Alan - You asked three questions:
> 1. For each of these "modern contest logging programs", what formula
> does each of them
> use?
> 2. Is it the same formula in each case?
> 3. What if I want to use my own program? (Not being a computer
> “appliance operator", I actually write my own software.)
I hope that someone from the committee answers your questions, but until they
do, here are my comments.
First of all, I would assume that all of the logs will be scored at contest
headquarters as is done in the other ARRL contests. So, the score you or your
logging program calculates, just as it is now, is ignored by the machine
(robot?) and the same methodology is used to calculate everyone’s scores. The
algorithms used to calculate your current score are widely available, so I
would expect the algorithm for calculating the new contest’s score would also
be made known, including the distance calculation.
VHF Contesting Reflector <vhfcontesting@contesting.com>
1. I think that most of the authors of logging programs will tell you what
algorithm they use to calculate distance. I know that Tom Mayo, N1MU, has
discussed the method he uses to calculate on the RoverLog. Maybe the authors
can post their algorithms here, but in any case, the ARRL should do these
calculations when they score the logs, so that everyones score is calculated
with the same method.
2. If one’s score is computed by the contest machine, it doesn’t matter if the
logging programs all use the same formula or not. But in practice, as long as a
curved earth is taken into account, the varying formulas and use of the
different datums will have a small effect on the distance calculated.
3. My comments on 2 apply to this question apply as well.
I personally don’t think it is a big deal. If the ARRL scores all the logs,
then no one will be at an advantage for using differing algorithms. - Duffey
KK6MC
>
> Unless the formula is specified in the rules, all bets are off. This is
> why I refuse to participate in
> "distance scoring" contests - the rules never are complete to specify such
> things.
>
>
> As for putting the contest in May, that seems silly. Sure it might be
> warm in August, but one could
> reply that every modern vehicle has air conditioning.
>
> As a counter suggestion, perhaps it should be scheduled in December, to
> maximize the bad weather
> possibility in the northeast, giving the rest of us better chances.
>
> Alan
>
>
> Keith Morehouse <w9rm@calmesapartners.com> wrote:
>> Every modern contest logging program I have seen calculates this distance
>> automatically, if you have told it your location.
>>
>> -W9RM
>>
>> Keith J Morehouse
>>
>> On Apr 14, 2016 6:17 PM, "Mike Fahmie via VHFcontesting" wrote:
>>>
>>> The proposal includes distance in the scoring equation. Does anyone know
>>> the equation to calculate the distance between centers of 6 character
> grids?
>>> -Mike-WA6ZTY
>
>
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> ------------------------------
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> End of VHFcontesting Digest, Vol 160, Issue 16
> **********************************************
--
KK6MC
James Duffey
Cedar Crest NM
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