+ AA6YQ comments below
Although I understand what you are saying I struggle with the logic.
If I enter a random Swedish call in DXView, I get the grid locator of central Stockholm which of course is very wrong for e.g. my call. But close enough for all practical purposes (beam heading, sun info, spot plot) except of course VUCC. I believe everyone prefers this before getting an empty grid.
+ Correct.
If I enter a callsign which is in the override list and the override lacks a grid. I get an empty grid.
What is wrong with using the DXCC database lookup grid when the override lacks a grid, just as with random calls? Why is this a bad idea?
+ The long-standing description of an override's Grid field, dating back to the days of 16 fixed overrides, is
"the Maidenhead Grid Square from which the station is operating"
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+ Each Spot Database Entry contains a DXGridSource field that contains one of the following values
L - the gridsquare associated with the Latitude and Longitude specified in the Operator location panel
O - the gridsquare specified by an Override
S - a gridsquare extracted from a spot note or information appended to the spot by a Spot Source
U - the gridsquare determined by a USAP Database lookup
D - the gridsquare determined by a DXCC Database lookup
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+ Originally, a Spot Database Entry's "Grid Square" field was only considered valid for VUCC if the Entry's DXGridSource contained the letters L, O, or S.
+ At some point in the past, discussion here led me provide user control of this by adding the "Grid Sources for VUCC" panel to the General tab of SpotCollector's Configuration window. This panel provides you with the ability to determine whether Spot Database Entries whose DXGridSource fields contain O, S, or U should be considered reliable enough for VUCC need determination.
+ Note that these options are "all or nothing": if you uncheck the L box in the "Grid Sources for VUCC" panel because some of your overrides specify inaccurate grid squares, then all grid squares specified in Overrides will be ignored for VUCC need determination.
+ If you're pursuing VUCC, then each override of a station QRV on VHF or UHF should specify an accurate grid square so you can keep the "Grid Sources for VUCC" panel's Override box checked.
+ If you're not pursuing VUCC then you can uncheck the "Grid Sources for VUCC" panel's Override box; in this case, there's no reason to not populate an Override's grid square with an approximate location.
73,
Dave, AA6YQ
