Anyone Interested in Doing a DXCC Entity Wikipedia "Topic"?

[KY6R]

I've been doing my DXCC Sleuth Blog for a while, but have recently been losing steam. Part of it is because I have limited sources of input (old QST that I can access online - old print + digital), many QSL card web sites, DX-pedition web sites, and just using Google.

I guess I am getting a little tired of the blog because its starting to feel "stale" - kind of "cookie cutter".

K7SMI in a few posts got me thinking - why not open source this project and turn it into a Wikipedia Topic? Or a Wiki on its own?

Maybe having it being Open Sourced would make it more interesting - someone could go try to research the old Gus Browning DX articles, someone could research the W6CF notebooks at the old KRE studios in Berkeley, etc, etc.

There are back stories and such that I just don't always have the time to chase down.

Anyone out there a Wikipedia Geek? What do you think?

[N4KC]

Actually a great idea!  Wikipedia articles do very well in search engines and could drum up some interest in ham radio in general and DXing specifically.

I warn you, though.  Doing articles for Wikipedia is very work intensive.  Their  creation and editing process is very strict and unforgiving, and very, very arcane in many ways.  It would be best if someone familiar with their requirements volunteered to take your material and convert it to their editorial process.  At my previous company, we hired people to write and post our Wikipedia entries so they would fit the site's requirements.

If you haven't checked to see if there are already entries on DXing, that should be your first step, of course.    If there aren't any, have at it!  Or you may want to link off existing material on ham radio on there already.

73,

Don N4KC
www.n4kc.com
www.donkeith.com
(Author of the new book RIDING THE SHORTWAVES:
EXPLORING THE MAGIC OF AMATEUR RADIO)
 

[KY6R]

Actually a great idea!  Wikipedia articles do very well in search engines and could drum up some interest in ham radio in general and DXing specifically.

I warn you, though.  Doing articles for Wikipedia is very work intensive.  Their  creation and editing process is very strict and unforgiving, and very, very arcane in many ways.  It would be best if someone familiar with their requirements volunteered to take your material and convert it to their editorial process.  At my previous company, we hired people to write and post our Wikipedia entries so they would fit the site's requirements.

If you haven't checked to see if there are already entries on DXing, that should be your first step, of course.    If there aren't any, have at it!  Or you may want to link off existing material on ham radio on there already.

73,

Don N4KC
www.n4kc.com
www.donkeith.com
(Author of the new book RIDING THE SHORTWAVES:
EXPLORING THE MAGIC OF AMATEUR RADIO)
 

I did see the work required, and would only consider this if others were to help me. Else, I will just continue my blog. I pretty much have adhered to the rules regarding stating facts and staying away from some of the "back stories and controversy" (meaning they are less "colorful" than they could be). . . but Wikipedia does seem very very restrictive regarding facts and people who are alive or SK . . . . .

[N7SMI]

I like the idea, though, as noted, it would be considerable work to meet the Wikipedia requirements. Unlike the blog posts, the Wikipedia entry would need to be limited to only facts that can be documented and cited authoritatively. Perhaps a "List of Notable DXCC Entities" page would be a good place to start. Admittedly, much of the stuff that I find interesting in your blog posts would likely be rejected (or worse, lead to deletion of the entire page) on Wikipedia.

Or it could be done outside of Wikipedia where additional content, questions, stories, etc. could be included. I think I like this latter idea better.

Either way, I'd be happy to contribute and if I could find a good wiki platform could maybe even host it.