[CQ-Contest] eQSL change of policy

[Sylvan Katz]

> present system or any future system. But the machine can stop an
> individual from fraudulently taking advantage of some else's error. Is
> it worth it the inconvience?

A machine can also obscure a small but pertinent piece of information (e.g.
log entry is local time not UTC) that would allow a human to quickly
identify and verify a questionable qso in a collection of logs. While a
machine can present a barrier to fraud it can also present a barrier to
knowledge. Furthermore, erecting machine barriers of any kind can turn a
system design into an endless exercise of dealing with exceptions -- these
systems can collapse under their own complexity. Wisdom suggests that just
because it can be done by machine does not mean it should be done.

> Anyone got a different solution?

Accept the simple realization that an ARRL award or any other award for that
matter is simply that an award. We do not need to build a Fort Knox to
protect these awards. And yes cheaters will some times get certificates - so
what! Why not build a system that follows an age old amateur radio community
tradition of striving to enable the exchange of knowledge and not hinder it.

A twist. All entries logs submitted to an ARRL contest and verified by the
contest checking software should automatically be accredited to any ARRL
award for which it is considered to be a valid contact. No eQSL or QSL
required! Could be one way of getting more participation in contests as well
as more check logs!

.. sylvan

Ô¿Ô¬
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Sylvan Katz, VE5ZX
Saskatoon, SK
"A Novel Perspective of Amateur Radio Contesting" at
http://www.dynamicforesight.com/~ve5zx