Case Study of a K7C/DXA Log Entry Dispute

Robert W. Schmieder KK6EK

8 Feb 2006

SUMMARY

This is a real case involving a specific DXer and his wife. Over a period of several weeks, this person attempted to obtain QSL cards for several QSOs with K7C. The manager, Tom N4XP, who is highly experienced and of the highest integrity, could not find the requested QSOs in the log, and refused to issue the cards. This analysis was done to find the source of the dispute, and it ultimately resulted in showing that the DXer probably was either badly mistaken or attempted to coerce the QSL manager. The detailed records saved by DXA enabled an unambiguous resolution of the problem, in favor of the DXpedition.

In this article, the callsigns of the actual DXer and his wife have been changed to DXØER and DXØYL.

During the QSLing process for K7C, a claim was made for certain QSOs that were ruled NIL by the QSL manager Tom N4XP. This note describes the analysis of this claim and its resolution. It clearly shows the power and advantage of using DXA for assisting in operating, logging, and QSLing DXpeditions.

This case was initiated in a series of notes from DXØER to N4XP, followed by exchanges with KK6EK. The first note states [Sun 02/05/2006 12:19 PM] (emphasis added by KK6EK):

The statement is repeated by DXØER [Sun 02/05/2006 2:42 PM]:

And again by DXØER [Tue 02/07/2006 8:10 PM]:

When asked for details of the 20m QSOs, DXØER replied [Wed 02/08/2006 1:07 AM]:

These statements were reiterated again by DXØER [Wed 02/08/2006 1:32 AM]:

Clearly, DXØER is adamant that DXA displayed the greenies for the 20m QSOs by himself and his wife DXØYL. However, the QSL manager Tom N4XP was unable to find the 20m QSOs, and reported them NIL.

In order to resolve this, I examined the records from the K7C DXpedition. I have available to me the original (raw) K7C logs taken directly from the computers on Kure, and several stages of processing, ending in the final K7C log passed to Tom. In addition, I have the complete records of the data processed by DXA during the entire operation, including the DXA log, which is generated independently of the K7C radio log and records what is displayed on DXA.

DXA works by assembling QSO (and other data such as time marks) into a packet, uploading it to the central DXA website, and parsing it to distribute it to several files that are then read by an HTML request to assemble a page for display (the DXA window). DXA automatically assigns a unique number to every packet, and logs every packet that arrives at the central site (without modification). DXA writes files that contain each individual packet intact, separate lists of the packet numbers, callsigns, and other data. The entire set of files was generated automatically by DXA, and represents the actual data received by the central site (where the DXA pages are assembled for display). The entire set of files was saved intact write-protected, and have not been modified since they were created by DXA during the operation. This is the DXA log.

To make this clear, the DXA log shows what was seen on the DXA page. If it is not in the DXA log, it was not shown on the DXA web page. Although the DXA records have been updated after the operation as the K7C log was cleaned, the DXA log itself was never changed--it remains as it was, and accurately shows what was shown on the DXA page during the operation.

In response to DXØER's claim, I performed an automatic and comprehensive searched of every packet in the entire set. Searching the DXA log for DXØER, only one packet (#12448) was found (emphasis added by KK6EK):

The next packet after this one is #12449, which shows no entry for DXØER:

The final K7C log for this period shows:

Thus, the DXA log shows agreement with the K7C log, except that DXØYL was apparently dropped by DXA, for unknown reasons. Thus, the DXA log supports DXØER's statement that immediately after he made his 17m QSO, he saw his greenie, but that his wife DXØYL, who was put in the K7C radio log, did not show a greenie.

Now searching the DXA log for DXØYL, we find only packet #12454 (emphasis added by KK6EK):

Again, the DXA log and the K7C radio log agree. During this period, DXA was accurately showing the K7C log. The DXA log listings above are exactly what one saw on the DXA web page, because it is the data that was used to generate the DXA page.

Now, DXØER claims repeatedly that he (and others) saw the DXØER and DXØYL 20m QSOs on DXA. The problem with this is that neither the K7C log nor the DXA log shows any such QSOs. Specifically, an exhaustive search of the DXA log shows no QSOs by either DXØER or DXØYL other than the two on 17m listed above. Again, these files were created with write-protection, and have not been altered since they were automatically created. Independent sets of these logs have been retained by K6SGH and still reside on the original web server (Verio). The recent move of the cordell.org website to a new server (Network Solutions) made no changes to these files.

It is inescapable that DXA never displayed any 20m QSOs for these callsigns. While I cannot explain DXØER certainty that he saw them on DXA, and I do not deny that he believes he saw them, I can say with complete certainty that they were not displayed on DXA. There is no possible way they could have been displayed without being in the DXA log, which they are not. The statement that the 20m greenies disappeared upon the move of DXA to the new server simply cannot be right. Whatever DXØER saw, it was not DXA confirmation for 20m QSOs with K7C.

It is worth noting that DXA completely eliminates losing QSOs to pirates. That is, if DXØER and DXØYL worked pirates on 20m, they could not have gotten the greenies, since the DXA website cannot be, and was not, hacked.

It is also worth pointing out how DXA worked well for DXØER and DXØYL: When the latter did NOT see her greenie within about 20 minutes, she made another QSO, exactly as instructed. The absence of the greenie showed her she was not certainly in the log. For both DXØER and DXØYL the presence of the greenie served to confirm that they were in the log, and prevented unnecessary dupes.

In addition to resolving this specific case, these points emerge from this analysis:

1. The DXA log provides a backup for the radio log, which could be useful for both confirming and denying claims by DXers for QSL confirmation.

2. Claims that DXA showed a greenie can be checked absolutely on the DXA log.

3. The value of DXA in preventing dupes and stimulating (correct) insurance contacts was demonstrated in this case.

Item 1 notwithstanding, the K7C DXpedition is conducting QSLing without reference to the DXA log, due to extreme sensitivity about DXA generated by lack of knowledge of how DXA works. In fact, as indicated in this note, the DXA log is useful for resolving disputes and ambiguities in the K7C log. We hope that in the future, policy and practice in the DXing community will accept the increased reliability by using DXA or similar independent logging systems.

In conclusion, the detailed records recorded by DXA were effective in resolving a QSLing dispute with a rather insistent, even irate, DXer. The resolution was in favor of the DXpedition; DXA shows clearly that the DXpedition never logged the claimed QSOs. We do not wish to imply that the DXer was attempting to cheat; however, this case is very similar to known cases of attempts to coerce QSL managers to issue undeserved cards, which is a form of cheating. It is also possible that the DXer in this case was simply mistaken, but the DXA analysis argues against this, too. This case has clearly shown the efficacy of DXA in reducing potential cheating and mistakes.