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Quick Start Guide
v. 0704 rev E
How To Start
This is simply a quick-start guide to get new gear testers up and running with
an overview of the requirements for participation. For the complete set of
rules and regulations, and for any special case scenarios, please see the
Survival Guide at
http://www.backpackgeartest.org/ under Test
Requirements. The Survival Guide is the governing document, and this is
merely a reference document.
First - You must
join the
BGT Discussion Group for
BackpackGearTest in order to read the messages posted by all the members of this
testing community, and to respond and submit reviews for editing. This is a very
high traffic list, but there are options for reading messages on the web, in a
periodic digest e-mail (several per day), or via individual e-mail messages
(dozens per day).
Second - You
must register at
BackpackGearTest.org
by going to
http://www.backpackgeartest.org/register.php.
If you don't, you won't be able to upload any of the reviews and reports you are
about to work so hard on. (Note: you don't need to register to read the
reports, only to upload them.) You will be given uploading instructions at the
appropriate time during the editing process.
Third - Review the list below and act accordingly. Any questions
should be answered in the
Survival Guide,
but if you can't find it there you may ask on the
BGT Discussion Group.
Now What Do I Do?
1) Write an Owner Review on a piece of gear you own and submit it to the
BGT Discussion Group for
editing. There are a lot of requirements you must include, so make sure you
review step 2 of
HOW TO BECOME A GEAR TESTER for the elements needed for Owner Reviews.
Also, PLEASE consult the
Owner Review Checklist for a final check before submitting.
2) Monitor the
list for a message with your name and your review for responses. Official edits
should have EDIT in the subject line. Follow the directions given to you by
the editor.
3) Once your first Owner Review has been approved, you need to upload it
to BackpackGearTest.org. You
will receive instructions.
Then, and only then, you should submit your second Owner Review...
repeating the process above. The reason you need to wait is so you learn from
the editing process and your second review will be even better than the first.
4) After your
first two Owner Reviews are approved you will be an official “Newbie”. Newbies
may apply for tests in response to test calls posted on the
BGT Discussion Group. The
“Newbie Rule” means that you will have to complete one test series (consisting
of three reports over a period of time on
BackpackGearTest.org
provided gear) before you will graduate to being eligible for testing more than
one item at a time. There are often exceptions to the Newbie Rule, so stay
abreast of the traffic on the list for opportunities.
The
Survival Guide has the detailed
requirements for Owner Reviews, Test Applications, and Test Reports, so once you
start the process you will want to check with it often. It is also highly
recommended that you browse through the
Recent
Reviews section of
BackpackGearTest.org
to see what is expected.
We hope this helps! Editors are
standing by for your first Owner Review!
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