[PaQSO] Logging Issues

[Michael Coslo]

On Oct 8, 2006, at 10:42 PM, Ron Notarius W3WN wrote:

> Since sending out the last N3SH Special Event Station update at the  
> end of
> last week, I've had about two dozen emails from people less than  
> happy about
> my suggestion for logging N3SH, in those cases where the software  
> can not
> handle a multi-county station.
>
> Apparently there are several popular contest and logging packages  
> that not
> only appear to have problems logging a multi-county station, but  
> that also
> don't log stations signing Rover (ie "/R") and/or Mobile ("/M")  
> correctly,
> at least for our contest.
>
> Gang, I don't know what to tell you.  However, those of you who are  
> griping
> at me about it are griping at the wrong party -- in other words,  
> Don't Shoot
> the Messenger!
>
> I don't have an answer for you.  I don't know every package out  
> there.  I'm
> actually quite surprised to learn about these difficulties, since the
> conventions of /M & /R are long-standing in many contest  
> situations, not
> just Pa QSO.  And I don't know why some, for a domestic contest,  
> are logging
> "/R" stations as Russian, and/or "/M" stations as being in the UK  
> -- these
> are issues you have to take up with the writers of the software.
>
> I was even asked by someone "is it necessary to know which N3SH  
> contacts
> were with fixed stations and which were with mobile stations?"  I  
> don't even
> know how to answer this one... but with six active fixed-county  
> stations in
> eight sites plus one or two mobiles running around, I'd think the  
> answer to
> this would be pretty obvious.

>
> In any event, I'm out of ideas.  And I'm not dodging any more pot- 
> shots.  So
> all I can suggest at this point is do what you think is best and  
> straighten
> it out post-contest.


	Indeed there is a program out there that doesn't handle Rovers  
correctly. Even then, you can assign the rovers as a moblie, and  
workaround in that way.

	I must emphasize once again:

	Try the software out before the party. If it doesn't handle your  
wants and needs, you might want to try a different package.

	The multiple special event station is not a new concept, and was  
been implemented successfully in the 2003 party.

	We do not recommend one software app over another. To do so would be  
a disservice to the generous souls who write the often free programs.  
Try them, use them to make sure they work, and if they don't try  
something else.

	I think that most of us would agree that we cannot change the party  
for individual logging software.


-73 de Mike KB3EIA -