Rick,
Beware of unintended consequences:
No more DX-peditions to anywhere but places with internet access? Well, if
it has internet access, there's a better chance it already has a ham
population, so essentially, it's the end of DX-pedition participation in
contests. Most DX-peditions thrive on going to places where the
DX-peditioners are the only humans for hundreds of kilometers around.
And we don't want mobile rovers in state QSO parties (such as CQP) unless
they can only roam to places with wireless broadband? Kinda defeats the
purpose of roving, no?
What about remotely located shacks? Just because a station is located near
the rim of the largest radiotelescope on Earth doesn't mean it has internet
access.
What about the guy who is still using his 386 with TR for logging? You can't
put ethernet in those machines.
Or how about the dial-up customers? You want them to tie up their phone line
for an entire contest? Boy, talk about the spousal perks that would require.
If it sounds like I'm being snide, my apologies. But you can't assume that
everyone who wants to contest has the ability or desire to plug in to your
proposed system. And that lack of desire in most cases would have nothing to
do with wanting to cheat. Many would see this, as Jack did, as too much of a
move toward internet gaming.
And while it may appeal to top-tier contesters, we have to remember that the
contest sponsors are trying to appeal to as wide a cross-section of the
amateur public as possible. So basically, you can forget about trying to
convince them to include anything so restrictive as making mandatory
full-time internet access. Contests exist to promote on-air activity and/or
the business needs of the sponsor. That we take them so seriously is only
gravy.
Also, nobody has yet demonstrated that cheating is so rampant as to justify
such Orwellian measures. If you take contests so seriously, then only
serious contesters will play. You think you have Sunday doldrums now? How
about 10 p.m. Friday-6p.m. Sunday doldrums?
Be careful what you wish for... you may get it.
73, kelly
ve4xt
----- Original Message -----
From: "K6VVA" <dx35@hilding.com>
To: <cq-contest@contesting.com>
Cc: <jackbrindle@earthlink.net>
Sent: Saturday, December 16, 2006 10:37 PM
Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] SS off time calculations
> Jack, W6FB (Father of the KRC2 Band Decoder), inquired:
>
> > This is getting to look an awful lot like big brother watching
>
> Yes and No. Big brother would also be 'controlling' a lot of things from
> Central HQ. Yes, everyone would need to be connected. "No Adjustments
> Necessary" ... big brother connectivity would eliminate the ability to
> tweak (or pre-populate bandmaps before the contest or during alleged
> off-air times). All logging program authors would have to abide by big
> brother's STRICT, detailed and specific, rules.
>
> Politicians and information "leaks" continue to remind all of us that the
> "Honor System" has big gaping holes in it.
>
> At least with big brother monitoring & controlling, some un-level playing
> field issues would be resolved, and operator skill would take on an even
> greater status.
>
> In the interim, it's "Contesting As Usual" ... just get on and have fun
> ...
> lots of fun :-)
>
> 73...
>
> Rick, K6VVA
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
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