Kudos to K9TM and K8CC for taking on the task of generating master databases.
It's a tricky thing to get accuracy. Unfortunately, the starting point
(people's logs) can bring with it a lot of chaff. For example, I've been
told that the CQWW SSB log-checking database shows about 97,000 calls, of
which only ~30,000 are good calls. In other words, 2/3 of the call-signs
that could be gleaned if you had access to everyone's logs over a number of
years would be bad!
I'm sure that the logs submitted to K9TM and K8CC will be a lot cleaner
than that, and techniques will be applied to screen the unique/probably bad
calls out of that input. But even then, a lot of the common busts -- H for
S on CW, for example -- will undoubtedly sneak through.
Ironically, I find that rather helpful. Whenever I'm tempted to rely too
heavily on the database, I need only look at the screen when I'm part-way
through entering a call and see what look like two or three variations on a
single call. Or are they different calls? Better just copy the station
and be sure!
73, Pete N4ZR
Check out the World HF
Contest Station Database at
www.pvrc.org
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