I definitely have the opinion that the new generation of radios (SDR) moves
into the territory of Assisted very clearly - no matter if calls signs are
shown or not.
Until this recent development, I was against joining Assisted and
Non-Assisted into one category. I am not so sure anymore.
My thought is that in CQWW, the Classic category should be more marketed.
One radio, with one receiver, max two VFOs in that receiver, no waterfalls,
reduced allowed operating time (18/36hours) to make it possible for each
entrant to pick his favorite preference for operating time.
The Classic category should be developed as the Boy and His Radio - or the
Gentlemen’s Category, where an “old-fashioned” rule compliance statement
needs to be signed by each participant:
“I hereby confirm that I have used equipment in full technical compliance
with both the rules of the contest (specifically taking into notice all
criteria for the Classic/Gentleman’s Category). This means I used ONE radio
with single receiver, max two VFOs. I also choose not to use any QSO or
propagation alerting assistance such as clusters, skimmers, SDRs,
waterfalls, Reverse Beacon Network or similar”. All my search for new
contacts were made either by turning the VFO or calling CQ. I also, and
very specifically , confirm that I have NOT exceeded the output power
regulations of either my license or the rules of the contest”.
All new invented rules seem adapted just for the top level of contesters,
and the purpose seem to be reduction of Assisted/Non-Assisted cheating,
whereas the Power Abuse indeed is the biggest of all problems - but for
obvious reasons hard to catch.
It is time we take a step back and realize that “technical development in
absurdity” does not make contesting more fun - or the operators better.
High time that we pay attention to the bulk of operators that does
contesting in a way that pleases them - and not the Contes Sponsors’ more
and more bureaucratic demands, to support their vain attempts to find
cheaters.
Contesting SHOULD be a Gentleman’s sport where we measure results mainly
against our own expectations, previously achieved results or own targets.
To cheat in contesting is an ugly modern way of development, no matter if
this includes using huge amps, connect a skimmer secretly from time to
time, or log pad a few or more contacts into the log - simply to “win fame
and reputation”. I know which guys have reached their positions in a
respectable way - and who have not. Those clean guys (or girls) have my
highest respect. Others not - they are the Fake of contesters.
Bring back courtesy and Gentlemanship into Contesting - and only you can
decide in what category you belong... That amp of yours, does it really fit
into your new costume as a Fair Play Contester?
Recording of a whole contest for each participant who “risk” to end up in
“Top 5” is PURE NONSENSE! If this rule also would make a real-time approved
video recording of a calibrated and approved output power meter of the
amplifier, maybe this would have more relevance..
Stereo recordings is a bad excuse for Contest Sponsors that they “at least
do a tiny something to reduce cheating” but it is a game catching
mosquitoes instead of (power) elephants...
73 de Mats RM2D (SM6LRR)
On Mon, 29 Jan 2018 at 06:22, Richard Ferch <ve3iay@gmail.com> wrote:
> N1UR wrote:
>
> > Sure they don't ask everyone in the top 5 for a recording, but I assume
> if
> > Scott had one, it would have clarified whatever the concern was.
>
> Not necessarily.
>
> Presumably they are checking for assisted vs. non-assisted, since audio
> recordings are only required in non-assisted entry classes.
>
> But just how would a recording tell them whether you were assisted? Because
> you jumped directly from one S&P QSO to the next without tuning through
> intervening frequencies? At one time, maybe that would have been an
> indication, but not with current technology. With a current Icom or Flex
> radio, or with any other radio plus a cheap SDR and some free or
> inexpensive software, you can now configure N1MM Logger+ to display a
> spectrum/waterfall window that is integrated with the logger, so you can
> click on traces in the waterfall and jump directly from one signal to the
> next. You can do an entire contest S&P without ever turning the tuning
> knob, and without using any assistance as defined in CQ WW rule VIII.2 (the
> spectrum display software does not decode CW, it just displays signal
> traces, the same as the display on the front panel of many current radios,
> or on an external panadapter like a P3).
>
> As far as an audio recording is concerned, someone clicking on spectrum or
> waterfall traces to jump between signals would sound exactly the same as
> someone clicking on cluster spots. An audio recording would not be able to
> discriminate between the two.
>
> 73,
> Rich VE3KI
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