Fair enough.
I will say this about the rule -- both as it was originally presented and as
it now appears on the web site:
I understand the reasoning behind it.
I understand the situation's it's meant to cover.
I understand that the vast majority of contestants should have nothing to
worry about regarding the implementation of that rule, if it ever happens.
My concern is that the way the rule is written, it paints with a very broad
brush. I am concerned about the Law of Unintended Consequences... that as
the rule stands, it could potentially be misused.
And frankly, I wonder how effective the rule (as written) really would be.
Especially in view of what isn't stated at present...
-- How is it decided or determined that an inspection is warranted?
-- How far in advance does the notification occur?
-- Who inspects and when? (And who pays for any costs incurred?)
-- Exactly what is going to be inspected?
These are not trivial concerns. The final implementation and procedures
implied by the rule will determine how effective it really is.
After over 35 years of contesting, be it on my own or as part of a club
station or group effort, I am concerned that a basic premise has been
overlooked in all of this. We used to be able to trust that most (and by
that I mean the vast majority) of contestants were basically honest, and
that errors were inadvertent, not deliberate attempts to skirt the rules.
However, it appears that we have a small group of contesters who are more
concerned with winning at any or all costs, who look for any advantage
(honest or not), and who become pseudo-lawyers when challenged on some of
what they did. It's actually gotten to the point where certain contesters
actually encourage others to operate multiple stations in a "Multi-Single"
operation; where certain operators are standing on the letter of a country's
law instead of accepted good amateur practice to justify running SSB at the
lowest end of 40 meters in a contest; and where the lack of faith and trust
that certain contesters have in everyone else (and in some cases, making
some of us wonder if THEY don't trust anyone else because THEY assume that
everyone else operates like THEY do) is causing situations like this heated
discussion and others like it to occur.
And having said all that...
Do you really believe that this rule will stop the cheaters? Or will they
find a way around it... and if so, what's next?
The real issue is that there is a breakdown in trust.
I don't see this rule as doing much to fix that.
73
-----Original Message-----
From: cq-contest-bounces@contesting.com
[mailto:cq-contest-bounces@contesting.com] On Behalf Of Marty Durham
Sent: Sunday, August 16, 2009 10:24 PM
To: 'Ron Notarius W3WN'; 'David Kopacz'; cq-contest@contesting.com
Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] Station Inspections->Hijacked Thread
Not at all Ron, but all the discussion here seems to be on the PREMISE that
CQ can't change their rules...or that there is some unwritten contract
between the contester and the sponsor. We won't change the rules so you can
continue to 'play'. I don't see ANYONE forcing you, me, Dave, or anyone else
to invest our thousands of dollars to build stations...we do it (most of us)
to have fun and maybe have a chance at winning.
The truly sad part is that this discussion centers probably around less than
30 'suspects' (my word). Yet, there are those that are fanning the flames as
if this is now a HOME invasion...come on guys. READ the RULE before you
start saying things out of context.
73,
Marty
W1MD
-----Original Message-----
From: Ron Notarius W3WN [mailto:wn3vaw@verizon.net]
Sent: Sunday, August 16, 2009 10:09 PM
To: 'Marty Durham'; 'David Kopacz'; cq-contest@contesting.com
Subject: RE: [CQ-Contest] Station Inspections->Hijacked Thread
So if I'm understanding you correctly Marty, what you're basically saying is
that if the rules get changed after the fact (in this case in particular,
after Dave has built his contest station and operated it successfully), he
has no right to make an objection or try to discuss the matter further? He
should just shut up and take it like a man?
-----Original Message-----
From: cq-contest-bounces@contesting.com
[mailto:cq-contest-bounces@contesting.com] On Behalf Of Marty Durham
Sent: Sunday, August 16, 2009 5:24 PM
To: 'David Kopacz'; cq-contest@contesting.com
Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] Station Inspections->Hijacked Thread
Dave,
No one is forcing you to allow anyone into your QTH. When 'you' decide that
you want to enter into a contest (whether it be ARRL or CQ or some other
sponsor) you decide that you are willing to abide by the RULES that the
contest sponsor has printed...plain and simple.
You have the options...you are in the driver's seat...and oh, by the
way...no one is taking away ANY of your rights.
If YOU decide you don't like the rules as stated by the sponsor then you
have options:
1. You can still 'play' in the contest, maybe even inviting some top notch
contesters who understand IN ADVANCE that you are not going to submit a log
for competitive scoring because you disagree with the rules.
2. You can choose to submit your log as a 'check' log
3. You can choose NOT to enter the contest.
You chose to build 6Y1V. ARRL and CQWW did not force you to build the
station, just like they do not force you to enter the contest. YOU make that
choice.
You also have the choice to develop and sponsor your own contest that does
not involve those rules that you dislike.
Stop with the "it's my intellectual property argument"...it doesn't wash.
AND, as stated before no one is forcing you to submit your log. If you want
a seat at the big table then you have to play by the rules.
As for what is it going to cost to send judges out to inspect stations and
who will they send...what do you care? The cost doesn't come from you or any
other participant (unless and until the sponsors decide to charge an entry
fee to cover the costs, at which point you STILL have the control because
YOU STILL have the choice.) and the reality is that the number of
inspections or POTENTIAL inspections' will probably be less than 20-30.
So, hope to see you in the WW this fall, and ARRL in the spring, always nice
to have the competition when we're operating in the Caribbean...but, if your
station is not in the contests, well that is your choice.
73,
W1MD
/PJ2
V26F
Etc..
-----Original Message-----
From: cq-contest-bounces@contesting.com
[mailto:cq-contest-bounces@contesting.com] On Behalf Of David Kopacz
Sent: Sunday, August 16, 2009 11:14 AM
To: cq-contest@contesting.com
Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] Station Inspections->Hijacked Thread
I'm not hijacking the thread. The underlying core of both subjects are
the same.
Open logs AND live station inspections are BOTH part of the same course
of direction being taken by the CQWW contest committee to quell
suspicions of cheating.
Keeping the two subjects separated only serves to isolate the
incremental changes of stripping away an amateur's privacy.
I'm not going to let that happen, because once they discover it's too
expensive to send people to all the cheaters stations <not to mention
the fact these inspectors can no longer operate themselves> they are
going to force us to have live cameras in our stations/homes for all to
see.
In our case, that can't happen because our Internet is so unreliable
we're lucky to keep packet up and running. The 6Y1V station is finally
competitive in the M2 category of CQWW despite the 1 point deficit for
North American Q's. It's likely someone will eventually suspect us of
cheating, especially if we ever win!
David KY1V/6Y1V
--------------------
Stop it !
We had the open logs discussion ad nauseum less than a year ago !
Please, no more hijacking of threads !
73,
Steve, N2IC
Paul O'Kane wrote:
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "David Kopacz" <david.kopacz@aspwebhosting.com>
>
>> It's BS. Open logs are BS.
>
> Really? I believe open logs are one of the most welcome changes
> in recent years.
>
>> If you want to see my logs, ask...perhaps
>> I'll let you.
>
> Thanks, but we don't need to ask. When you enter CQWW your
> logs are on the web for everyone to see.
>
>> Think about it...if "THEY" weren't "THEMSELVES" participants
>> in the very same contest for which "THEY" intend to enforce
>> "THEIR" silly catch the cheater rules, none of this would
>> matter!
>
> Looks like paranoia to me. THEY are out to get someone :-)
>
>> Personally, I don't think there's that much cheating going on.
>
> Personally, I think there is that much cheating going on, and
> I welcome station inspections and open logs.
>
>> Perhaps it is more likely that there are a lot of people that
>> are paranoid, delusional and can't quite figure out why they
>> are getting beat, so they conclude that everyone else must be
>> cheating.
>
> Yes, that's me. Paranoid, delusional and a poor loser :-)
>
>> As a "NON CHEATER", I do not advocate the use of home invasions
>
> Ah - the power of paranoia, to make station inspections become
> home invasions.
>
> 73,
> Paul EI5DI
> _______________________________________________
> CQ-Contest mailing list
> CQ-Contest@contesting.com
> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/cq-contest
>
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