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
