Contests and cheating (again)...

[Alan Brubaker]

This ground has been covered before; George Schultz wrote an
article that is as applicable today as it was when it was published
in the NCJ _twenty_ years ago. As radiosport afficianados, we have
to have a certain amount of self-honor about our competitive ethics,
since we have no one looking over our shoulder to enforce the rules
of the game. We submit our entries to the sponsors of the contest,
and usually we sign a declaration stating that we in fact followed
the rules. This is the honor system in action - those who are not
honorable do not deserve to win, but if they do, then what
satisfaction do they have if they did not win fairly? When an entry
is presented to the sponsors and judges, it is then they who must
decide who wins, who does not, and who did not follow the rules and
is disqualified. Most of us realize that there is nothing to be
gained from cheating except noteriety and disparaging comments by
and from our peers if we are found out, and disqualification and
disbarrment by some contest committees. As it is with most sporting
endeavors, there seem to be a minority that will try to find ways
to win without applying the necessary skills to do so. We should
pity them. Just my $0.02 worth.

Alan, K6XO