News

Dear Club Members

When we decided to create this club, we self imposed some rules. One of them is we would not create any new conventions, but instead accept the existing ones (eg  DXCC, VUCC, Maidenhead grid squares, CQ zones, etc.).  
Beside the rankings, we created the "QO-100 DXCC award" but left a possible "QO-100 Grid award" for later, because we anticipated some issues... Time would soon teach us we did the right decision. In short, the main problem was we found errors... too many errors.  
You see, in opposition to LOTW (where all data is crossed checked), our club rankings and awards are totally based on the information you provided. The DXCC list is fairly small and errors are easily spotted. The Grid list is a world apart!!!  
We analysed the problem and implemented a number of checks, to insure we kept the error to the minimum possible. Despite the initial negative reaction, most members accepted the rules and we had a dramatic reduction: the overall error is now near 3% (and it has been like that the last 6 months or so, suggesting it will not be much lower than what it is today).  
When we start discussing the implementation of the "QO-100 Grid award", we looked at VUCC rules and noticed number 6. "For VUCC awards on 50 through 1296 MHz and Satellite, all contacts must be made from locations no more than 200 km apart."  We did not anticipated that but we decided we would comply with the rules, and the way forward was to start requesting the MY_GRIDSQUARE or MY_VUCC_GRIDS. At the time, although we could, we decided not to, enforce the rule and let the members voluntary include the information on their logs. Again that proved to be a good decision and currently more than 70% of the logs on our database have that information, crucial to implement the 200km rule.
However another change was necessary: the possibility of aggregate data from the same station, on the same DXCC, using different calls. Beside the /P, the other common user case is stations who (permanently or temporarily) use different callsigns.
This was done recently (with very little impact, only noticed by a few stations) and now we are ready for the next step: VUCC rankings!  
As the name implies, the new ranking will be done according to the VUCC rules. That requires ALL logs to have MY_GRIDSQUARE or MY_VUCC_GRIDS fields. No exceptions. No data, no credit.
For the majority of our members the new rule has no consequence. For the others, who currently do not submit those fields, there are 2 options: either you tell us the grid(s) you operated from (plus date and time when the operation took place) and we manually update your log, or you will need to submit your log again with the missing information.
We will maintain the current Grids ranking until the end of 2023, but from 1st Jan 2024 only VUCC ranking will be available.  
We hope you understand and support us on this new club milestone.
If you have any questions/suggestions, please email us.   
Thank you.
 
73 QO-100 Dx Club team