[MacLoggerContest] Contest Operator Support Features

[Jonathan G0DVJ]

So this thread is about other support that a contest operator can be  
provided with from an insanely great contest logger application.
To get things going I suggest comments under the following 3 headings  
...


1.  Information provided to the operator to increase his/her  
performance & effectiveness while logging
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(a)  Duplicate checking - Can we agree that this is the most essential?  
   It's nice if the potential possibility of a dupe can be subtly  
signalled as the callsign is being entered and then if confirmed when  
completed the signal is totally unmissable!   Providing look-up  
information about when the station was previously worked which is  
causing the dupe including the serial number he/she gave you (if  
applicable) is ideal.   The logger should allow the operator to easily  
accept the duplicate contact if necessary and reflect the non-scoring  
aspect of this in the realtime score information presented (see below).

What else to do with Duplicate Checking?

(b)  Multiplier/Bonus checking -  This is about signalling that the  
current QSO being logged is potentially a new mult or bonus opportunity  
either on the current band/mode or potentially also on another  
band/mode (in the case of multi-band/multi-mode events).  Obviously the  
realtime summary scores should be updated after the QSO is committed to  
the log if the mult/bonus totals per band/mode & overall are affected -  
i.e. the potential was confirmed.
Something I have yet to see on other software but wonder if we could be  
the first, if others think its useful, related to this potential value  
of the stations you hear (when running a frequency) is to make an easy  
way to quickly log more than one partial call at a time - since you  
often get called by more than one station.  If the potential value of  
each was flagged you could select on the basis of value if you desire.   
At a minimum it could provide a scratch pad of partial calls heard  
since my increasingly bad short term memory means I often forget what I  
have heard as a call after completing a QSO with another station.

Any comments?  What else on Mults?

(c)  Scoring rates - This gives the operator realtime feedback about  
his performance, and may imply changing propagation, tiredness and  
fatigue etc.   The precise information should vary per type of contest  
event but usually include things like QSO's per minute (last 10, last  
100 - not just instantaneous average), points per QSO (where this is  
variable), QSOs per Mult/bonus (how often are mults appearing), and in  
the case of VHF/UHF type contests where distances are more important,  
km/miles per QSO, best distance QSO - call, grid locator, distance.

Comments?  What else?

(d)  Real time scoring display -  This are running totals applying to  
committed QSOs in the log for the current contest.  Not just Total  
Points Score, but a table showing per band/mode (if applicable)  
breakdowns of QSOs, Points & Mults (if applicable).   Has anyone seen  
display of time spent on each band/mode (if applicable) provided for  
reference by any other programs?  Just occurred to me that timers  
running like this in background might help avoid reaching the end of  
the contest and then thinking - wow I should've spent more time on 40  
or cw etc.  which can be hard to do/remember while you are running.

Comments ?  What have I missed?

(e)  Currently worked station info -  This is presenting as much  
helpful information about the station you are currently trying to work  
as possible to minimise the time required to complete for example.   So  
if I don't have the full call of someone, but I have their locator (in  
a VHF event) or prefix (in HF) the software can present a suggested  
beam heading and distance to that square/country from my location so i  
(or the computer see below) can turn the antenna to make the signal  
better and get the rest for example - not something I am going to look  
at every QSO but when I am having problems etc.   Country name look-up  
is also good based on prefix.   A nice touch I have seen in some  
software is to allow the user to create simple text files which are  
also optionally looked-up against which match callsign to info like  
name or grid locator - name may only be an option within the CW keyer  
to auto insert it in the sent exchange after any greeting - and grid  
locator may be used as an auto insert in VHF/UHF events - although  
maybe we can do better than this in the provision of a dedicated  
locator database  for gird locators?

Comments?  What else?


2.  Interaction with other shack components (e.g. interfaces to Radios,  
Amplifiers, Rotors, TNCs, Internet etc.)
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-  Radio should (if connected) provide frequency/band info to the log  
as a minimum.  Quick QSY & back (remembering the original frequency) is  
a nice feature when working a station on one band who you realise is a  
multiplier on another band!   Anything else?

-  Rotor control could act on the bearing info of the station being  
worked (as mentioned in 1(e) above).   Low priority IMHO.

-  TNC could flag potential mults/bonuses to the operator as they  
appear as spots on a DX-cluster - similarly for internet connected  
clusters.  Radio (frequency/mode) and/or rotor could act on spotted  
data if selected while remembering previous working frequency etc,   
Otherwise just the option of a passive cluster viewing window on might  
be enough for most people.  Some sections of some contest rules (e.g.  
single operator unassisted) may prohibit cluster use so would we want  
any flag from the configuration process to govern if a cluster window  
can be displayed?

-  Other comments?

Lets get details out on the table here - its very easy to invent ideas  
for making the app more complex but then we will eventually need to  
arrive at some consensus of what the initial top few priorities are.


3.  Post-contest processing (e.g. entry files, statistics & learning by  
review, integration with main station log etc.)
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- Cabrillo output format for log submission to the adjudicators.

- ADIF export / integration with other main station logs (e.g. MLDX and  
others), possibly with some intelligent population of other fields for  
the main log (such as contest name in the notes field), site/location  
information, etc.

- Export of scoring/mults/rates per hour, rates per operator (multi-op  
if applicable), lists of countries/grid squares worked per band,  
history of elapsed time spent on various bands/modes, to something that  
could be imported to Excel or similar so that the operator or team can  
learn from each contest effort and try to improve.   Again this IMHO is  
lower priority.


Discuss / add as appropriate please ?

73,
Jonathan G0DVJ
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