[PaQSO] Re: PaQSO Digest, Vol 24, Issue 1

[Ron Notarius WN3VAW]

Mike,

FWIW, I would strongly suggest that for the future, the Party adapt a
"standard" format for electronic logs.  That would minimize this problem.

ADIF immediately comes to mind, since it is a text-based output, and each
field is named, which makes conversion to other formats easier (tho not
neccesarily easy).  And more importantly, many (possibly most) contest &
general purpose logging programs read and write ADIF format.

Cabrillo would be the next possibility.  Most programs can write a Cabrillo
output file. There are several "standard" Cabrillo templates out there,
including some for other state QSO parties, so it should be relatively easy
to pick one of those.

Third choice would be something relatively simple, such as Comma-Separated
Values text files.  If CSV is chosen, then the order of fields should be
specified.

I'd also add that the rules state something to the effect that if the
entrant submits a log in another format, the Committee can chose to
disregard that log at their discretion.    In other words, if it's too hard
to translate into a workable format, the Committee has the option to discard
it.  Harsh?  Yes, very.  But if you have to spend multiple hours translating
one screwball output after another, well, that's not fair to you guys
either.

Any word on the '06 bonus station yet?

73, ron wn3vaw

-----Original Message-----
From: paqso-bounces at mailman.qth.net
[mailto:paqso-bounces at mailman.qth.net]On Behalf Of Mike Coslo
Sent: Sunday, April 16, 2006 9:59 PM
To: paqso at mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [PaQSO] Re: PaQSO Digest, Vol 24, Issue 1


bodine.669 at att.net wrote:

> How about K2UBG's Log issue?

Hi John,

You had 240 SSB QSO's

64 Multipliers

2 Contacts with YTL

Your total score was 15,760.

What I ended up doing was several search and replaces, to get rid of the
extraneous stuff, then a lot of searching to see who was in whose log
and at what general time they reported contact with you. That numerical
string in the second line had the date and time in it, but was mighty long.


So that you under stand the differences between your log and what is
expected, I'll give an example.

    The first lines of a log will contain info about the name of the
event, the operator and callsign, and the section and or county. then we
head into the log:

First contact of W3GA in the contest:

10-08 16:02:27   40 PH 1    WB2XXX     2                         NLI

A look at this shows that on 10-08 at 16:02: and 27 seconds on 40 meter
Phone, W3GA QSO'ed with  WB2XXX. Our Exchange was #1, and XXX's was #2.
Finally XXX's section was NLI.

Not hard to work with.

Your log sheet shows three lines for each QSO:

20051008161201161201W3XX

                W,K     U.S.A.
                                         NN                          W3
SNJ                    ERI       7.2      LSB 1000
Pennsylvania QSO Party               ERI
0                   K2UBG    003

   It is a very unusual format to be sure. The information is in there,
but teasing it out is an interesting job! 8^) The writer put in a huge
amount of info that was not needed, which just makes it harder to get
the info that is needed.

    I am trying to get the rest of the contest done as quickly as I can,
so we can have an organizational meeting for this years party. I'm not
sure, but I strongly expect that logs that come in in that format will
not be acceptable.

    Just to be sure, I want you to know that this isn't a personal
criticism! You just sent in the log that your software provided.

    - 73 de Mike KB3EIA -





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