The Aug. 11, 2006 ruling by the ARRL on real-time posting of log information was motivated by the general development of real-time applications in various areas of ham radio (e.g., spotting sites, special events such as the WRTC, and contesting), and precipitated by the development of DXA for the K7C Kure 2005 DXpedition. You can see DXA working (although currently static), as well as see other information about DXA and real-time at http://www.cordell.org/DXA.
DXA provides two formats for its presentation: (1) Real-time: callsign, date, time (2) Archival: callsign, band, mode. DXA does not allow you to link all five QSO elements (callsign, date, time, band, mode), and therefore DXA does not violate the new policy (http://www.cordell.org/DXA/DXA_documents/DXA_ARRL_policy.html). Indeed, as the developer of DXA I am committed to ensuring that DXA _cannot_ violate the ARRL practice and policy. Apparently the vast majority of DXers disagree with the new ARRL policy, and see no reason for not exposing the full log in real time. This is seen in the extensive responses to surveys made during and after the K7C/DXA DXpedition in Sept., 2005. The detailed responses can be seen at http://www.cordell.org/DXA/DXA_survey_2005/DXA_survey_2005_question_6.html. The ARRL policy is driven by concern for cheating, but very few DXers seem to care about what must be an extremely small rate of attempts at cheating. Regrettably, the ARRL must deal with cheating in other forms (such as altered cards), but it has never presented evidence or a credible scenario in which significant cheating occurs (or would be enabled or encouraged) as a result of real-time log exposure. On the contrary, there is considerable evidence that tools like DXA reduce (not increase) cheating. For instance, a detailed case study (http://www.cordell.org/DXA/DXA_documents/K7C_QSL_case_study.htm) shows that a DXer who attempted to coerce the K7C QSL manager into issuing undeserved QSL cards was caught and exposed. This author believes that such exposure will be a strong deterrent against potential cheating. The benefits of real-time log display are: (1) It reduces dupes. DXers see immediately that they are in the log and have no need for insurance contacts. This happened on K7C. (2) It eliminates pirating. If you inadvertently work a pirate, and do not get confirmation directly from the DXpedition, you would be motivated (correctly) to make another QSO. Note that for both duping and pirating, the real-time feedback may well be crucial to a successful logged QSO, since propagation and operating time may not allow for another chance another day. (3) It reduces cheating. As stated above, the greater exposure of the activities will be a deterrent to potential cheaters, and will assist in intercepting such attempts. (4) It improves DXpedition performance. On K7C, the operator logging error rate was 0.8%, considerably lower than the normal DXpedition rate (1-2%). This was stimulated by the increased accountability due to the use of DXA. (5) It improves QSLing practice. Virtually all cheating occurs because the QSL manager yields to pressure from DXers to issue an undeserved QSL card. Again, this was seen in the K7C project: The ARRL imposed the requirement of making "no changes in the log" if we used DXA. This had the beneficial effect of providing the QSL manager with a clear mandate: the request for a QSL had to have a clear evidence trail, or it was returned NIL. QSL managers for DXpeditions using such tools will have to be very careful to not issue cards for undocumented QSOs. (6) It encourages new participants in DXing and ham radio. What we have known for a long time (see the author's books about 3YØPI, XRØY/Z, VKØIR, and XRØX) is that DXers don't want to watch; they want to participate. During K7C, more than 40,000 unique callsigns were logged onto DXA, nearly three times the number of active DXers in the world. This is clear evidence that real-time display and interactivity is a strong draw, beyond the confines of the top DXers and traditional programs. Indeed, the best source of growth and health of ham radio is in the community of younger persons interested in computers, the internet, dynamic websites, and interactive software, as well as radio. (7) It is fun. If you watched DXA and saw your green square come on a minute or so after making the QSO, you know what a thrill it was. Many DXers made screen capture images of the event, and proudly framed them. Almost nothing is more exciting than seeing your callsign appear on the world map shortly after making the QSO. If you didn't experience this, or you doubt what I'm saying, just read the survey responses at http://www.cordell.org/DXA/DXA_survey_2005/responses.html. If you know of some scenario by which DXA or any similar real-time application could be used to harm the integrity of the DXCC program or violate the ARRL policies, I would be most grateful to have such input. Please contribute your general discussion to this reflector, or if you prefer, write directly to me: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Bob KK6EK Dr. Robert Schmieder 4295 Walnut Blvd. Walnut Creek, CA 94596 (925) 934-3735 [EMAIL PROTECTED] www.cordell.org Subscribe/unsubscribe, feedback, FAQ, problems http://njdxa.org/dx-chat To post a message, DX related items only, [email protected] This is the DX-CHAT reflector sponsored by the NJDXA http://njdxa.org
