KI9A's suggestion to allow packet for all single op's, while not unique, does
seem to represent, so far, a minority opinion. Perhaps if he and the others
who agree with him persist, then they will someday become the majority and the
rule will change. (I hope not.)
Nonetheless, his rationale -- that it would eliminate packet cheating -- fails
when extended to other types of cheating. Should we eliminate QRP and Low
Power classes because we can't catch those cheaters? How about eliminating
Single Op because we can't catch the guys who operate together and claim SO?
Or maybe we should allow the use of non-amateur-radio means during the contest?
Anyhow, and more appropriate to the thread on the actual cheating, while this
debate was raging on the Reflector I happened across this quote on pp. 106-107
of "Murder on the Trans-Siberian Express" by Stuart M. Kaminsky (copyright 2001
by Double Tiger Productions, Inc.; from the Mysterious Press, published by
Warner Books, Inc., New York). For background, the novel's hero is a
middle-aged Russian detective, Porfiry Petrovich Rostnikov, whose avocation is
weight lifting. About to start a pre-competition workout, he has just
described to 12-year old Laura some of the legal, but unethical, tricks some
competitors use:
"Do you do these things?" asked Laura.
"No," said Rotnikov.
"You do not want to win?" the girl pressed.
"Yes, I want to win," he said, "but I want to win knowing that I have
followed the rules, my rules. If I do not, there is no pleasure in winning,
simply a trophy which I do not feel I deserve. You understand?"
"Yes," said the girl. "I think."
Nothing new there, or in the current discussion on the Reflector.
But to tie the quote directly to the recent ARRL 10-meter Contest, I'll point
out that almost all the operators in that 'Test ... had plenty of time to
read the novel while calling endless unanswered CQ's :>)
73, Art K3KU
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