Actually, Hans, that's pretty much the attitude I was trying to combat
when I wrote my original post about the ad for the 8K-Ultra. I really
wasn't trying to focus attention on the hardware side of things ... not
big amplifiers and not physical means of catching cheaters. Personally,
I don't think there is a practical solution to the problem from that end.
Instead, what bothered me greatly was that power cheating had become so
blatant that a nationally known vendor like RadioDan (W7RF) would
publicly advocate the running of illegal power to gain a competitive
edge in a contest. As I've asked before, where's the universal
condemnation of those who cheat? They get a delisting in the contest
results and that's pretty much it. That's all the contest sponsor can
do but what about the rest of us? Where's the willingness to publicly
speak out about cheaters based upon first hand knowledge? As another
poster here commented, people who reluctantly point a finger are more
likely to be ignored because it is an uncomfortable topic, or worse,
more likely to be condemned than the person they point the finger at.
And while you may not have first hand knowledge of anyone who has
cheated, I've listened to literally dozens of stories from people who
claimed to have first hand knowledge of someone chronically cheating.
So yeah, lets just keep pretending it's a "small number" of violators
and ignore the issue some more, or pretend that the contest sponsors
have the burden and the means to solely address the issue while we get
back to other, less contentious topics.
Until we, the contesting community, accept some measure of
responsibility for policing our own ranks and applying peer pressure to
rule violators we totally get what we deserve. Being a contest sponsor
must be a ridiculously thankless task ....
Dave AB7E
On 10/14/2011 6:57 PM, Radio K0HB wrote:
> Tony, you've neatly summarized the situation.
>
> I'm sure that there is some very small number of cheaters out there. I've
> been hamming 50 years and contesting at some level for most of those years,
> and I've never met one that I even SUSPECT, let alone could accuse in good
> conscience, but like I said, I'm sure that there might be some small number
> of them out there.
>
> So let's make a deal here, people. If you know one and have persuasive
> evidence, turn the sucker in to the contest sponsor.
>
> Now then, let's turn this back into a reflector where I can learn new
> contesting skills. Take your cheating jeremiads to
> CQ-Contest-CHEATERS@yahoogroups.com (yes, there is such a reflector).
>
> 73, de Hans, K0HB
> "Just a Boy and his Radio"
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Tony Rogozinski
>
>
> Bottom line is that there is no solution - let them enjoy their shallow
> victories and if you can prove it let the world know
> in no uncertain terms who they are. Those of you who can be included in the
> group that I'm referring to may think
> about it a little and consider the value of being dishonest - you're no
> better than common criminals.
>
> Tony
>
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