[CQ-Contest] Contest Ethics - A Case Study?

k7zo at micron.net k7zo at micron.net
Wed May 20 23:03:26 EDT 1998


With the official SSB Sweepstakes results now out I thought I would post 
this message to generate some discussion and comments regarding contest 
ethics. The idea for this posting came to me about 0330 last November 
17th -- right after the end of the contest. When I finished the contest 
I fired up my internet connection, went to the OH2BUA web site, and 
downloaded the last 1000 DX Spots. My reason at the time was to see if 
anyone had spotted me. Being in semi-rare Idaho, I was curious. I did 
find a couple cases of me being spotted, but what was more interesting 
were the incredible number of self-spots, sweep pleadings, and the like. 
I got to wondereing what these folks were up to. At a minimum it seemed 
like they were in the Multi-operator Class and I wondered what their 
entry would be. On the other hand some of these folks could be in the
contest for the fun of it and in my book you can do anything you want
subject to the terms of your license. But, if you make an official entry, 
stating that you followed the rules of the contest that is another matter.
And to restate the appropriate Sweepstakes rules extracted from the ARRL 
site:

    A.Single operator. One person performs all transmitting, receiving, 
      spotting and logging functions. 

    B.Multioperator, single transmitter only. Those obtaining any form 
      of assistance such as relief operators, loggers or use of spotting 
      nets, including PacketClusters. 

    D.The use of non-Amateur Radio means of communication (eg, 
      telephone) for the purpose of soliciting a contact (or contacts) 
      during the contest period is inconsistent with the spirit and 
      intent of this announcement. 

At the end of this note is the data extracted from the Last 1000 DX 
Spots on OH2BUA. These were the spots that caught my eye. If you look 
through the list you will find the following callsigns. I put them into 
three different categories per their entry class indicated in QST.

* Entered as Single Operator (indicating they did not use 
PacketCluster): WB8RNY, W0VFO, K2MP, N9PQU

* Entered as Multi Operator (indicating they used PacketCluster, but 
what about the soliciting contact angle?): W5GAD, W5YM, KC3M, N2WB, 
WK1P, N1HKO, AE1M, WW3S, N9XX

* No contest entry made (I guess they were just in it for the fun): 
Everyone else

So, what do you all think? I offer this note to generate discussion not 
to pass judgment. I am simply reporting here, the facts should stand for 
themselves.

Scott/K7ZO k7zo at micron.net

================================================================
W5GAD   7155.2  W5GAD   Louisiana for sweep          256  17 Nov
K9JO    3903.4  Y       SPOT QUEBEC FOR SWEEP PSE.   256  17 Nov
AC6EA   3800    AC6EA   please spot mar....          254  17 Nov
W5GAD   7155.2  W5GAD   Louisiana                    251  17 Nov
W5YM    3890.7  W5YM    soooooooooie pig!!           246  17 Nov
AC6EA   3800    AC6EA   need mar for sweep please sp 245  17 Nov
W5GAD   7155.5  W5GAD   la                           239  17 Nov
AC6EA   3800    AC6EA   please spot mar for sweep... 235  17 Nov
W5YM    3892    W5YM    Arkansas                     226  17 Nov
W5YM    7238    W5YM    Arkansas                     221  17 Nov
N9SSG   7280    N9SSG   pse spot ak                  220  17 Nov
AC6EA   3800    AC6EA   need mar please spot....     219  17 Nov
KC3M    3802    KC3M    PLEASE NLI SPOT              217  17 Nov
W5YM    7245    W5YM    U of A Yep ck IS 16!!        215  17 Nov
N2JTX   3800    N2JTX   KC3M Pick a freq - NLI       203  17 Nov
KC3M    3800    KC3M    PLEASE SPOT NLI              201  17 Nov
KC3M    3750    KC3M    PSE SPOT NLI NNY SNJ KY      137  17 Nov
N2JTX   3860.5  N2JTX   NLI                          136  17 Nov
W5YM    7236.6  W5YM    YES it IS 16!!! AR AR        133  17 Nov
KC3M    7178    KC3M    PSE SPOT SF                  126  17 Nov
WU2M    7261.2  WU2M    NNY                          126  17 Nov
AC6EA   3700    AC6EA   PLEASE SPOT MAR....ANY BAND. 124  17 Nov
AC6EA   3700    AC6EA   NEED MAR FOR SWEEP           121  17 Nov
AC6EA   3700    AC6EA   WHERE IS MR??? PLEASE SPOT.. 118  17 Nov
N2WB    14187   N2WB    EARTH TO NFL    OVER         112  17 Nov
WB8RNY  7210    WB8RNY  NEED IOWA FOR SWEEP          110  17 Nov
N2WB    14187   N2WB    NFL PSE CALL!!                59  17 Nov
W5GAD   7281    W5GAD   LA big signal easy            57  17 Nov
W5YM    3860.8  W5YM    Yes it's REALLY 16!!!         53  17 Nov
W5YM    7237    W5YM    BIG SIG!!!                    46  17 Nov
W0VFO   7150    PSE     SPOT MAINE!!!                 39  17 Nov
W5GAD   7235.5  W5GAD   ***LOUISIANA***               31  17 Nov
WK1P    3795.6  WK1P    NH   SWEEP & there are 2 MAR's30  17 Nov
WS1F    14329   K6LL    AZ   pse spot NL SF for me! 2341  16 Nov
N4VHK   14176.6 KL7J    we need sb..pse spot        2336  16 Nov
N1IUN   14288   N7SG    needs NNY   pse spot MAR ID 2332  16 Nov
KG0EI   14232.8 KG0EI   IA for K2PM                 2330  16 Nov
W5GAD   14312   W5GAD   Louisiana                   2326  16 Nov
W5GAD   21312   W5GAD   LA NEAR THE "BIG EASY"      2303  16 Nov
K2MP    14218   K2MP    NEED pse spot IA            2303  16 Nov
N9YNW   21000   PLEEEEEEEEEE SPOT NEB ANYWHERE      2255  16 Nov
N4WNL-@ 14295   CONTEST Need SB for CLEAN SWEEP     2255  16 Nov
N2WB    14194.1 N2WB    NFL  NO LINE...             2253  16 Nov
W5YM    14274   W5YM    Razorback Radio .           2244  16 Nov
N4WNL-@ 14295   NEED    SB for SWEEP PLEASE !!!     2243  16 Nov
W5GAD   21312   W5GAD   LA NEAR THE "BIG EASY"      2236  16 Nov
N9XX    7172.6  N9XX    NEED SDAk                   2235  16 Nov
N9XX    7172.6  N9XX    NEED SDAk                   2235  16 Nov
N2WB    14194.1 N2WB    NFL  pse call               2234  16 Nov
W5GAD   21312   W5GAD   la real easy                2233  16 Nov
N9YNW   21000   NEED    NE & SK...PLEEEESE          2227  16 Nov
N1HKO   3861    N1HKO   New Hampshire               2220  16 Nov
W5GAD   21312   W5GAD   LA real easy                2218  16 Nov
WB8RNY  7213    WB8RNY  LOOK FOR IA VT SPOTS        2213  16 Nov
W5GAD   21312   W5GAD   LA real easy                2207  16 Nov
WN6W    21255.5 WN6W    ae5t LA                     2202  16 Nov
N2WB    14194.1 N2WB    nfl  no line .... pse call  2202  16 Nov
KE0BX   21385.6 KE0BX   iowa                        2200  16 Nov
W5GAD   21284   W5GAD   LA easy                     2152  16 Nov
W5GAD   21284   W5GAD   LA                          2152  16 Nov
N9XX    7150    N9XX    Pls spot SDAK and VE3       2152  16 Nov
N2WB    14194.1 N2WB    nfl pse call now...         2148  16 Nov
W5GAD   21284   W5GAD   LA                          2140  16 Nov
AE1M    3827    AE1M/EMA need snj wny               2135  16 Nov
WU2M    7218.5  WU2M    nny                         2121  16 Nov
WB8RNY  7200    WB8RNY  NEED IA VT PQ               2114  16 Nov
N9PQU   21325   N9PQU   NEED NEBRASKA AND YULON     2113  16 Nov
N2WB    14194.1 N2WB    nfl  ...pse  call       ... 2110  16 Nov
K2ZT    21300   K2ZT    NEED ALASKA                 2105  16 Nov
KT0DX   7178.6  K2NNY   NNY I Need WY               2102  16 Nov
N2WB    14194.1 N2WB    nfl   pse call              2102  16 Nov
KG8EF   7000    ANY     NNY AROUND FOR A SWEEP?     2054  16 Nov
N2WB    14194.1 N2WB    from NFL                    2050  16 Nov
KG8EF   7000    NEED    NNY FOR A SWEEP PLS SPOT    2025  16 Nov
K2ZT    14250   K2ZT    PSE SPOT ALASKA KL7         2014  16 Nov
WW3S    7284.9  WW3S    NEEDS NLI                   2004  16 Nov
K2ZT    14239   K2ZT    IS SF ON THE AIR?           1939  16 Nov
W1EK    14170   W1EK    ALASKA ONLY PLEEESSSSEEEE !!1926  16 Nov
WB8RNY  14000   WB8RNY  NEED NNY KY IA VT SF        1911  16 Nov
===========================================================




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