A few observations:
-- Cheating has the potential to affect the outcome of some contests more
than others. Sweepstakes, in particular, is often decided by just a few
QSOs, long after all possible multipliers have been worked. Either packet
or CW Skimmer could make that difference.
-- The statistical methods that are used in picking up packet cheaters
analyze a station's behavior relative to the posting of packet spots. A
careful cheater could probably cheat with packet just enough to win, but
not enough to attract attention. For example, with logging programs
placing spots on a bandmap, what is to prevent anyone who wants to cheat
from simulating the behavior of a proficient SO2R op and working spotted
stations in a steady progression up or down a band? How do you distinguish
between a very good SO2R op and someone who is unfairly using either packet
or CW Skimmer "just enough to win.".
-- The only thing that Skimmer really changes is that it eliminates
reliance on packet spots. If use of CW Skimmer is defined as cheating,
then all that will have been achieved is to make cheating harder to detect.
-- I think it's time to get away from the assisted/unassisted paradigm that
has shaped single-op contest rules for more than a decade. One way might
be to establish Traditional, Advanced and Unlimited categories, and
determine which technologies would kick you into which category. Such
determinations could change over time, but be announced well in advance, so
that everyone was aware of them.
-- Comparisons to sports such as sailboat racing and NASCAR will always
founder because in our sport it is not practical to inspect the winner's
hardware after the "race." This necessarily means a much higher reliance
on the integrity of participants.
-- These days, we don't really ask people to make a formal declaration that
they have followed the rules for their category, as part of submitting
their scores. Maybe it's naive of me, but if there were more emphasis on
the honor system, there might be an increase in honor.
73, Pete N4ZR
_______________________________________________
CQ-Contest mailing list
CQ-Contest@contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/cq-contest
|