Contest Cops

[Steve Fraasch]

N0AX's idea is a neat concept, but the implementation is tough:

According to Ward,  "These guys are armed with field strength meters and 
mobile rigs,"

Field strength is damn hard to prove.  Recall W20NV's run-in with feds in the 
mid '70s.  Field strength was not conclusive in proving the fed's case that he 
was running illegal power.  Granted, we're not proving criminal conduct, 
merely unsportsman like conduct.  Yet, it may be offensive to some to have a 
3rd party pass judgement on someone's power levels w/o actually seeing 
equipment.

Clear guidelines must be provided as to what is a violation, and these must be 
known in advance.  What about lids?  Are we going to crack-down on frequency 
turf wars and attrition battles (working bogus call after bogus call to deny 
someone else's use of the frequency).  This stuff annoys me more than running 
out-of-class power.

Contest OO's must be listeners; there can be no interaction with the contester 
during the contest.  I sure as hell don't want KB1LID telling me how, or how 
not, to operate.  Look at pro sports: Basketball and football have been ruined 
by the referees. 

Who is qualifiedto be an OO?  All the more reason for a committee to review 
the infraction.  The OOs get "just the facts," preferably on tape.  A 
committee makes the ruling later (before publishing scores) whether the score 
is penalized.  Of course, the violater must be warned in advance, and I think, 
be permitted to offer mitigation.  Multiple observations would help to prove 
violations.

Last, is the cure worse than the disease?  Maybe so, as in football's instant 
replay, we could try it, decide whether it works or not, and make the decision 
later to keep it, or dump it.

I'm up for trying it, but I may not like it later.  Personally, I don't care 
if someone else pulls within 500 hz of my freq, but some expect clear channel. 
 Who's interpretation is right ?  Limit enforcement to things that are 
enforceable.

"It's just a hobby," Steve, K0SF