Re: Database Poll
N4RVR said:
1. The database itself is fine...the biggest deficiency is the lack of information. That does need improvement but there are only so many hours in the day and only so many helping hands. (I will gladly step up to help...please let me know how.) Given time, I expect this to change.
Remember, we really only been in operation now for about a month. So, it's a little unreasonable to expect that in 30 days we would have a completed database of all nationwide (or worldwide) frequency data for public safety agencies. It took trunkedradio.net over 5 years to get fairly completed. I would estimate it will take at least a year for the entire radioreference database to reach a criticial mass.
However, I totally agree with your assertion. It's going to take all folks, some who "hoard" data and refuse to share, others who are sitting on data and haven't submitted it, and other areas that just don't have many monitors, to submit to the database. That takes time.
N4RVR said:
2. I have a lot of info and I don't really want to type it all in. Give me a format, preferably in Excel or some other common format,. and I will be only too happy to share. I haven't found any way to submit a lot of data. Maybe an oversight on my part...
We don't have a magic engine here that just "knows" how to convert the format that you store your data in into a format usable by the database, and I'm not aware of any standard common format for storing and managing radio data. Some use Excel, others use MS Word, some use MS Works, some people use Lotus 123, others use MS Access, some use standard TXT files, others use Wordperfect. See what I'm getting at?
We've provided a somewhat "common" format to submit the data in, standard text, so why not copy/paste what you have in Excel for each agency/county into the interface? That's not too difficult.
N4RVR said:
3. How is data validated? Is there any way to see the level of confidence that data is correct? Is anything being done to validate the data? (Incorrect frequencies...from typos, for example.)
The data is validated in the following manner:
1. You folks tell us it is wrong, or right.
2. We use experience to try to differenciate the rest.
The admins constantly coordiate in a private forum to share tips, tricks, and information regarding submitted information. We can't verify everything, thus, exposing the data into the public domain is our best chance at verifying the data.
Because the RR community is so large (28,000 at last count) - we keep track of the troublemakers and folks that constantly send us stuff that is just off the wall, totally wrong, or other. You'd be surprised, there is a contingent of individuals out there that just love to submit the most highly incorrect, inacccurate, off-ball stuff, and generally make our lives miserable.
N4RVR said:
I also think that some mechanism should be in place to "reward" folks who donate information, even the small bits. This one stumps me at the moment, but perhaps some level of membership or even a membership category that denotes an individual as a donor. Having written for two scanning magazines, I can tell you that this is the biggest issue...just getting folks who do have good, accurate, in-depth info to send it in is a challenge.
I am working on a recognition process for the pages, however, free access to this site should be reward enough.
The previous method of listing contributors to the individual entries in the database was frought with problems, and became a management nightmare. It's common in the scanning community that people just don't like one other people, so fights would breakout when people would see that person X submitted information for agency Y, and the other person Z would contact me telling me it was wrong, and doesn't like person X blah blah blah -- then the pissing contest ensued. Also, we were constantly dealing with people that didn't want credit for information (remain anonymous) as well as people that accidently were given credit where they didn't want it, getting them in trouble with work etc. It was a mess, so I decided not to bring that feature forward with the new site. We'll be going to a single contributors page soon outlining all the people who have helped this site, from a "tiered" perspective.
N4RVR said:
I really like the database idea and want to support it as well as see it succeed. I wish I had the magic answer but I don't ... at least not now.
Well, I think the first step in "wanting to supporting the database" is to start pulling your data and submitting it! I can't just create a custom process for you for your data. If you are dead set in not using our interface, then just attach your data file (excel or other) to a post in this forum, and one of the admins will take care of it.
Lindsay
