hello chasers and activators,
quite some time ago a few activators stopped after 4 or 6 QSOs,
I did not like that because it benefits the stations using kW and
giving extra long calls. I tried to explain to them, I was not
sure to be understood.
Now there is another practice I dislike:
Activator does some twenty or thirty QSOs but only logs the first
four of them - so the summit will count for him.
I am an activator only now and then: (next series this month) but
I will still include all stations worked in my activator’s log.
I will not check for the missing * in my chaser’s log from these
"4 QSOs only" activators.
I agree with your sentiments entirely Mike. It seems strange for activators to only put part of their log onto the database when as an activator they have made all the effort to get their kit together, drive to the parking spot, ascend the hill, set up the station, activate, dismantle the station and get back to where they set out from and drive home. Uploading a complete log takes so little additional effort.
At first I assumed the logs weren’t being transferred to the database, but now realise they probably stop with the paper log after the few calls mentioned above.
I’ve not experienced it, but I’m not a prolific chaser, pathetic yes (-:
I totally agree with you, Mike. If someone has taken the time and effort to call me, the very the least I can do is log the contact. This is especially important for the Stateside chasers, who put in a huge effort to work the European Activators at the most unearthly hours their side of the pond.
Hello everyone…I am new to SOTA, but have been activating mountain tops for 40 years in Arizona for VHF contests, grid chasing, and casual hiking/camping. There is nothing like a mountain top to make VHF come alive!
If this problem continues, maybe we could add a bonus point or two for more submitted QSO’s up to some point. Maybe one (?) bonus point for 10 or 20 (?) QSO’s IN THE Submitted LOG. I figure that by 20 QSO’s or so all of us nail-biting chasers will have been logged.
Just a thought…we sure want all of those contacts put into the system.
I agree that it’s expected that a complete log of ALL summit QSOs be submitted by an Activator (each and every one), but it is not currently described that explicitly in SOTA docs. (The General Rules states, “Activators must submit a log of the Expedition in order to claim points.”)
Perhaps a clarification to log all QSOs might be made in section 3.7.1.12 of the SOTA General Rules and under “Some simple rules” in Guidelines for Activators. Might it also be added to each ARM as they are updated?
And Mike, I had the pleasure of working you from a couple of Colorado summits. You are in my logs of course!
I am another who believes that it would be best overall if everyone logged all their QSOs. But you can’t make anyone do anything. And as has been intimated, they would only dig their heels in if you tried.
So, whether it be:
a) Lots of QSOs, all logged
b) Lots of QSOs, 4 logged
c) 4 QSOs
or even…
d) Plenty of activations, no QSOs ever logged (and this definitely happens)
…it remains the activator’s choice how to manage his/her logs afterwards. SOTA MT encourages all activator to log all QSOs, but will not be making a change to the rules to make this compulsory. Because it would be effectively unenforcable.
In any case, the asterisks are not a requirement for chaser claims to be valid. They are nonetheless a useful guide to Barry GM4TOE when processing certificate claims, but ultimately not required.
A way to encourage people to log as many contacts as possible without modifying the scores and bonus scheme could be to add a new column to the “Activator Log” pages, like SOTA Database .
There is now a column “QSOs” that shows how many QSOs the activator has logged for every activation. Another column next to this one could show how many chasers have logged a contact during the activation. Ideally the counts should match, and frequent important differences would show that the activator does not bother.
Is it technically feasible, and if so, would it be a good idea ?
Hum ! I feel a bit concerned !!
I am one of those Activator who do not take time to registred all is trafic radio. so why ?
It needs 4 points to validate a summit, so i wrote 4 qso. If tomorrow the rules say : it needs 50 qso ! i will write 50 qso ! But tomorrow is not yet arrived !!
The database does not compare the trafic anymore between chaser and activator. It was like that long time ago, and it was a kind of official way to say to chaser and activator that the qso is valid. This does not exist anymore, so what for to write 100 callsigns in datadase, and then the same in my log.
I use Swisslog as my own log, and i did not find any solution not to have to write two time my log ! All application are not adapted. The app of Alain F6ENO to write fast log is ok for database but not for my log, so have to write 2 time again.
the database do not permit upload with file.adi ! so once more need to type two time.
sometime, i come back from SOTA with 200 qso to write ! so it takes a day to SOTA activation and an other day to write in log!
All my qso are on my E-QSL log, if people wants to get a confirmation of qso ! they have to send qsl ! so many ham do not send qsl, it is not fair also… It is easier to put log on E-QSL than on the Sota Database !
Last time, i was disturb by an italian station which call me as a mad ! 4 time callsign, he believe he was alone on qrg !! I told him may be 4 time that he was NIL !! I came back home and i was in his log ! he took points for a qso he has not done !
American solution ! Thanks america !! it can be fair to congratulate those who trafic more !
I also think that some people do not want to show his own log. it is privacy. In “clublog”, you can ask if you are in log, but you do not see all the log entries. Some other Log system show only last 10 qso.
Anyway, i am QSL for everybody via E-QSL, just need to come and take it !
My best 73 to all ! i will be in mountains this saturday and will send you report as usual !!
Bob
The database does not compare the trafic anymore between chaser and
activator. It was like that long time ago, and it was a kind of
official way to say to chaser and activator that the qso is valid.
This does not exist anymore
It does exist the confirmation * has been back for quite a while now.
In reply to G8TMV:
I need an explanation ! How it is working ?
Cause i went to my chaser database and it is written down :
Notes :
If an entry is marked with a ‘*’ in the Points column , this indicates that an exact match has been found in the activators log. Think of it as an automatic QSL confirmation, but remeber that there are many reasons why an exactly matching contact will not be found in the database. You do not need confirmation to claim points for the QSO.
There are no “*” nowhere and no ? !
in that case why in the log of italian station that i do not contact, there is no asterisk in front of my call ?
best regards
Bob, you can export ADIF from Swisslog and use a program Alain F6ENO wrote to convert that to SOTA format. I think there are other ADIF conversion programs too.
So you should be able to enter once to Swisslog then export ADIF then convert then upload. You only need to type them once that way.
One day (but not soon) we will have ADIF on the database. But it is well down the list of jobs thanks to utilities which convert ADIF to SOTA CSV and back.
I use Swisslog as my own log, and i did not find any solution not to have to write two time my log !
Hopefully the suggestions above on the Reflector will help you with a conversion program.
Personally, I paper log on the summits, use an Excel spreadsheet for my written record at home and manually enter the contacts into the database. Okay, I only work between 10 and 50 contacts per activation, so maybe it is not such an issue for me to make two separate entries, but I would say that entering the information into the database takes priority over my log, every time.
My concern would be that chasers won’t bother working activators that only log 4 contacts, as the chance of getting their contact on the database will be so small. As I said in my earlier post, the main effort is actually carrying out the activation. Entering the contacts onto the database is a very small part of the overall effort.
In reply to ON6ZQ:
Hi christophe,
It is already 2 years i fight with that ! i do not understand nothing anymore !
CSV to adi : i have no rst ! so not interesting for me !
Adi to csv : does not work, may be swiss log is particular !
