[Tlf-devel] Issues while trying to build a Nevada QSO Party rules file

[Ben Coleman NJ8J]

Recently, I sat down to start putting together a rules file for the 
upcoming Nevada QSO party.  I plan to play in a number of QSO Parties 
this year(plus things like NAQP), and I had figured on putting together 
rules files for them and contributing them back so they could be 
included in the TLF package.  I have in the past used old DOS software 
for things like this, but my old DOS machine isn't going to last 
forever.  Plus, DOS contest software can't talk to my radio, but hamlib 
can, so doing contests with tlf is preferable.

As I'm sure you're not surprised, some parts of the rules for this 
particular contest don't quite fit tlf's rules set up.  I'm hoping that 
if I point out where the problems are for this, and for other contests I 
try to make rules for later, it might point to some bug fixes and wish 
list items for future tlf development.  I hope to help make tlf rules 
flexible enough to handle most any contests, and then the users can 
contribute rules sets for contests.

Some of these things might be my misunderstandings.  I haven't so far 
been able to find documentation on the rules file.  If it's out there, 
but I've missed it, please point me to it.  If it's not, this seems to 
me to be a good addition to the TODO  list.

Things I've run into with NVQP:

1.  I've set up a multiplier file of Nevada counties, used MULT_LIST and 
SECTION_MULT.  Problem is that when using SECTION_MULT, tlf seems to 
assume that multipliers count per band, except for the hard-coded 
exception of ARRL Sweepstakes, and NVQP doesn't count multipliers per 
band.  We need a SECTION_MULT equivalent of WYSIWYG_ONCE.

2.  This is a MIXED contest, and qso points are different for phone vs 
CW/Digital (2 for phone, 3, for CW/Digital).  Tlf doesn't handle that.

Ben
--
Ben Coleman address@hidden
 "I love the way Microsoft follows standards.  In much the
same manner that fish follow migrating caribou."
                                            Paul Tomblin