I understand that one of the major contests' log-checkers are planning to
test the "time machine" devices that were demoed at Dayton last year (I've
lost the URL). These gadgets record 80 kHz of any band, 6 hours at a time,
on video tape, complete with timestamps. Playback is through a receiver.
At least in theory, this technology would enable after-the-fact checking of
every QSO. I can see doing this in a situation where log checking decides
the #1/#2 in a contest, but it seems to me that it would be way too
time-consuming for much broader use. I still think that treating all
entrants the same, regardless of the details of the rules in a particular
contest, is fundamental to a perception of fairness. In that respect, the
computer log-checking currently practiced by CQ and the ARRL remains the
gold standard.
73, Pete N4ZR
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