At the risk of becoming too serious -- I'd like to suggest that the
discussions of logging programs filling in the blanks, etc. are in fact
missing the point.
Starting with the premise that the intention of the SS exchange is to test
one's ability to receive and record correctly a sent "message", then one
issue is that the content of the message, wherever possible, should be as
unambiguous as it can reasonably be. Clearly the CK is chosen from a set of
possible 2 digit numbers, so while there is no way of telling what the number
should be from the other elements of the message, at least the listener knows
that it is 2 digits.
But section abbreviations don't enjoy that luxury. They can be 2 characters
or 3 characters, and worse there can be two and three character valid
abbreviations where the first two characters of a three element abbreviation
are the same as a valid two element abbreviation (LAX and LA, ORG and OR).
"information science" dictates that if the purpose is accurate information
transfer, then ambiguity in the message should be eliminated wherever
possible. So one possible solution:
Make all section abbreviations 3 characters; and
Eliminate the duplication of the first two: LAX is alright, but Louisiana
becomes LOU, Maine is MNE and Massachusetts is MAS, SCV remains, but
Sacramento Valley becomes SVY, Michigan is MIC and Mississippi is MSS.
Just a thought ---
73, Bill
W1HIJ
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