Region 9 Hobbs Scores

SSA members,
We all need to lobby for the SSA and contest organizers to take the
few
minutes each day to make the scores available online in a timely
manner.

I feel it is a duty to the membership to let us know what's happening
at our contests. I've scored a nationals in the 'boonies' of Tonopah,
and it just took me a few minutes to send in daily scores and official
updates for previous days. If Charlie's not making daily reports,
then the scorer should also include a few sentences describing the
day.

As all of us here know, if it wasn't for Tom Kelly, the Hobbs contest,
located a stone's throw from SSA HQ, would have been a big mystery for
those of us not there.

The last few years, SSA has done an adequate job of this, but this
year has had a very poor record so far.

-Tom Serkowski
ASH-26E (5Z)

"Larry Pardue" wrote in message ...
I was curious so went to Hobbs and copied scores from the Score Shack
window. I probably made mistakes, sorry.

I agree with you completely this has been a very frustrating contest season
when it comes to following contest scores (and comments) . Even now no final
results are posted for Hobbs or Region 8.
I plan to write our SSA Region in preferance to "Hobbs" as I believe several
Directors will provide us with the bestbchance of improving the situation.

Direct access to the SSA server is now inactive. I think we can all tell
that! Instead of redesigning the SSA web page in the off season (Nov thru
March) it was SSA's bright idea to do it right in the middle of the contest
season. ANOTHER not to bright decision!

"ZASoars" wrote in message
...
I agree with you completely this has been a very frustrating contest
season
when it comes to following contest scores (and comments) . Even now no
final
results are posted for Hobbs or Region 8.
I plan to write our SSA Region in preferance to "Hobbs" as I believe
several
Directors will provide us with the bestbchance of improving the situation.

Although I don't know if the problem is due to the organizers
reporting to the SSA office or an issue at the office (which I'll look
into, I will make a comment. The current SSA web site does not allow
for easy updates. Currently, the webmaster is devoting all of her
time to revamp the website. A construction sign is posted on the
site. The new site will make it easy for Charlie or others to file
reports along with other signifiant upgrades. While I understand the
issue, we need to get the upgrades completed for roll-out in the very
near future. We could just be dealing with some short term pain in
return for a much better web site. Please be patient and stay tuned
for something different in the next few weeks.

Chip Fitzpatrick
Region 2 Director
Web Site Committee

Amen: I've been beating on this "sick horse"(not dead I hope) for years and
have, I hope, influenced Charlie into believing that it's important to let
the hundreds of absentees as well as the dozens of locals know what is going
on in a timely fashion.
I hope my good friend Bill Ruele (sp.?) will get some help for the CD,
Scorer, and Sniffer jobs for the upcoming Hobbs Nationals.
These problems highlight the urgent need to get more volunteers to staff
contests. They don't have to be completely literate. The "colorful syntax"
of our friend 711 was informative as well as amusing.
Ed Byars


"Chip Fitzpatrick" wrote in message
om...
Although I don't know if the problem is due to the organizers
reporting to the SSA office or an issue at the office (which I'll look
into, I will make a comment. The current SSA web site does not allow
for easy updates. Currently, the webmaster is devoting all of her
time to revamp the website. A construction sign is posted on the
site. The new site will make it easy for Charlie or others to file
reports along with other signifiant upgrades. While I understand the
issue, we need to get the upgrades completed for roll-out in the very
near future. We could just be dealing with some short term pain in
return for a much better web site. Please be patient and stay tuned
for something different in the next few weeks.

Chip Fitzpatrick
Region 2 Director
Web Site Committee

I know that the contest organizers are working their tails off trying to get
things done each day including scores. We should remember that they are
volunteers too.

That being said I can say that the main reason that I visit the SSA site is
to check on contest scores and it has been very frustrating not having them
in a timely manner. It should not take more than a couple of clicks to
submit them and have them posted automatically. If it does then there is a
problem even with the site under construction. Am I incorrect or hasn't the
SSA website been "under construction" for months now. My web manager wife,
BTW, tells me that well managed sites should always be under construction.

Is there something that we mere mortals can do to help make this a smoother
process? I will be at the Hobbs Standard Nats and if I can provide some
assistance I'll gladly do so.

Casey Lenox
KC
Phoenix

"Kilo Charlie" wrote in message
news:OqcIc.362$f9.94@fed1read02...
I know that the contest organizers are working their tails off trying to
get
things done each day including scores. We should remember that they are
volunteers too.

That being said I can say that the main reason that I visit the SSA site
is
to check on contest scores and it has been very frustrating not having
them
in a timely manner. It should not take more than a couple of clicks to
submit them and have them posted automatically. If it does then there is
a
problem even with the site under construction. Am I incorrect or hasn't
the
SSA website been "under construction" for months now. My web manager
wife,
BTW, tells me that well managed sites should always be under construction.

Is there something that we mere mortals can do to help make this a
smoother
process? I will be at the Hobbs Standard Nats and if I can provide some
assistance I'll gladly do so.

Casey Lenox
KC
Phoenix

Although that may be the case, web sites are often projects where 80 percent
of the results come with the first 20 percent of the effort. 80 percent of
the effort is needed to get that last 20 percent, the devil being in the
details.

However, I was able to format and integrate reports and images into the SSA
website for US team efforts without any real problem from far flung places
when John Seaborn wasn't available. On the other hand, these regional
reports are simply taken directly from Winscore and inserted into a single
table data cell. However, that's part of the problem also, as any
alteration to the asp code on the remainder of the page has the potential of
breaking the page. But the simple edits are something that can be done
remotely, by someone that's empowered and enthused. Perhaps someone could
support the Regionals and Nationals they way John supports the US team.
Hopefully, this support may not be needed on the next web site.

There are easier ways to do it without having to give another person server
access. Of course, that should be done at design time. I don't suppose it
ever occured to the SSA directors to issue a specification and hold a
contest for the best web site design and functionality, addressing the
issues that have been brought up over the years. A prize of $20-$25K would
have been less than the cost of staffing, at least for a year. Competition
often brings out the best.

Frank Whiteley

Good points Frank and I agree with the 80/20 effort issue. It is clear that
things are not working as they currently stand and what we need is at least
a temporary fix. We have a guy locally that is a true master with Winscore
and posting scores and I'm certain that he would be a good resource to get
that done. I'm not sure that he is familiar with html but he has been able
to fix everything we have needed locally here in Arizona. I also realize
that giving just anyone access to a site is a bad idea.

Even though everyone does not read ras most of the racing pilots are
familiar with it and my bet is that they would be happy if the scores would
be posted here in a timely manner. Thanks to the folks that have made the
effort to post what they can here for this season. Maybe it will be the
only viable option for the remainder of this season.

Casey
KC

While there may be problems to remote post into the existing website
structure, Tom Kelly was very effective in getting much of the word out
through this forum. We all anticpate improvements to the site that will
make thorough reports readily available. In the meantime, would it be
possible for the contest scorer to cut and paste the results into a
message on this forum? There could even be a simple note added to the
SSA site to look here for the latest until the new full-featured site is
up and running.

Wichita Soaring Team follower
& vintage glider pilot

Tom Serkowski wrote:
SSA members,
We all need to lobby for the SSA and contest organizers to take the
few
minutes each day to make the scores available online in a timely
manner.

-Tom Serkowski
ASH-26E (5Z)

"Larry Pardue" wrote in message ...

I was curious so went to Hobbs and copied scores from the Score Shack
window. I probably made mistakes, sorry.

That assumes the scorer reads RAS. Like cucurachas, there may be 100
lurking for each seen, but RAS doesn't reach more than an interested segment
within the SSA, perhaps 10% tops, even with relays. I can't identify any
activity by Bill Ruehle, Region 9 scorer and CD, in RAS, ever. He may know
nothing of RAS. The SSA newgroups may be more accessible though. There
could be some word wrap issues though, depending on format selected. He has
made at least two of his gliders available to Dick Johnson for testing
though, so he's definitely a soaring contributor.

I don't seen any postings by the contest managers either. I thought they
posted here up to a few years ago, but I can't find anything, so maybe it
was something else entirely.

I think the scorer probably e-mailed the results to the SSA office and that
we'll seem them Monday AM. This was probably the accepted procedure and
then he headed a few hundred miles home like everyone else.

FWIW, I've introduced nearly 1000 clients to the USENET as a resource for
their business, hobby, or special interest. If 5% actually use it, I'd be
amazed.

Frank Whiteley

"Neal Pfeiffer" wrote in message
m...
While there may be problems to remote post into the existing website
structure, Tom Kelly was very effective in getting much of the word out
through this forum. We all anticpate improvements to the site that will
make thorough reports readily available. In the meantime, would it be
possible for the contest scorer to cut and paste the results into a
message on this forum? There could even be a simple note added to the
SSA site to look here for the latest until the new full-featured site is
up and running.

Wichita Soaring Team follower
& vintage glider pilot

Tom Serkowski wrote:
SSA members,
We all need to lobby for the SSA and contest organizers to take the
few
minutes each day to make the scores available online in a timely
manner.

-Tom Serkowski
ASH-26E (5Z)

"Larry Pardue" wrote in message
...

I was curious so went to Hobbs and copied scores from the Score Shack
window. I probably made mistakes, sorry.