With the RTTY WPX fast approaching, I'm becoming quite concerned about the
apparent problem WriteLog has in assigning duplicate serial numbers,
especially in SO2R operation. (I posted about this problem during the
Roundup but it sort of got lost in the shuffle).
I played for just a couple minutes tonight with a simulated 2-radio setup
using the RTTY WPX contest module on v10.22B and was able to cause WriteLog
to give out a duplicate serial number within the first 8 QSOs, not doing
anything that I wouldn't expect an ordinary contester to do.
The problem seems to present itself most often when you have callsigns in
both QSO Entry windows and move back and forth between them. I did this a
lot during the Roundup - I'd find a station on one radio that I wanted to
work and click his callsign so it was in the entry window, then it might be
a few QSOs on the other radio before I have a chance to call him.
Inevitably during that sequence, one or more QSOs would have the same
serial number.
My major concern is this: How will the log checkers deal with duplicate
serial numbers?
The rules for the WPX exchange are clear: "RST and a progressive
three-digit serial number, starting with 001" - giving a duplicate serial
number would definitely be a violation of the rules. So what do the log
checkers do when a duplicate is given out? Is there a specific check (in
the WPX anyway) for the duplication or is it no big deal?
I see this as a very real, very legitimate problem that's going to plague
any SO2R operators, as well as the multi-ops - and I'll just about bet it
happens to at least a few of the single radio operators too.
If there is a simple way to avoid this problem without having to "baby sit"
every serial number that WriteLog proposes to give out, I'm all ears!
What do you other SO2R and multi-op guys think about this??
-Marty NW0L
martyt@pobox.com
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