Contesting log errors and their penalties

[N1API]

Interesting website explaining Cabrillo Log Files here.

I always submitted the logs for many of the club events and for FD and Sweeps we used my custom made duping program. I think we have been using it for more than 15 years now. It's almost impossible to have an error with my software .. But that's a long story.

Now that we are using the other two contest software of late, I'll be retiring my software.

However there is NO REASON to have any errors that cost you penalties. Not many people know it but you can submit your entry and the Cab engine will send you a report with the errors. You can then edit or delete the bad log entries and re-submit the log again. Each subsequent log you submit will replace the one currently on record completely.

Of course this doesn't help if that one QSO you needed for a clean sweep is just plain NG .. (not in ANYONE"s log) But if your entry has a typo or wrong section or check etc. and you have his data from another contact on another band etc. that IS correct, well just edit the QSO and re-submit the whole log again. You can keep re-submitting it.

Don't know why anyone would not re-submit a log to get rid of the "penalties" these days.

73, Rich WA1TRY

Why fix it if it ain't broke? Why retire it?

If I had known, I would have submitted the log file to you first.

What do you need, the Cabrillo File or the .TRN files?

Some contest organization frown on "sanitizing" your logs. The message that the robot sends you is meant to tell you if you entered in the correct category. If say you are going over your log a day or two later and find that you got a call or section wrong and change it that is called "sanitizing" your log. By right you are not suppose to fix it and resubmit it. Probably done more than people realize but frowned upon. You are supposed to make any corrections before submitting your log and then once submitted leave it as is.


Al