[PaQSO] Software Update - Bonus Station Scoring

[Don Reamer]

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!"