[IRCA] BTC DX TEST QSL Procedure

["Les Rayburn" <les@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Received an inquiry from a DX'er today, who wanted to know exactly how we 
went
about handling verifications/QSL's when the Broadcast Test Coordinator is 
handling
the reception reports for a DX test. It's a fair question, so here goes:

Our process works like this---I review the reports (and hopefully 
recordings) and try to determine
if the station was in fact heard. If I cannot confirm the reception, I 
inform the DX'er of that. They
can then "appeal" this to Brandon Jordan, who acts as an independent "check 
and balance".
He can overrule me and issue the card, or agree with me...in which case, 
it's an unconfirmed
logging.

We never do QSL's or verifications without the permission of the station, 
but they
usually do not review the reports directly. We always send the station a 
summary
of the loggings, and sometimes we'll send out a CD of the recordings that 
we've
received.

Most stations don't have the time, or resources to handle verifications, so 
they're
happy to have us do them. In many cases, tests would be impossible to 
arrange
otherwise.

I would encourage you to develop the ability to record your loggings. Using 
a computer, it's
easy and cheap (free) to record things directly to MP3 these days. It makes 
reports much
easier to verify---most of our question marks come from "paper loggings". I 
have only
a minimum amount of details about the WWNH test, for example...so I have to 
piece meal a log
together from recordings of others and then check the paper logs last. It's 
time consuming----

In those cases, were I am able to record the test directly or get detailed 
logs from the
stations, the whole process is much easier, but in many tests, I have to 
construct
a time line of the test based on the recordings of others. That makes "paper 
logs"
very difficult to check and I do them last.

The most valuable item in my shack is a software program called "Total 
Recorder", which
costs $11 bucks, and can completely automate your overnight DXing. Many 
DX'ers
record the TOH period using this software, on each hour, and then review 
their
recordings the next day. I've added over 100 stations to my log using this 
method.

www.highcriteria.com

You can also use it's scheduling function to record a DX test automatically 
and save it
to MP3.

Others have complained that having the BTC verify the reports makes them 
"less valid"
or desirable than those from the station. I defend the practice in two ways:

A. If it makes getting a test possible, then it's worth it. Any test is 
better than no test, including those
who do not or cannot QSL at all.

B. I've personally worked at two radio stations and one TV station. I've 
seen Chief Engineers
open reception reports and send out verifications without ever listening to 
the recordings
or checking log details. They literally "rubber stamp" them, because that is 
the least
trouble for them.

That's one of the big reasons why you have coast to coast receptions of Part 
15 stations,
or other nearly impossible DX feats going on. These DX'ers often receive 
verifications of
their receptions!

In our case, we actually do listen to the recordings, check the log times 
and descriptions
against program content, etc. We've denied dozens of reception reports this 
season
alone---how many CE's are taking that kind of time and trouble to protect 
the
integrity of the QSL?

Hope this helps everyone to better understand how we're going about all 
this.

73 & Good DX!


Les Rayburn, N1LF
NRC/IRCA Broadcast Test Coordinator
Please call anytime 24/7 if your transmitter
will be off the air for maintenance.
(205) 253-4867 

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