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[CQ-Contest] Two questions about CQ WW SSB contest logging

To: CQ-Contest Reflector <cq-contest@contesting.com>
Subject: [CQ-Contest] Two questions about CQ WW SSB contest logging
From: Hank Greeb <n8xx@arrl.org>
Date: Mon, 29 Oct 2012 22:55:04 -0400
List-post: <cq-contest@contesting.com">mailto:cq-contest@contesting.com>

I admit to making an "after contest" adjustment of my cabrillo file for the recent CQ WW SSB contest. I wasn't quite "with it" when I started the contest, and gave one fellow a "Zone 5" instead of my "real" Zone 4. I tried to edit the contact to put zone 5 in the contact line, but didn't see any "CQ Zone" in the "Edit Contact" box. Since I couldn't change the CQ Zone during the contest, I entered "sent zone 5 instead of zone 4" in the comment field, and after the fact I changed the one log line in my cabrillo file to Zone 5.

I now think (but am not sure) that the zone COULD have been changed for this one contact by entering "5" in the "exchange" box, but it wasn't obvious during the heat of the contest. And, I'll never understand why the "comment" field is in the "Edit contact" pane, but to retrieve the data one must go to VIEW>NOTES (NOT VIEW>COMMENTS). This resulted in a big puzzle, and a note to my two "Elmers" for N1MM software, who pointed out that "Comments" were labeled "Notes" under the VIEW tab.

Should my "after the fact editing" of this one line in the log result in disqualification of my entry, and should an orange or red card be issued? The rules specifically say I should not massage the log after the fact. My reasoning was that I had the data in the comment or note Field in the N1MM "raw" log, couldn't figure out how to edit it "on the fly," and I didn't want to penalize the other station for a busted QSO because of my error.

====================

The other question involves a newbie who entered the contest using a "non contest" logging programme. It supposedly made a cabrillo file, but the result did NOT have his zone, nor did it have the received signal report. We managed to "massage" this log with Notepad edit feature, so that it conformed with the cabrillo specs provided by CQWW.

Yes, again, the rules say one should NOT edit the file after the contest.

The choice was either NOT submit a log, or do this rather massive editing by putting the local zone and the received signal report into the cabrillo file. We didn't make any "corrections" just added data which was in the original log but did NOT show up when the programme made a "so called" cabrillo file. I figure that he might be encouraged to see his call amongst the other folks in the CQ Writeup, and we might have another contester amongst this seemingly dying breed of US Hams. I also encouraged him to try his logging software to make sure it will do the correct cabrillo file prior to entering another context.

Comments will be appreciated.

72/73 de n8xx Hg
QRP >99.44% of the time
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