Contesting Online Speak Out

Speak Out: When is the contest over?

34 opinions on this subject. Enter your opinion at the bottom of this page.
[Speak Out Home Page]

AA6DX on 2003-04-02
Hmmm.. interesting query .. back when hams took tests at the FCC for CW, I recommended .. and did myself .. leave a minute at the end of the verbatim code copying test to go back and correct your own "glitches" .. Of course, that was with a pencil or pen .. NOW .. contesting on a computer .. I think I should be able to go back and "fix" an obvious typo ... like, T#2AM should be T32AM .. n'est-ce-pas? Now, the obvious raises its head .. what with QRZ database, etc.. you could "figger out" the T3? callsign and "repair" it .. Drat . Guess I don't have a real answer .. just queries .. and, since we all have the same options, it is an even playing field. 73, Y'all .. Mark -- AA6DX

ae9b on 2003-03-24
I believe the spirit of the rules includes the overview of your log to look for such errors as mistakenly hitting the O key vs. 0. I breifly review each of my logs for such errors (as I would if I were sending a handwritten log to be assured that those reading my log could accurately read my writing). I don't see any conflicts with this.

kr2q on 2003-03-23
I've written about this many times over the years (now decades).

The truth is that the "grace period" is now an anachronism. In the "olde days" you had to everything manually. Check (or even first create) a paper dupe sheet, apply the proper points per qso, identify the mults per band, even try to decipher your own handwriting, and then put it all together and mail it in. All that just took lots of time, especially for the competitive log entries.

Today, none of that applies for 99% of the serious entrants. Post-contest "scrubbing" of the log is just cheating. If you made a typo during the heat of the battle, then that is just part of your contest effort. As the entrant, YOU have chosen to use a computer and keyboard...the rules do NOT mandate that! So if you made the choice to use a keyboard and your typing is not 100%, then you have made your decision to accept the consequences. Afterall, if you can't copy cw and "I make a lot of mistakes," then that is part of your effort. You don't then go back through the log and fix your copying errors because "I don't the code real well." (do you?)

Personally, when the contest is done, I immediately send in my log eletronically w/o any review at all.

[DISCLAIMER: these are my own opinions and may not represent the opinions of any contest sponsor with whom I am associated."

de Doug KR2Q

K4WW on 2003-03-21
While most sponsors and participants disagree, I believe that any post contest "improving the log" is not within the "spirit of the rules"! I see absolutely no difference in "pre contest" improvement and "post contest" improvement? Even though there is a "grace period" for submitting logs, the contest has a defined time frame, and anything that takes place outside that defined time frame should not be allowed? How is the information obtained for correcting "typos"? Personally, I choose to submit my log as soon as possible, depending on "how coherent" I am at the end of the contest, but within 12 hours. Certainly different "situations" (DXPedetions that have no immediate internet access) should be allowed time to submit their logs? I suppose that if the person you see, when you look in the mirror, is satisfied that you have complied with the "spirit of the rules", all else is inconsequential?

<-- Page 4

Enter your opinion about When is the contest over?:

The opinions expressed within Contesting Online Speak Out are those of the contributor, and not necessarily that of Contesting Online. Contesting Online simply provides a forum for people to express their opinions on various amateur radio contesting subjects of interest.

Do you have an idea for a Speak Out topic? Email our Speak Out Manager with your ideas.