If spotting is to be allowed in contests....
Those who are in favor of not allowing self spotting may want to consider that
the best thing that you can do to eliminate the possibility of people gaining
an unfair advantage is to allow or request that all spots be self spots and
limit the number of spots for a particular station via the node software. If
that is the case, then there is no possibility of cheating by self spotting
when you are not supposed to or by faking spots or by conning someone into
spotting you.
Right now, as I see it, the current system is random, haphazard, and offers too
much room for cheaters. See the K1TTT report. Spotting is worldwide. Chances
are that every station is of interest to someone, even if it's only for a
county or prefix. Someone somewhere hasn't worked it.
Back in the early 90's the systems were relatively local and only dx of
interest to that locality was spotted. That's not the way it is now.
The nodes should be setup to automatically limit the number of spots of one
station to what is considered reasonable. I would recommend that nodes are
setup to limit the number of spots for a station that they will accept that
goes for node to node as well, in case someone writes a program for cheaters
that looks like a node, they won't get very far.
Packet nodes may need to do filtering at the node due to the large increase in
spots that I would expect. They may also have to switch to a broadcast mode to
allow all of the spots to go out.
Spotting, bigger antennas, more power, computer logging, better antennas, etc
are all tools to work more stations in a given amount of time.
Optimize spotting to be the best it can be or eliminate it. Have separate
categories for those who want to use it and those who don't. Everyone should be
happy.
But, if you leave the system as it is, there is a lot of room for fake spots,
self spots, and calling people up to get them to spot you.
I recommend going one way or the other. Since it is unlikely that spotting will
be eliminated, I recommend optimizing the spotting process so that as many
people are spotted and at the same maximum rate as is possible and let everyone
decide what filter they want. Some will want no spots, few will want all, most
will set filters.
73
Scott KT1B, Haverhill, MA
Putting on flame retardant suit.
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