Little pistol view: Regarding any individual I cannot claim that he were
running excessive power - without seeing a calibrated power meter in his
shack or better having field strength measurements on site. It is a pity
that we do not have have such results.
So I can only speak more or less to myself: Let´s get serious. Try to have
open ears and eyes durings contests and between them. Did nobody have
private talks about always another guy and his personal definition of power
limits - even when only judged by good experience but not measurements? Does
nobody notice the power ratings for equipment and parts offered or sought
after? Was I the only one to see the throng at the Friedrichshafen hamradio
booth around amps capable of >3KW. Is it serious to believe that i.e. hams
in DL (legal limit=750W) buy 3,5-KW-amps for 5000 euro if they can get one
with >2 KW for 3500 euro? Lets get serious: How many will really spend 1500
euro (nearly a new TS-590) to improve "headroom" from three times the legal
limit to five times the legal limit? Again - until prove I cannot accuse any
buyer of operating the amp to the full extent of the available "headroom".
But what I am allowed to is having a pure personal impression: It is like
with professional cycling before the big doping catches. But even with
applying drug tests there the excuses and the denying did not vanish. Best
heard was a runner accusing anyone of mixing doping substances in his
toothpaste and a cyclist speaking about a contaminated steak. If you
seriously want to believe it you may be able to believe it. But only if you
want to. Same with contesting IMHO (cheating in competition is not about
money motives but simply an ego thing).
But we do not like to talk about it as it undermines the basic and necessary
confidence. Once lost it is more than difficult to regain. Nothing can be
done because accepted fieldstrength measurements on site are as realistic as
snow in the desert. So whistleblowers without bullet proof results will get
more fire than suspects - even if there were a biggun consensus to iron out
power cheating by peer pressure. At least for me it is more and more
difficult to promote this part of the hobby to "new blood".
@ ES5TV (speaking other than hiding): Wouldn´t it have been a stronger
argument against attackers to say "I drive my amplifiers at legal limit"
other than "I drive my amplifiers responsibly"?
Flame suit on and best 73, Chris
(www.dl8mbs.de)
_______________________________________________
CQ-Contest mailing list
CQ-Contest@contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/cq-contest
|