6Y1V did not submit its log to CQ Magazine for the CQWW CW contest in
2008.
I personally thank my guest operators Kelly VE4XT and Gary W5ZL for
granting me the flexibility to make this decision. I want to stress that
my opinions below are my own, not theirs. They neither condoned nor
condemn my action; they simply agreed to provide me the latitude to make
the decision without prejudice. For this alone, they are to be
commended. In addition, they are both fine gentlemen and fantastic
operators.
I am not in agreement with the CQWW committee's decision to publish logs
without the implicit consent of the log owner simply to quell a fear of
cheating, real or perceived. Note that I do think quell is a highly
appropriate term here. If cheating is suspected, it should be dealt with
privately and quietly between the committee and the accused. If outside
assistance is needed to review logs, it should be solicited privately by
the committee. If someone is found to be cheating, then making that
knowledge public should be done at the discretion of the committee, but
based upon firm rules applied equally to all.
While I understand the new policy's intent, the results may be akin to a
public flogging in a town square. It's likely that eventually someone
will be accused of cheating when they are truly not guilty. The
accusation will most likely come from someone other than the contest
committee. Imagine if the contest committee doesn't make the painstaking
effort necessary to thoroughly review the log of the accused in order
to publicly exonerate him/her.
The perception of being accused alone will leave lasting scars for the
innocent contester as most competitors will not independently research
the facts themselves in order to exonerate the accused; thereby leaving
the impression the accuser is correct.
Our society has moved beyond this method of social restraint, so why is
amateur radio contesting moving in the opposite direction?
In my opinion, in a hobby where the stakes are so low, there is no
monetary reward and most of us do this just for fun, the idea of forcing
people to open their personal logs for worldwide inspection is not only
ludicrous but it is downright shameful. The contest committees might as
well just be saying "We don't trust our fellow amateurs". For a hobby
founded on International brotherhood and goodwill, this is a very sad
time.
Since I did not have an opportunity to express my opinion during the
decision making process, my only recourse is to publicly object and not
turn in my logs. Some have suggested I shouldn't participate at all. Why
should I stop having fun just to make my point? Besides, if a few dozen
participants with large logs stop sending them, it just may have a
significant impact upon the log checking process and eventually the
committee may see that not only is this decision unpopular but it has
consequences as well.
While opening my log to anyone that asks is really no big deal, having
the right to decide to whom and when I open it is a big deal. I choose
to open my logs to the contest committee, but I choose not to open them
to the world. In addition, I choose not to enable a system that assumes
guilt before innocence.
David ~ KY1V
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