[Dxbase] How to update/synchronise DXB2007 Challenge stats withARRL Challenge stats?

Fri Sep 15 20:28:07 EDT 2006

What your asking is not possible...with DXBase or any other software as far as I can 
determine.
I've been working this issue for months and I've found some interesting issues.
One...you can check all the qso's that the ARRL has credited you with on LoTW.
Go to Awards, select you account, select Challenge and ask for all credits.
What your going to find will drive you crazy.
Theoretically (the way DXBase does it) is credit the FIRST qsl for a band as being the 
'qso that counts for Challenge'.
Unfortunately you and I have hundreds of band/credits previously in the ARRL databank.
DXBase (I'm assuming as I can't verify) counts the first qso that is qsled with a band as 
the qso that is credited.
But
Arrl counts the first QSL submitted as being the qso/qsl that is entered into the DXCC 
system.
Say you enter 3 cards for BS7H, each with a different band/mode.
1 cw received Jan 2000
2 ssb received Jan 2001
3 digital received Jan 1945
If the data entry person grabs the ssb card first, then that one gets the band challenge 
credit even though DXB is crediting the 1945 qsl as first, the DXCC desk says the first 
one into the system is the 2001 qsl.
I've spent days going through the DXCC online LoTW data and noting the differences.
And it gets worse....much worse
If I send in a card for a station that has a non contest call and a 'contest' call on the 
same card...
Like so many do with the appropriate callsign checked by the confirmer (did I just make a 
new word?)
There is a good chance, the data person will not notice the difference.
And in my case I've found 5 qsl credits...for station I DID NOT WORK.
I worked the other callsign on the card, not the one the data entry person typed into the 
DXCC form.
I found a number of 10megs and 10 meter mistakes.
And this is with my placing a postit note on the card noting the callsign, band, and mode, 
clearly indicated.
So if you think there is any way to 'match up' what the DXCC desk says is your Challenge 
qso/qsl with what DXB says is the Challenge qso/qsl....well I can't find it except by 
tediously going through the thousands of my Challenge credits and marking the DXB logged 
qso as such in the Special 1 field.
And just in case someone thinks I'm throwing rocks at DXCC, no way, I can't imagine how 
bleary eyed the poor data entry people get trying to decipher handwriting and 'unusual 
conventions'.
I'd be willing to bet their accuracy score is really quite high.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "John Farber" <kg6i at hughes.net>
To: <dxbase at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Friday, September 15, 2006 6:30 PM
Subject: [Dxbase] How to update/synchronise DXB2007 Challenge stats withARRL Challenge 
stats?
I'd like to know how you DXBase gurus synchronize your DXase2007 Challenge
stats with those of ARRL. In particular, I have found several country/band
spots for countries showing not confirmed by ARRL yet they show confirmed by
my DXBsae2007. So I need to know:
1. Is there an automated way to generate the proper list of QSLs to
send to the ARRL DXCC Desk in order to synchronize the two databases (my
copy of DXBase2007 and the ARRL Challenge matrix listing).
2. If not an automated method, then just how, step-by-step have you
folks accomplished this? I'm getting ready to send some QSLs in and want to
make sure I include all needed to get me caught up.
Thanks, John Farber, KG6I
______________________________________________________________
Dxbase mailing list
Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/dxbase
Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
Post: mailto:Dxbase at mailman.qth.net