Country file default ITU Zones - info & a request

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yo3ipr
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Joined: 16 Mar 2014, 13:03

Country file default ITU Zones - info & a request

Post by yo3ipr »

Hi Everyone

I noticed a long time ago that most of my US log entries were showing the wrong ITU Zone and since then I usually check each one from their grid square at https://zone-check.eu/ (formerly http://epc-mc.eu/zones.php). The default in the country file for US (DXCC 291) is ITU 6 and CQ 5 (I think this is may be an impossible combination in fact), while for a very large number of east coast stations it should be ITU 8 and CQ 5 which is preferable as a default. Here are the manual adjustments I make to my country file for the most common ones (in my log) that have multiple zones. These match the provided CQ zones which are correct for the majority of hams in those countries and are (in my opinion) the best ones to use by default:

edited country.xml to show default ITU zone for:

Asiatic Russia as 30 (was 20) <Dxcc>15
European Russia as 29 (was 19) <Dxcc>54
Brazil as 15 (was 12) <Dxcc>108
United States as 8 (was 6) <Dxcc>291

this will need to be done after each country file update.

There may be other common ones that I don't see often enough to be aware of.

Would it be possible to incorporate the above "default" ITU Zones in future country files? This would save me having to edit my file every time it gets updated.

P.S
I know that Chuck K7PT who provided the data for this file very sadly became silent key recently so I guess this file will be updated from another source in future.

Thanks & 73
Tony YO3IPR
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IW3HMH
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Re: Country file default ITU Zones - info & a request

Post by IW3HMH »

Hi Tony,
i have no "opinion" on that kind of change, but the file is widely used so i think it's correct to listen for other opinions.
If anything comes up in the next week or two we will change the default value in the country file to match your suggestions.

Pse keep me up on that, as i'm pretty busy :)
By the way V2 will have multiple CQ/ITU zones for applicable countries, but again there is a default for them.
Daniele Pistollato - IW3HMH
yo3ipr
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Joined: 16 Mar 2014, 13:03

Re: Country file default ITU Zones - info & a request

Post by yo3ipr »

Thanks Daniele

It's not something urgent. I see many people viewed this post without making any comment. The default CQ zones are fine and since there are currently no awards based on ITU Zones (as far as I know) I guess it doesn't bother most people, however, as I mentioned, some of the current default combinations are in fact impossible (e.g there are no parts of CQ Zone 5 that are in ITU Zone 6).

My edits in more detail:
edited country.xml to show default ITU zone for

Asiatic Russia as 30 (was 20) <Dxcc>15 (CQ 17)
Brazil as 15 (was 12) <Dxcc>108 (CQ 11)
European Russia as 29 (was 19) <Dxcc>54 (CQ 16)
United States as 8 (was 6) <Dxcc>291 (default ITU 6 / CQ 5 changed to 8 / 5 which is most common (E coast))

73 Tony YO3IPR
yo3ipr
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Posts: 73
Joined: 16 Mar 2014, 13:03

Re: Country file default ITU Zones - info & a request

Post by yo3ipr »

just a note as a reminder Daneille. It's only a small matter but would be helpful to me so i don't need to edit the country file every time it gets updated :)
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