[Tlf-devel] Setting up exhange/multipliers

[Ed Lawson]

On Sun, 11 Jan 2004 13:52:53 +0100
Rein Couperus <address@hidden> wrote:

> Tlf does not support this (yet). Can you give me the exact exchange?
> I will put it on the todo list.

I think the ideal solutions would be for the user to have the ability to
create a broader range of exchanges making it possible to create rules
files that could handle the large number of contests/events out there
with non standard exchanges.  I don't know how TR does this.  Maybe they
are all hard coded in the program.  That just seems like a great deal of
work for the developers that could go toward other features, etc. but I
also don't know how hard it would be to code it so the user would have
greater control over the exchange.


Rein, I am in the final stages of getting the multiplier files and rules
files for some various QSO parties in the US ready.  How would you like
them sent? Can I send them as an attachment to you directly?

Here are some exchanges used in some common  North American events.

NA QSO Party :  Operator name and s/p/c for north
american stations and name only for non north american stations.

Multipliers:  US states, Canadian provinces, and other north american
countries.  Everyone else can be worked for qso points, but not
multipliers.

NA Sprint:  serial number, name, s/p/c

Multipliers: US states, Canadian provinces,and other north american
countries.  Non North ameican stations worked for points, but not
multipliers.

Mid Atlantic QSO paty

Exchange:  Mid Atlantic Stations use serial number and 5 letter group
which is combination of county and state.  US Non mid Atlantic stations
use serial number and last two numbers of postal zip code.  Canadian
stations use serial number and province.  DX stations use serial
numbers and "DX".

Multipliers:  Mid Atlantic stations: one DX station, states and
provinces and each of the mid Atlantic counties.  Non mid Atlantic
stations:  mid Atlantic counties

Another feature of most US QSO parties is that they run all modes at the
same time and give different QSO points for different modes  and often
more points for mobile stations.  This means that during the contest you
may operate CW for an hour or two and then shift to SSB for a hour or
two. As a result it is necessary to shift the QSO points according to
the mode while operating.  I believe this cannot be done now with tlf
and it would be a good new feature.

New England QSO Party

Exchange: NE stations send RST and five letter group showing state and
county.  Non NE stations send RST and s/p/c.

Multipliers:  NE stations have s/p/c while non NE stations have NE
counties.

Except for the points for mode issue, I think tlf can be used for the
mid Atlantic and NE QSO parties with right muliplier files.


State QSO parties.  In US, many states have a QSO party.  These can vary
a great deal.  Here are some examples.


Vermont QSO party:
Exchange:  Vt stations send RST and county  Non VT stations sned RST and
s/p/c.

Multipliers:  for Vt stations, VT, NH, and ME counties, special club
stations, and s/p/c.  for non-VT stations, VT, NH, ME counties and
special Vt club stations.

Minnesota QSO party

Exchange:  name and MN county or s/p/c for non Minn stations.

Multipliers:  Minn counties and s/p/c for both Minn and non Minn
stations.


Then there are the QRP contests which get odd at times like the upcoming
FYBO contest in which the exchange is RST, s/p/c, name, pwr, and
temperature.  the multipliers are for whether operating in field (x4),
if on alternative pwr (x2), and a number for different range of
temperatures with the highest for the lowest temperatures.

BTW I think the WYSIWYG multiplier feature is great for contests in
which the multiplier is something like the postal zip cod or telephone
area code.  both of which are used in the US for some events.

It seems to me the biggest issues now with setting up these contests
in tlf is the ability to handle exchanges such as name and then the
multiplier component and to assign QSo points based upon mode.
Fortunately not all of them are strict about how the log is submitted
so such items as multipliers for special club stations could be done
manually after the contest.

Hope this has not been too long, but wanted to give you examples of
rules to see need for more flexibility in the exchange and being able to
specify an element of the exchange as the multiplier so users could roll
there own so to speak to cover some of these events without their
needing to be hard wired in the code.

Ed Lawson
K1VP