU should sign as W3UU/(county) for all fixed stations and W3UU/M
for ONLY ONE mobile operation.  Multiple mobile operations will add
confusion to an already complex situation far too late in the game.  We can
log, as it is best for our respective software unless the NARC demands
otherwise.

They deserve credit for innovation.  I also credit Ray, W3XA from SPARK for
thinking "outside the bun" some years ago.  He also wanted to run a similar
scenario with K3CSG and K3CSG/M.  Unfortunately, this dual Bonus Station
effort never transpired because it seemed too unorthodox.  As it turned out,
the number of K3CSG ops was very low and the K3CSG Bonus Station effort was
a near flop.  I think all of us want a very visible Bonus Station.

W3UU or K3PD please respond.

Al Zelna, N3KAE
Wyoming County

-----Original Message-----
From: paqso-bounces at mailman.qth.net [mailto:paqso-bounces at mailman.qth.net]
On Behalf Of Don Reamer
Sent: Thursday, September 30, 2004 04:32 PM
To: PAQSO Reflector
Subject: [PaQSO] Software Update - Bonus Station Scoring

Attention users of KA3JWE's "PAQSO Party for Windows" logging software.
Please download updated file(s) version 6.5.5 that corrects the scoring of
the bonus station.

As I was reading the different posts concerning the bonus station operation
this year, I started experimenting with some of the different scenarios that
could occur and found that some instances didn't score right.  At the time
the program was written I based the scoring for the bonus station on the
criteria that it would be a singular fixed station.  Now, however, that
logic has changed.  A bonus station can have multiple instances of itself
and even be mobile.  Therefore, adjustments had to be made to the logic for
dupe checking and scoring the bonus station.

When logging the bonus station(s) with my program you should log "ALL" QSO's
with W3UU as either ROVER or MOBILE using the /R or /M after the call.  Even
though the particular instance of the bonus station you've contacted might
be a fixed station, you should log it as a ROVER with the /R after the call.
The program will not allow W3UU to be entered more than once per band/mode.
It will allow W3UU/R or W3UU/M to be entered more than once per band/mode
since the /R or /M triggers it to use the county field as additional
criteria for dupe checking.  You should NOT enter calls this way ->
W3UU/R/DAU or W3UU/M/CUM <- since the program uses only the call/R or call/M
(W3UU/R or W3UU/M) part for dupe checking even though it will accept the
rest of it.

Again, log ALL contacts with W3UU using the /R or /M designator to properly
dupe check and score the bonus station(s).

When I designed the program I configured most of the inputs to accept all
valid instances for a certain criteria and reject all invalid ones.  At the
time the criteria for a bonus station was interpreted as a singular fixed
station.  This interpretation has now changed.  A bonus station can now have
multiple instances of itself, possibly be on the same band the same mode at
the same time (or other variations along that line) just in different
counties, and be mobile from anywhere in PA.  Therefore, the logic to dupe
check and score the bonus station correctly has become more complex.  I also
try to design the program to accommodate the theoretical maximums for a
given set of rules.  Consider this, a bonus station could "theoretically" be
worked twice per band/mode (CW and PH) per county on each of the ten bands
that my program will accept.  Therefore, 67 counties x 2 contacts (CW and
PH) x 10 bands x 200 points = 268,000 bonus points.  Not that this will
every be achieved but it is "theoretically" possible.  These are the types
of things that you have to consider when writing a program because if you
don't, someone will come up with a set of circumstances which will not fit
the input parameters.

This is one reason that we need to have a clear, concise set of rules
published well in advance of the start of the contest.  Better, more
"foolproof" software can be written if the rules are known well ahead of
time.  I'm not faulting anyone for operating the bonus station in this manor
this year.  In fact, I think it will probably add some excitement to the
contest.  My concern is having to issue updates this close to the start of
the contest because, inevitably, someone will not get this message and won't
get the updates.  It also increases the possibility that bugs will get into
the software.  What might seem like a small change to one item may cause
adverse effects elsewhere and without sufficient time to debug the entire
program it has the potential to decrease accuracy.  Software users have to
trust that the program they are using is accurate and reliable.  If the
rules and operating practices are open to too much interpretation then the
software and the contest in general will suffer.

I put a lot of time and effort into writing this program specifically for
the PA QSO Party and I make it available to everyone for FREE.  Since it is
FREE, it's offered AS-IS with no warrantees expressed or implied.  That
being said, I strive for zero bugs and 100% accuracy.  If there are too many
last minute changes to the contest rules or operating practices it
undermines my efforts, as well as the efforts of the other software
providers, and it just might push me to abandon support for future updates.
Hey, there's a lot of pressure here and it IS just a hobby!  Hi, Hi.  ;-)

Anyway, good luck to everyone and I hope to work all of you.

73,

Don - KA3JWE
-----------------------------------------
A friend will come bail you out of jail...
A good friend will be sitting beside you saying, "Damn, that was fun!"

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