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Log Check Report

A brilliant morning looking out toward the Pacific Ocean with a sunny sky blazing away after two days of needed rain fall.

The meta-analysis of WPX CW 2012 with 4,000 plus logs submitted, 2.8 million QSO, and 180 participating countries was completed on the 1st of December. I’m working to understand the data for example what does 83.8% unique calls busted after 16,889 different calls were credited and 0.1% busted reverse log calls mean?

There is a total of 2.8 million QSOs with 2.4 million checked against another log and 2.3 million checked good when checked against another log. What is the total error percentage? Is my error percentage within range of the mean?

The North American QSO Party is scheduled for early January and I’m going to work at improving my skill at copying callsigns during the event. The path to a Golden Log is practice, practice, practice.

Contest on! 

DXpedition Basics Written By Wayne Mills, N7NG

Good morning from the #hamr shackadelic zone where I’m listening to our local repeater or in today’s vernacular lurking the frequency. Also, my weather report from near the beach is overcast, cool, expecting rain, and choppy surf conditions. It is the kind of day where I’m knocking to-do objectives off my list and enjoying life.

Wayne Mills, N7NG author of DXpedition Basics suggested, “But when DXpedition organizers accept contributions and support, there is an implicit, and even maybe an explicit obligation to conform to certain operating criterion. Specifically, organizations which funnel money to DXpedition groups for the benefit of the DXing community have become more particular about whom they support. Their assistance often demands minimum standards of operating proficiency, and may depend on the track record of the group. Following a few simple rules can go far in assuring the success of a DXpedition effort.” (p 2, 1994)

Mills stated, “In fact, many have said that the DXpedition operator is responsible for the conduct and outcome of an expedition, and that, indeed, the pileups in a sense mirror the DXpedition operator. The DXpedition operator must be in command, but just how is that accomplished?” (p 2, 1994)

Lastly, Mills suggested a fundamental premise for expeditions, “We will start with the premise that the overall objective of the DXpedition is for DXers around the world to simply have fun. With rare exceptions, no expeditioner ever expects to profit from his DXpeditioning activities. Rather, considerable expenses are incurred primarily in transportation costs and loss of employment income. This is a fact; chiseled in stone!” (p 3, 1994)

I’m sad to read that a highly successful year of DXpeditioning is coming to a close with a disruptive footnote attached to its banner resume for our ham radio community. It seems to me that Wayne Mills, N7NG in association with the American Radio Relay League and the International DX Association sought solutions to perplexing questions more than a decade ago.

We are fast arriving or if not have already arrived, where it is time to start this conversation anew, in lieu of significant technological and social change. Thus far, leading donor organizations remain silent in an age of unparalleled communications and intense social engagement.

I recommend downloading DXpedition Basics, print, review, then take it with you to the next gathering and renew this decade old conversation that better reflects ham radio in the 21st Century.

73 from the shackadelic near the beach.  

Summary 13.9% Score Reduction

Not In Log

Incorrect Call

Incorrect Exchange Information

Let’s start with my score summary as I took a 13.9% (n = 376,208) score reduction as a result of not in log, incorrect call, and incorrect exchange information. I mentioned in my previous post there is cause and effect when the score is officially adjudicated.

Likewise, there is perspective, as I claimed (n = 1,588 Qs) and my final was (n = 1,506 Qs) or 2.9% of calls copied incorrectly (n = 46) and 2.0% incorrect exchange information (n = 32) with 0.3% not in the log (n = 4).

Subsequently, 376,208 points was subtracted from my claimed total of 2,699,166 points (2,699,166 – 2,322,958 = 376,208 point reduction).

The question I’m asking of my performance, “What is my root cause?”

There is a definitive pattern when reviewing incorrect callsigns and incorrect exchange information. If I were to scatter plot then a picture emerges that is the preponderance of evidence suggests missed dits and missed dahs of letters-to-numbers and numbers-to-numbers.

For example, SH8MU corrected to S58MU, SH0XX corrected to S50XX, or IH3EO corrected to S53EO, SH2ZW corrected to S52ZW, and SH9ABC corrected to S59ABC.

Examples of incorrectly copied numbers such as 228 corrected to 238 or 275 corrected to 285.

Root cause analysis suggests I am not hearing crucial dits/dahs and cannot be explained away as mistakes at the keyboard. The solution is carefully listen or ask for a repeat if there is any question about either callsign or exchange information.

What patterns are you seeing in your log check report?

Contest on!

Good Saturday morning from the #hamr shackadelic zone as rain moves across the central coast of California for the remainder of the weekend. Our local surf conditions are overhead and extremely choppy. Additionally, I’m hearing signals from Texas on 15m and Canada on 20m, while Cycle 24 numbers especially sunspot count suggest satisfactory to quiet conditions.

The RadioSport log check report (LCR) is my adjudicated score that is my official score after software verifies complete and accurate exchanges including the callsign of the station. The LCR is my performance report. I recommend familiarizing to the level of knowledgeable because there is a cause and effect relationship when a station is logged.

Not in log (NIL) results in one additional QSO removed from my log.

Incorrect call results in one additional QSO penalty.

Incorrect exchange information results in QSO removed from the log.

One very important skill is listening inside the cans and ensuring the callsign inside the entry window is correct. Additionally, verify exchange information for accuracy, as operators move from zone-to-zone, section-to-section or send a different name in an event like Sprint or North American QSO Party. The pre-fill information in the entry window may not reflect what is really communicated on-the-air.

My next posting will further explain the point penalty cause and effect relationship. I really, really need to focus on the one more or one less dit and/or dah both in the callsign and exchange information.

Contest on!   

First List As Of 21 December 2012

Good afternoon from the shackadelic #hamr zone where I’m listening to PV8AA running rate during 2012 WPX CW earlier in the year. Currently, there is a swarm of stations on Paolo, PV8DX rate frequency, and he is efficiently executing our RadioSport adrenaline rush.

In the meantime, between my vicarious thrill of listening to Paolo, PV8DX an accomplished DXer and RadioSport operator at PV8AA; a significant load of LoTW credits were downloaded into my log. The Swains Island DXpedition confirmed on respective band slots in addition to 4O3A, D4C, and D3AA.

LoTW Queue Status As Of 21 December 2012

As of 21 December 2012 at 1301 UTC approximately (n = 26,301) individual logs are in the LoTW queue for processing then on 22 December 2012 at 0001 UTC approximately (n = 26,665) individual logs are awaiting processing with a 10 day, 14 hour, 40m, 16s backlog of credits yet processed.

I’m of the opinion that LoTW is one of the ARRL’s signature programs because all of our awards are based on its credit system. First, it was explained to me that current system hardware will be replaced in the very near future, explanation accepted. Then, an initiative to reinvigorate open sourcing of Trusted QSL, in order to improve functionality and efficiency.

The last communication to membership from the ARRL was 11 December 2012 and 10 business days have elapsed since the severe disruption of credit processing. Where are status updates that quantify progress? Where are we in regards to the open source project? Has any hardware arrived and from whom is membership purchasing the hardware from?

Frankly, this is unacceptable, organizations thrive on two way communication channels with almost daily updates to all those concerned especially if one of your signature programs is failing spectacularly. I’m losing confidence in the credibility of the system because of the lack of information. My question is, “What is going on?”

73 from the shackadelic near the beach.      

Endeavour

Engines

Scale of Endeavour

The conclusion of one more year is reaching its climax and requires reflection. The endeavor verb meaning is try hard to achieve something while its noun is an attempt to achieve a goal. I recently spent a weekend in Los Angeles visiting a few locations in addition to the California Science Center in Exposition Park. It was a remarkable experience brought to me by friends and family.

I was thunderstruck by the scale of shuttle Endeavour named after the British HMS Endeavour which took Captain James Cook on his first voyage of discovery according to Wikipedia.

Certainly, current events are weighing heavily on my mind, as I seek an understanding of my responsibility in this world. I thought of endeavor that is achieve and attempt to achieve a goal.

What are your ham radio goals for next year?

73 from the shackadelic near the beach.