How about this idea...
Get the league to release the ENTIRE log database file per contest to those
who participate so we can do our own analysis of activity.
Or better yet, since THEY already have that file, they could do the analysis
themselves and quit using log submissions as a excuse to "make a case to
quit sponsoring the VHF contests".
True, they havnt said that.... YET! But they are sure acting like they are
planning to go that way!
What makes me think that is their goal?
Item One - They quit publishing contest data in the club newsletter,
otherwise known as "QST".
Item Two - They complain log submissions are down without going to the
trouble to see just how many unique callsigns appear in those logs in an
effort to verify the "true level of activity".
Item Three - They say things like "other than the number of logs submitted
they have No other way to judge activity in the VHF Contests" - I dont buy
this simplistic excuse!
Item Four - They wont release said log files for others to do their work for
them, let alone study things like 6m Es propagation, activity levels per
grid, per band, per call area, etc... Some real cool data could be extracted
if that file was made available!
That being said, the league does alot of cool things too, but they also seem
to have lost focus of where they started... A club of active radio amateurs
trying to have fun, improve the technical expertise of their hobby, and
provide a public service...
Not improve the bottom line of their bank balance.
73s de Tim - K7XC - DM09ol... sk
"What We Leave Behind Is Not As Important As How We Have Lived" Capt
Jean-Luc Picard
----- Original Message -----
From: "Duane Grotophorst" <n9dg@yahoo.com>
Sent: Wednesday, April 23, 2003 4:30 AM
Subject: [VHFcontesting] Re: ARRL VHF Contest
>
> How about this for a slightly wacky idea:
>
> The ARRL could "enter" the non log submitters in
> absentia, it would really be just a matter of
> extracting the call sign, Q, and multiplier data from
> all those who do submit logs to determine who they are
> and their Q/mult totals. Perhaps require a minimum of
> 10Q's in order to be "entered" into this category. If
> these ops then really want to be sure that all of
> their Q's and mults are properly "submitted" they will
> have additional motivation for sending their own logs
> in themselves.
>
> Obviously this would need to be a special category of
> some kind since there would be minimal station data
> (power, section etc.) from these participants.
>
>
> So is this:
> 1. An interesting idea?
> 2. Slightly baked?
> 3. Half baked?
> 4. N9DG needs to get his fingers out of the HV supply?
> Duane N9DG EN53bj
>
>
> --- Jack Parker <w7pw@bmg50.com> wrote:
> > Well, I'm just a little curious *why* the Newington
> > folks seem to be using submitted logs as a primary, maybe sole,
> > criterion for assessing VHF+ activity?
> >
> > Maybe they don't have time and/or inclination, but
> > they have all logs in their hands. It would be quite simple to look at
> > these logs and determine how many stations *participated* in a
> > given contest, regardless whether they submitted a log or not!
> > Unfortunately this assessment would have to be done by someone at the
> > ARRL since all submitted logs are regarded as "proprietary" and
> > unavailable for observation by unauthorized persons (aren't these
> > logs tehnically public documents under FCC rules?)! I'd bet that actual
> > participation, nationwide, would be something like many thousands
> > of us rather than the 500, or so, indicated by log submissions. I'd like
> > to think that those of us who work a few stations and don't submit a log
> > still count as "participants"!
> >
> > Also, since the League HQ is located in the middle
> > of one of the highest concentrations of VHF/UHF/Microwave activity in
the
> > country, it would seem logical that someone (several someones?) from
> > the ARRL might get on and participate in a whole contest themselves to
get
> > a feel for activity levels. They might come to the conclusion that log
> > entries, alone, don't tell the whole story!
> >
> > Oops, I just realized that I forgot my medication
> > and am starting to hallucinate :>0
> >
> > 73, Jack, W7PW
|