Two people do NOT make up the "expert" advisory council. I can likely
hold my own against the "experienced" end of the game as well as anyone. I
have been a serious SWL and DXer since 1965. I have tried "all" the tricks
of the trade, as well as a few that I thought up myself. Some with a lot of
success, some with no success. The problem, as I see it is NOT in the
report, but in the recipient of the report.
Whereas, I do not dispute the fact that someone who can speak/write a
language other than English can certainly do a better job at translating
something than a computer can, we
who do not know such people, do the best we can. If this includes using a
"free" computer site to see if it increases the return rate on QSL requests,
then I see no problem. If the first attempt doesn't work, that is what the
follow-up reports are all about.
In today's world, and correct me if I am wrong, someone someplace in a
broadcasting station can speak/read English, maybe not fluently, but
certainly enough to get the concept of the letter. I would venture a guess
that they all "know" what a reception report is and what they are expected
to do with it, which in some cases is throwing the fool thing away and be
done with it.
When writing to a station and "asking" for a QSL card or letter of
verification, language
is not the key, but just an aid in executing your request. If an individual
wants to take the time to write a letter in another language other than his
or her own national language, then they are doing it as a courtesy to the
person on the other end.
The percentage of obtaining a QSL card or letter (this does NOT take
into account e-mail verifications) is probably close to the same whether you
use your native language (English in my case) or a language other than your
own. To restate an earlier point, the problem is NOT the report, but the
person receiving it. Some like to "play" the game, others don't. Case in
point: If I send a report to a local radio station, be it AM or SW, do you
really think the
engineer cares? More than likely not. He may (or may not) send a QSL card as
a final
courtesy of the exchange of information, even though it is as useless to
him/her as adding more sand to a desert. I have gotten letters back from DX
stations that basically state that the engineers no longer NEED reception
reports from listeners, as their information comes from the professionals
that do this around the world.
Now, as to acknowledge your reference to the "other" organization that
has this information (it is believed) somewhere on their website or within
the confines of their "clubdom", that is probably true and if someone wants
to take the time to research it fine.
I have simply suggested that HCDX as a group can do the same thing as we
have a very diverse membership. We have a web page, which the webmaster has
already agreed to set up a page where we can set up the same thing, so why
not take advantage of it? Duplication NEVER hurt anyone, and in many cases
it improves the previous attempts.
What's the problem?
Bob Combs
New Mexico, USA
----- Original Message -----
From: "Charles Hutton" <charlesh3@xxxxxxx>
To: "'hard core dx'" <hard-core-dx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Sunday, February 01, 2004 4:25 PM
Subject: RE: [HCDX] Re:WWW.FREETRANSLATION.COM
Bob:
Two people with a lot of experience have said the translations are very
bad.
No one has said they are good or even passable. There's no "maybe" at this
point, unless you have received some other feedback?
In spite of your last paragraph, you have received a positive suggestion
that you did not acknowledge. I gave the name of a DX club that has
already
done what you suggest - they have created reception reports in various
languages.
Chuck
-----Original Message-----
From: hard-core-dx-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:hard-core-dx-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]On Behalf Of Bob Combs
Sent: Sunday, February 01, 2004 11:19 AM
To: hard core dx
Subject: Re: [HCDX] Re:WWW.FREETRANSLATION.COM
I find it interesting that we have stumbled on a topic that seems to bring
out a lot of "It will never work" people from the woodworks. Maybe it
will,
maybe it won't, but unless someone comes up with a better plan, what is a
person going to do?
The www.freetranslation.com is certainly not the absolute translator of
"perfect grammer" when it comes to translating anything to anything. BUT,
it
does give a resonable attempt at
translating something, providing you don't go overboard with phrases that
have many meanings. (Side note: I have talked to a lot of people who have
come to this country (USA) from other lands, and I always hear that US
English is one of the hardest languages in the world to understand due to
the many meanings of sound-alike words!). NOTE: I have used the
www.freetranslation.com for French and Spanish reports, and again whereas
it
isn't perfect it does get the message across, and, YES, I have gotten
reports back from the stations I send the letters to.
We (HCDX) seem to be a rather multi-country based group so why then do we
not as a group come up with whatever basic 5 languages (English, French,
German, Spanish and whatever the fifth one may be) form letter that we can
all share with each other?
We have a discussion group, we have a web page. We ought to be able to
come
up with something that will work.
How about it? Instead of criticising someones attempts to get a letter
out,
let us do something
positive as a group about it.
Bob Combs
New Mexico, USA
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