Gary,
Sorry to be so long to reply, out some LookOut, er, Outlook Express problems
all day.
I think the key disagreement we have is over the current level of available
technology and human interaction with it. I am simply not convinced that
the hardware & software technology exists today to permit the level of
automation that would easily permit a contest comittee to process thousands
of logs with minimal fuss. Let me stress that I specifically intend "exists
today." Next year, two or three years from now, things may change.
Now I have tremendous respect for the work that Trey has done with Cabrillo
and the various logging robots. These improvements have certainly made
sending in the log electronically both simple and a pleasure -- when
everything works right. But sometimes things don't... it cost me the WPA
section in the ARRL DX SSB contest a couple of years ago when the log I sent
in as Low Power got received at ARRL as High Power (changing me from 1st
Place LP to 2nd Place HP -- and that's very frustrating when you consider my
antennas are just a couple of verticals!). Even with the long lead times,
by the time I became aware of the error it was too late to fix it (and
that's not N1ND's fault, I should have checked it sooner). If we shorten
the entry deadline from 30/31 to 15 days, we decrease the amount of time
that errors like that can be caught and corrected.
Yes, there will be procrastinators (of which I'm a master) who will always
put off sending in the log until the last day or two. That won't change be
it 30 days, 15 days, or 5 days.
I also think you may be underestimating the problems of Internet access in
much of the world. I've heard privately from quite a few that this is
currently a major problem for some of the contest teams who activate some of
the rarer spots. Again, this is not going to be true a few years from now
(I hope) but it will be for the short term.
I know a few people are suggesting that some of the things done at WRTC
(such as real-time monitoring, if I remember correctly) be implemented in
the near future. This can be a major problem for quite a few contesters.
I'm still on a dial-up connection (can't get DSL yet and I'm not letting
that !@#%^&**$! cable company back in the house), and I'm sure I'm not the
only one in that boat. I'd sure hate to be told that in order to be
elibible for something more than a check-log recognition, I'd have to have a
24x7 high speed Internet connection in the shack. Right now, I'd rather
spend that money on antennas or radios than on a fractional T-1, ISDN, or
some form of frame access (all that's available to me now, and it's all
expensive). Again, the technology may be available, but at a cost that
many (perhaps most) can't afford.
Are people resistant to change? Yup. Remember the outcry over Cabrillo
when it was announced? Now it's a no-brainer.
One thing I haven't seen in this discussion yet are comments from someone
who is on one of the contest committees (or if they have, they haven't
overtly admitted to it! <g>). I'd still be interested in seeing comments
from someone involved in tabulating the results as to whether or not a 15
day turn-around between logs received and results published is practical.
I've been involved in a few local contests with tabulating logs (granted by
hand), and I know how much a pain doing "only" a couple of hundred are. I
can only imagine how much is involved with thousands -- but I'd rather hear
from someone who is currently doing it, especially with the tools now
available.
Now, one thing we will agree on is that the ultimate goal will be to shorten
the turn-around time from contest to results to the neighborhood of 4 to 6
weeks. I just don't see this as happening in the immediate future.
73, ron wn3vaw
Name Barry Manilow's Greatest Hit:
(1) "Like a Good Neighbor, State Farm is There"
(2) "I'm Stuck On a Band-Aid & A Band-Aid's Stuck on Me"
(3) "You Deserve A Break Today..."
----- Original Message -----
Message: 6
From: "Gary Ferdinand W2CS" <W2CS@bellsouth.net>
To: <cq-contest@contesting.com>
Subject: RE: [CQ-Contest] making lemonade (was: ARRL report on line scores
decision)
Ron, we agree on one point. We disagree with each other -HI. Although I
like the "for now" part :-) To your points:
1. Outcry: People hate change. We live with it and move on. This is no
different.
2. Yup, I'm that impatient. The technology exists. We should set a good
goal.
3. Uniques: Yup. There will always be question marks. Do the best we can.
4. Rest of world: I don't think it's the problem you and a few others
have voiced. I know of several stations that are rare that are club
stations. Internet access is not a problem. We're not always talking about
individual stations in some primitive, isolated area. Those are more likely
DXpeditions and my cruise ship analogy applies.
5. Encouraging others: I think "immediate" results-reporting provides
substantial encouragement. It's the immediate feedback or reward that
others have more lucidly described than I to which I refer. I agree with
those sentiments.
Good discussion, this. Whether it's 4 weeks, 6 or 8, in the end it's a
great improvement. I think we should do what we can to aim for 4 weeks with
a 15 day turn-in requirement, as Trey proposed. If we end up having to
delay it a bit with a contest or two for good reason, I doubt you'd hear
many complaints! (Hmm, well not from me anyway.)
Bedtime. 73 all.
Gary W2CS
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