The format is a single text file which has two parts
(a) Header, and (b) QSO lines.
(a) In RSGB HF Contests, the Header
information entered before any contest is over-written by information entered
into the log submission robot when entrants upload their log.
This ensures that the logfile is in the correct section/category, etc.
(b) Each QSO line shows all data for that QSO, i.e. callsigns, band, mode, etc. so that the log can be sorted in various ways for checking and adjudication.
The RSGB Log submission robot will reject any logfile
which does not conform to the Cabrillo format and will ask entrants to
correct and resubmit their logfile.
'X-QSO': Explanation :-
If necessary, a Cabrillo log-file may be edited before submission, using a text editor such as Notepad,
to show that a QSO was incomplete, or to indicate that you
made an error for which the other station should not necessarily be penalised.
This is done by changing the start of that QSO line from 'QSO:' to
'X-QSO:'
For example, consider this line in G9XYZ's log-file:
X-QSO: 3525 CW 2016-01-10 1501 G9XYZ 599 001 G2XYZ 599 003
This means that G9XYZ realised there was something wrong with the QSO, but did not
want G2XYZ to lose points unnecessarily. G9XYZ will score zero points for this
QSO, but will not be penalised. In other words - any
QSO prefixed with 'X-QSO:' in a Cabrillo file, rather than the usual 'QSO:'
will be ignored in a log, but credit will be given to the station worked as long as this station has logged the QSO correctly.
Don, G3XTT, has provided a
Cabrillo Primer, with a more detailed description of the methodology and development.
Scroll down this web page for a Cabrillo example for each of the RSGB HF Contests.
