Add support for SST Contest

[scotthibbs]

• Contest Name: K1USN CW Ops SST Contest
• Contest Rules: http://www.k1usn.com/sst.html
• Call History file name: https://n1mmwp.hamdocs.com/mmfiles/k1usnsst-074-txt/

Per discussions in [email protected] with Bruce, K1BG who is a CW Academy advisor for Beginners, it was requested to add the SST Contest.

Members of the K1USN Radio Club, who are also members of the CW Operators’ Club (CWops), run a one-hour slow speed CW “contest,” called the SST. For those who prefer a more leisurely CW pace or are new CW operators or contesters, this just might be what you're looking for!
Nov. 6th, 2022, US Daylight Savings Time ended
SST UTC times do not change
Fridays 20:00-21:00 UTC: 3-4pm EST, 12-1pm PST
Mondays 00:00-01:00 UTC: 7-8pm EST, 4-5pm Sunday

Unique contest behaviors

Bruce, K1BG started the discussion on our [email protected] here: https://groups.io/g/MorseRunnerCE/topic/96270434#14

Farnsworth:

In this discussion on groups it was mentioned that Farnsworth is used in this contest which is made for beginners.
We have previously discussed Farnsworth in our discussions section of GitHub here:
#114
And basically we decided to not add Farnsworth as this is not a learning Morse program with the sentiment that we maintain the original program's intent to be a contesting simulator.

But since this contest is a training contest for new operators who are learning utilizing Farnsworth timing, it was decided to add this feature for this contest only.

TASKS

• Initial coding for the SST Contest. (w7sst)
• Define format for the call history file (w7sst) - Same format as the N1MM file history file mentioned above.
• Build a suitable call history file from actual logs from the contest. Perhaps Bruce, K1BG, and @K6OK can help put this together.
• If time permits, add a basic Farnworth support for this contest only. Idea is to maintain Farnsworth speed at 20 wpm whenever user selects MR CW Speeds below 25wpm. Speeds above 25wpm will not use Farnsworth spacing - only when MR CW Speed is below 25wpm will the Farnsworth spacing be applied.
• provide a pre-release build (w7sst). download v1.83-pr3 here
• fix any bugs found. (w7sst)
• create pull request and start code review (w7sst)
• integrate pull request (w7sst)
• simplify Exchange and TU reports (reported by Bruce, fixed by w7sst)
• include user's callsign in final TU in SST contest (reported by Bruce, fixed by w7sst)
• after validation, close this issue.
• release notes (@scotthibbs)

Can you help?

Please let us know if you are available to help. (replace '[ ]' with '[x]' to affirm)

• Yes, I'm available to discuss questions or alternatives regarding the implementation of this contest.
• Yes, I'd like to review and provide feedback on the proposed solution.
• Yes, I'm available to help test this contest. Let me know when it is ready for early testing.
• Also Bruce, K1BG wished to help with testing this contest as well.

[w7sst]

I have posted a review for the SST Contest. I'm finishing up the Farnsworth support for SST contest only. Once complete, I'll post a pre-release build so we can get some early user-testing on this SST Contest with Farnsworth support only. Please let me know if you are interested in helping with early testing. See Pull Request #186 .

[w7sst]

Reopening this issue so we can give it some testing time.

[w7sst]

I have posted MR v1.83-pr2 Pre-Release build here. Please give it a spin and give us your feedback.

[w7sst]

Feedback from Bruce @K1BG-Bruce received via email dated 3/8...

Mike,

Attached is the audio recording of what I am talking about. 7 minutes of MorseRunner, and the ONLY callsign identification is when the station calls CQ.

I hope this doesn’t sound negative. You are doing great with what you are doing, and I don’t want to come across that way.

I’m not sure why you are sending a pleasantry in SST at the end of the QSO – it’s a contest. Here is the description of a typical contact from the K1USN SST page:

Pi, K1RV sends: CQ SST K1RV
Rick, N1DC replies with: N1DC
Pi, K1RV replies with: N1DC Pi MA
Rick, N1DC replies with: GE Pi Rick MA
Pi, K1RV: replies with: GL Rick TU K1RV SST

None of the 73 or “dit dit” at the end. Typically, TU and Callsign is the ending. Here is the link to their webpage. http://www.k1usn.com/sst

I might even argue that there is no need for the “GE Pi” pleasantry (I have never done this is SST or any contest). But since it’s the sponsor’s recommendation, I’ll accept it.

One thing to keep in mind. The FCC does say that you should identify at the end of every transmission. Contesters sometimes stretch this a little. But the way the software is now, there is only an identification when calling CQ.

I want to check the minimum Farsnworth setting as well, but I am up to my neck in work, ... (removed rest of line).

But on a positive note, I’m very excited and appreciative about what YOU are doing. What you have done so far is so much better than what we had before. This is really exciting and I can’t express my gratitude enough.

Bruce, K1BG

[w7sst]

Hi Bruce,
Thank you for your feedback.

I’m not sure why you are sending a pleasantry in SST at the end of the QSO – it’s a contest...
None of the 73 or “dit dit” at the end. Typically, TU and Callsign is the ending.

1. I'll remove the pleasantry at the end of the contest. I agree I had implemented more than was needed. I'll add the user's callsign for 10% of the qso endings. The code is now:

    msgTU:  // TU message sent by MyStation
      if Random < 0.9
        then SendText(AStn, 'TU')
        else SendText(AStn, 'TU <my>');

I might even argue that there is no need for the “GE Pi” pleasantry (I have never done this is SST or any contest). But since it’s the sponsor’s recommendation, I’ll accept it.

2. I reduced the pleasantry sent by the remote DxStn (e.g. "GE Pi") to also 20% of the time. As I was listening to some of the SST Contests, I did not notice these pleasantries during my listening time. The leading 'R ' occurs 10% of the time to match CWT contest. This code is now...

    msgR_NR: // exchange msg sent by remote station in response to my exchange
    begin
        // leading 'R ' 10% of the time
        prefix := '';
        if Random < 0.10 then prefix := 'R ';

        // include a presentry greeting 20% of the time
        if Random < 0.20 then prefix := prefix + '<greeting> ';

        SendText(AStn, prefix + '<#>');
    end;

The last item to review is the response from the remote station in the case where they sometimes send the response two times (repeating their exchange).

• The leading 'R ' occurs 10% of the time.
• A pleasantry occurs 20% of the time.
• The standard exchange ordering occurs 80% of the time and the duplicate ordering occurs 20% of the time.

This code is now:

    msgR_NR2: // sent by calling station (DxStation) as a repeated exchange (they send their exchange twice)
      begin
        // leading 'R ' 10% of the time
        prefix := '';
        if Random < 0.10 then prefix := 'R ';

        // include a presentry greeting 20% of the time
        if Random < 0.20 then prefix := prefix + '<greeting> ';

        // repeat exchange in usual order 80% of the time
        if Random < 0.80
          then SendText(AStn, prefix + '<#> <#>')
          else SendText(AStn, prefix + '<exch1> <exch1> <exch2> <exch2>');
      end;

@K1BG-Bruce, do these changes better represent what you are looking for?

[update 3/10 - fixed the path to this executable] I have updated the pre-release again. The updated down file is here. Version number of the contained executable is now 1.83-pr3.2.

[w7sst]

I decided to simplify further by eliminating the <name> <name> <state> <state> variation of the dual exchange. The remaining exchange is now of the form <name> <state> <name> <state> with an optional leading R. I chose this form because this is primarily a training contest and a duplicated exchange is most likely to follow the standard exchange order of <name> <state>.

I did not update the pre-release build with this last change.

[K1BG-Bruce]

Mike, When I click on the link I still get pr2, and it works the same way. Am I missing something? Bruce From: Mike Brashler ***@***.*** Sent: Thursday, March 09, 2023 4:06 PM To: w7sst/MorseRunner Cc: K1BG-Bruce; Mention Subject: Re: [w7sst/MorseRunner] Add support for SST Contest (Issue #172) I updated the pre-release to version 1.83-pr3.1 and updated the original download link <https://nextcloud.brashlerphoto.com/s/f5AXikfkTnw7BwM> . — Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#172 (comment)> , or unsubscribe <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/A5NKU2MHGA7MFHCY2EPTL2LW3JAZ3ANCNFSM6AAAAAAUDUE5MU> . You are receiving this because you were mentioned. <https://github.com/notifications/beacon/A5NKU2JWJTLKTA3N5BRNSNTW3JAZ3A5CNFSM6AAAAAAUDUE5MWWGG33NNVSW45C7OR4XAZNMJFZXG5LFINXW23LFNZ2KUY3PNVWWK3TUL5UWJTSXGDNQI.gif> Message ID: ***@***.***>

…

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[w7sst]

Hi Bruce,
Sorry, my bad. Here is the corrected link for my change. I keep learning the details of the tools we are using. Sorry for the confusion.

Path to updated 1.83-pr3.2: https://nextcloud.brashlerphoto.com/s/LFgw7zS34zGwna3

When you unzip this file, the folder will still say 1.83-pr3, but the executable will show v1.83-pr3.2 on the splash screen.

-Mike

[w7sst]

Leaving this open for validation.

[K1BG-Bruce]

Mike, I looked at both 1.83-pr3.2 and 1.83-rc1. These are vastly better than before. One omission – after the “TU” at the end of a contact, the sending stations callsign should be sent. I did not hear this in either of these last two revisions. Thanks. Bruce, K1BG From: Mike Brashler ***@***.*** Sent: Friday, March 10, 2023 1:42 PM To: w7sst/MorseRunner Cc: K1BG-Bruce; Mention Subject: Re: [w7sst/MorseRunner] Add support for SST Contest (Issue #172) Hi Bruce, Sorry, my bad. Here is the corrected link for my change. I keep learning the details of the tools we are using. Sorry for the confusion. Path to updated 1.83-pr3.2: https://nextcloud.brashlerphoto.com/s/LFgw7zS34zGwna3 When you unzip this file, the folder will still say 1.83-pr3, but the executable will show v1.83-pr3.2 on the splash screen.

…

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[w7sst]

Hi Bruce,
Thank you for your feedback. I will consider adding the callsign after each TU for this contest.

Have you been able to try the Farnsworth timing behavior with the SST Contest? Is this feature/behavior meeting your expectations for this contest as used by your students? We need help validating and closing out #188 .

Thank you,
Mike

@K1BG-Bruce

[w7sst]

I have changed the TU message to send the callsign: TU <callsign>.

I have upload the change as v1.83-rc2.

Bruce, thank you for the time on the phone today. It helped me understand what you are trying to do and why. I appreciate your input. I'm thrilled that this SST contest will help your CW students become future CW/contesting operators. I wish I had similar tools when I was learning CW 50 years ago.

Thank you and 73,
Mike

@K1BG-Bruce

[w7sst]

Approved by Bruce (see comment in #197)