[Dxbase] Backups..

Fri Sep 17 22:48:18 EDT 2004

Al,
Your experience with incorrect information from LoTW database is not 
uncommon. The ARRL programmers did not include validation of the input from 
stations who submit a log. Therefore, if, for example, I submit a log and 
enter my zone as 40, and my country as Germany, etc.... LoTW will accept it. 
And, any matches that are found will result in the confirmations from my log 
to you reflecting that AA4LU is zone 40 in Germany.... not very good LoTW 
design, but that's the way it is presently.
I understand that the ARRL is aware of the problem and one day will inject 
some validation logic, but I really don't know the status of that effort. 
Meanwhile, they take it on faith that what a station submits is accurate.
Cheers,
Jack
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Al Bailey" <k8six at comcast.net>
To: <dxbase at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Friday, September 17, 2004 10:20 AM
Subject: [Dxbase] Backups..
>I recently ran into a problem with my download from LOTW once I imported it 
>into DXBase 2005. Joe, WA6AXE, showed me the contact in question and it 
>turns out someone submitted a contact for EM04 when in fact it was EM03. 
>The threw my records off as I no longer showed EM03 worked OR confirmed. 
>:( :( Not a good thing.
>> The important thing here is though to make sure you keep several backups. 
> I do just that and would like to pass on my technique. Since I manage a 
> couple stations I need to make sure they don't accidently get mixed up so 
> I have them in separate folders. Also I may work with these files several 
> times a day so I have a method of naming them. Here is a example
>> W1AW09172004_1.MDB
> W1AW09172004_2.MDB
> W1AW09172004_3.MDB
> etc
>> Notice you get the call, date, and number of download on any given day. 
> Helps a lot.
>> Rarely do I ever go above three but this allows you to go back as far as 
> you like.
>> If you are uploading data from LOTW and importing it into DXBase I 
> STRONGLY suggest a backup just PRIOR to your import.
>> Hope this keeps somebody from loosing data and cursing later. Best 73 de 
> K8SIX
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