Hi Dan.
I really don't want to generate controversy at this time, considering
things are the way they are and it certainly is not going to change. But
anyways, and hopefully it may keep improving for future events.
The evolution of WRTC is something that cannot be overlooked, and I am
totally sure 2014 will be the best so far. I know how hard you all are
working and please don't take my words as detrimental to that big effort
you guys are conducting. Or critisism to the 2014 event. That is not the
intent at all.
We all admire, must support and help as much as we can WRTC 2014.
Also, I want to make clear that I am not speaking because the qualifying
system has impacted me personally. I've decided not to qualify for
personal
reasons before the selection criteria had been issued. I owe my family a
trip to the States, but not for WRTC, and as you know economics and a
freaking 10:1 exchange ratio keep our budgets very restricted.
Nonetheless, it would have been really easy though: 6 SOAB and 6 MS from
LP1H and that's it. But that is not the point.
I've been entering SOAB(A) since 2003. And one of the reasons for that,
was
because of the high level of cheating, at that time from SOSB in SA. It
made no sense to try to compete against high power, cluster + friends
helping on the air efforts.
So well in SO(A), at least one of the factors for biasing results was
eliminated.
I believe that reducing SOAB to just pointing and clicking is sort of a
"punch below the belt". I know SOAB(A)s do study propagation, do master
SO2R, do practice RX, do everything SOs do, plus they don't lie about
packet utilization. In a contest with over 5300 Qs only 80 were made based
on the cluster information last year in my case. That was the amount of
pointing and shooting compared to the other minor skills to break the 10 M
points mark from deep SA.
But anyways, at least it's good to know what's the reasoning behind the
distinction between these two categories.
On the other hand, category hopping is TOTALLY under the WRTC organizers
control: Don't give any Multi Op class equal or more points than major SO
entry classes, that is, SOAB, SOAB(A), SOAB(LP) and even SOAB QRP.
Secondly: The cheating factor regarding DX Cluster abuse can be totally
eliminated and is also under organizers' control.
I understand that power abuse, ghost operators, log massaging, remote RXs,
fake locations and the like might be a little more complicated to
eliminate. I'm figuring it's sort of complicated to call ham radio
contesting a SPORT with all these in mind. And precisely, being a fact
that
cheaters are mostly those trying to win something. Fortunately, the vast
majority that make up the big mass of stations active during weekends are
not pursuing anything but having fun, increasing DXCC, WAZ or WAS or other
awards counts, etc. Most of them don't cheat.
But what I don't really get is why we could not eliminate one of the
cheating factors, when the solution is so simple.
SO could still be SO if they want, SO using cluster can still do it. If an
SO determines he/she needs clusters to keep wining it will be a natural
process. But this fiasco will be eliminated for good.
Again I'm not speaking for myself. I won the CQ WW DX CW SOAB(A) last year
after trying for five years in a row. If SOAB and SOAB(A) were merged I
would have ended 10th or so. But again this has nothing to do with
personal
situations or convenience, it has to do with doing all we can to make sure
results are properly adjudicated.
Regarding your last question. Yes I know two cases. None of them want to
disclosure their names/calls. I'd love to do the math for the rest, but
I'm
lacking time.
All in all, I will now start entering plain SOAB. That category seems to
be
where true contest operators fairly compete.
Best 73.
Martin, LU5DX