Call History

For the first time I made use of a call history file in a contest this weekend. It was the North American QSO Party (NAQP) CW contest. To those unfamiliar with this feature of modern contest logger software a call history file contains fixed exchange information cross-referenced with call sign. For example, in NAQP when you enter a call sign and tab to the exchange it will be pre-filled with RON for the name and ON for the state/province/country.

I want to talk about the how and why of call history usage and philosophical objections. The mechanics of call history can be found in the manual for your favourite contest logging software. I will not provide a tutorial.

This screen capture shows what I get when I enter the call of my friend VE3JM -- a dedicated contester with a big antenna farm. After I enter the call sign and call him by pressing enter (ESM, or by manually tabbing to the exchange) the software pulls exchange data from the call history file. The exchange can be left as is, saving typing, or overwritten with what is copied by the operator.

Call history is not the only source for pre-filled exchange data. It is typical that for stations already worked the exchange data can be pre-filled from the current contest log. For these contacts the call history only assists with the first time a station is worked in the contest. Some exchange data requires neither since it can be often be derived from the call sign. Examples include CQ and ITU zones, Canadian provinces, etc.

An extract of the N1MM call history file for NAQP surrounding my own call looks like this:

VE3VFN,VINCENT,ON,
VE3VGI,JOHN,ON,
VE3VN,RON,ON,
VE3VRC,VARC,ON,
VE3VSM,DAVE,ON,
VE3VV,TED,ON,
VE3VY,AL,ON,

You can create a call history file from your own past logs. However it is usually better to use one like the one depicted (compiled by VE2FK) since it is current, cross-checked against logs from many people and will include entries for stations you do not have in your old logs. I used a different publicly available call history file in NAQP. I probably ought to have used Claude's since the one I used had problems, as I'll discuss later.

It should be obvious that call history cannot help you with serial numbers and other unpredictable exchange fields. A wise contester will always verify that the pre-filled exchange data is the same as what you copy. Trust your ears. Override the pre-filled data as necessary. The call history saves typing but should never be relied upon as a primary source.

The exchange in some contests is so predictable that a call history file is unnecessary. A good example is CQ WW in which the zone number can almost always be uniquely derived from the call sign. In cases where it is wrong call history can help as can other data sources used by modern contest logging software.

Why I used call history

I practiced SO2R (single-op, 2 radios) in the RAC winter contest last month at a more intense level. That includes running on two bands at once. The RAC contest exchange does not benefit much from a call history file since the exchange is either unpredictable (serial number) or very predictable (province).

That went well enough that I decided to apply the lessons learned to NAQP CW this month. I used call history as an insurance policy in case I found myself getting confused or out of sync between radios that would cause a lapse of concentration when copying the exchange. It did indeed help by lowering my stress level. SO2R novice mistakes due to the stress of operating two radios simultaneously were reduced.

That said the benefit was not large. Once a station was worked the pre-fill from previously working them on another band took precedence over call history. That's a good thing since call history does not always predict what the other station sends.

What to watch for

Call history is not reliable. Give more credence to what your ears hear that what the call history pre-fill provides. There are several reasons:

• The call history file includes errors. Logging errors from previous contests reappear when those logs are used to build the call history file. This is true whether it is built from your own logs or that of others. Typos and copying errors of name and state/province were not uncommon with the call history file I imported for use in NAQP.
• NAQP brings out the weirdness in some people. Very strange names may be used just on a whim or out of perverse pleasure. This is completely within the rules. Other contests have their own variation of this whimsy. One example is sending 000 as the power by KP4 and KP2 hams in a previous ARRL DX contest to draw attention to the failed power grid due to a hurricane.
• NAQP has become a means of paying tribute to recently passed on contesters and prominent hams. For example, many Florida participants used the name Walt to commemorate the recent passing of W7SE.
• Special multiplier stations in many regional contests send section/county/region other than what is usual, and may even be in a different format. I most recently ran into this one in the Worked All Germany (WAG) contest.

The lesson is to expect the unexpected. Call history is an operating aid not a crutch. Put too much of your weight on it and it will break, resulting is substantial penalties during log checking.

Philosophical perspective

As a matter of operating ethics I remain leery of the call history files, whether those compiled by others or from my own historical contest logs. Pre-fills reduce operator involvement in the QSO by reducing the need to fully copy and enter the exchange. The mental effort of doing these tasks adds stress by increasing operator focus to ensure no mistakes are made with a consequent penalty during log checking by the contest sponsor.

It's a philosophical issue, one with adherents and proponents on both sides of the question. The matter appears to be far less controversial than some others such as excess power and remote receivers yet it does raise interesting questions of just what skill set exemplifies excellence in contesting. Until now I was of the opinion that I ought to copy the full exchange.

Call history is not the only exchange copying aid:

• Current contest log: Fixed exchange data is pre-filled from previous contacts with the same station, usually on another band.
• Country file: Zone and country by prefix or individual call sign are pre-filled. This can be especially helpful when working Americans because their call signs do not correlate with a zone or country. For example, a KH6 in the continental US and vice versa.
• Super check partial: Master data base of call signs appearing in contest logs. It is used to correct call sign copying errors. Not really a pre-fill aid but it does reduce the importance of paying attention. I always confirm a call if I substitute an SCP recommended replacement.

With all these operating aids reducing the need for careful listening and typing is the use of call history a significant factor. Incrementalism can be insidious. Just like adding a fraction of a decibel at a time with station improvements you eventually have a very big signal the use of call history is one more incremental change reducing the required skill to be a top contester.

Does it matter? Until now I believed that it does, which is why I have not used call history. I also felt uncomfortable when I enabled SCP. Yet I've never had a qualm about pre-fills from the current contest log. Operating ethics is a slippery concept. I see no clear answer. Resorting to using the same aids as your competitors is understandable.

I don't expect to use call history in many contests and I may decide to stop using it altogether. Most contesters do not share my misgivings and perhaps they're right. It's an individual choice based on one's personal view. I will not judge others.