I recent comment:
> I see the net effect being to penalize ops whose skill allows them to
> encourage non-participants to call. In many contests, these ``not in the
> contest, just thought I'd help'' QSOs differentiate the winner from the
> runner-up. Especially when the Sunday blahs hit in SS.
I don't agree with the notion that uniques are first in line to be cut. Vic
Clark W4KFC worked several hundred uniques in the SS he told me in the early
60's. I looked in my logs and I had nearly 100 out of 1300 that were NR 1
or 2. I assume (and still assume) if you are sitting and running there will
be uniques. The range can vary from near zero for S&P types to 10% for
those with big sigs or rare location on say 160, 40 SSB, and 10 meters.
LU1DAB or CE6EZ made world high scores on 10 for years in the CQ WW and I'll
bet their uniques ran up to 20% as they worked twice as many stations as
anyone else.
Uniques provide a chance to check the top scores on a slighty different
level from the rest of the pack. In the 160 meter contest If a station is
not in the master log more than once (only 1.4% in 1998 and most were UB or
UA's) then I check the callbooks then I follow up with a letter with SASE or
IRC's for confirmation. We all make mistakes and do remove one to two each
year that are good contacts. LZ0A comes to mind. In 1998 I removed this
station for two EU logs but I have a 1999 CQ log from this station and sure
enough he is South Shetlands but he in low power and worked only an LU. I
take the stance that the Q's are good unless cross checking or normal follow
up says no good.
Don N4IN while Director of the CQ 160 Contests was one of the first to start
a master log so you could quickly find uniques. He did this on a Radio
Shack TRS-80 with software from Ed K4SB. Don was retired and viewed each
log (even small ones) as personal letters to him asking to be checked and
proper score reported. I use that same technique except I use the DUP file
(list of all stations in alpha order) to load a master data base. My
database is also the master cross file so I can check all e-logs in 10
minutes (the exception print takes 30 minutes). I have two non ham helpers
who check the hand logs. I do all the work with exception reports as well
as looking at every Q in potential winner logs. Uniques are only a small
part as well they should be.
73 Dave K4JRB
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