[Dxbase] DXCC submission form problem and opinions needed

Thu Jun 14 23:48:57 EDT 2007

Hi all.
Yesterday I became aware of a problem regarding the DXCC application 
submission module -- or more specifically, the QSO FORM, as it 
pertains to submitting a hybrid LoTW/paper QSL DXCC award. If you 
don't use LoTW, this topic will be of no consequence to you (feel 
free to hit delete if that's the case!)
In OUTPUT, AWARDS, DXCC , you have the choice (in the lower-left) of 
selecting Cards Only, LoTW Only or Both. This scenario *only* applies 
to those who select BOTH, which should affect *everyone* who uses LoTW.
If you have BOTH selected and you compute a DXCC award submission, 
(don't forget to say NO to the long question you'll be asked after 
pressing COMPUTE, or you'll be up the creek for your next real 
submission!) the problem is with the QSO FORM.
Since you're using BOTH LoTW and paper QSL cards for your 
application, the QSO form will naturally show all DXCC records 
confirmed by either method. No problem, right?
BIG problem, as it turns out. When you take this form and your cards 
to a DXCC card checker, they will kick back any application with 
"extraneous" information on it. Our club just had its application 
rejected with a strongly-worded note from Bill Moore because both 
LoTW and paper QSL records were on the QSO form that we submitted to 
a card checker at a hamfest. We were told in no uncertain terms that 
the only entries that should be on the QSO form are paper QSLs that 
are being submitted for checking. If you're submitting to Newington 
directly, you don't need this form. If you're getting your 
application field-checked you DO.
The question then became how to show only paper cards on this QSO 
FORM yet have DX Base process Logbook of the World QSL records as 
"accepted for credit" with that submission.
Joe, WA6AXE has developed a work-around for this that does the trick, 
but he has a functionality query to put to the users here on the 
reflector. (Joe, please jump into this thread if I've mis-interpreted 
your query)...
 From Joe:
>I will need to make a Selection
>pull-down (Choices) -- that would give the OPTIONS of (for example):
>> Hybrid Submission -> BOTH = LoTW
> Regular Submission -> BOTH = CARD
>>>I see the NEED to be able to let the user decide whether "ALL" of 
>the BOTH category of QSOs are to be handled as a HYBRID submission 
>(therefore, the BOTH is the same thing as LoTW) - and in this case
>SUPPRESS all of the BOTH and LoTW QSO's ...OR...
>>ALL of the BOTH category of QSOs are to be handled as a regular
>submission and count as if they were CARD --- with LoTW ONLY being
>suppressed in this case..

Since I was the one experiencing the original problem I agreed to 
post the question here. From my vantage point, I let LoTW hits trump 
everything and I always initiate a DXCC submission via the ARRL's 
LoTW Website. I select all LoTW hits from there, then whatever's left 
over, I pull the paper cards out of the boxes and put them together 
according to the order set in the QSO FORM report. Since I keep DX 
Base in sync with LoTW (I regularly download my LoTW matches and put 
them into DX Base), DX Base knows what's confirmed via LoTW, paper and both.
The question then becomes how do others do DXCC submissions with DX 
Base? If you don't use LoTW, I guess all this is irrelevant. If you 
DO use LoTW, do you want records confirmed both ways to show up on 
the QSO Form that goes to the League? Would you rather use paper 
cards for those QSOs or LoTW hits?
Again, my thinking -- and that of Bill Moore at the ARRL, is that 
nothing should be on that form except paper QSL records, but do some 
of you prefer to use a hard-card for this type of submission instead 
of a Logbook of the World record?
I'd suggest replying to the reflector or directly to Joe, since he's 
actually doing the heavy lifting on this problem (with 
MUCHO-THANKS!!!!!!!!!!!!).
Joe will likely release the solution to this on his site once he gets 
your input, etc.
Again, Joe, please chime in if I got your request wrong.
Cheers,
Peter,
W2IRT 