[CQ-Contest] It's Broke !

[Jerry Cahill]

It has long ceased to surprise me as to what subject headings manage to prompt list members into making comment on this reflector. A little navel gazing is probably fine, it conveys the feeling that most people don't have a serious gripe and are quite happy, out there in NA contest land at least.  I can't say the same from where I am sitting. I am probable like most of the people on this list, spending most of my free time in "radio contest mode", trying to build the best stations we can with what we can manage to "make available".  All in pursuit of the finest hobby in the world......contesting. 
Now I get to where it itches and I can't scratch. My gripe is that my club meetings have now become cluster spot analysis sessions. Postings from Dave, K1TTT are constantly being referred to. Callsign data bases are consulted for spot makers calls.... during contests..... by the guys who should be hunting mults. This is not contesting!!!! 
I've been told "don't bother complaining, nobody will care until the NA scores are upset"  Another response is " if you can't beat them, join them". I refuse to accept that nobody in NA cares ( witness K1TTT ). I also refuse to "join them". Our hobby has long operated on the honour system. I am very proud of this. I have always referred to our personal integrity when trying to explain the workings of a contest to "civilians."  I am not anti dx cluster. I don't want it to go away. I just want it fixed. I am not a programmer nor am I a data comms expert but can it be difficult to include a spotters IP address along with his call......is it ?? It saddens me to have to acknowledge that we would need to do something like this.  Surely, we must do something to regain some element of collective self respect. This is OUR hobby. The cluster is OUR creation. WE need to fix it. I want to be able to explain contesting like I used to.
 
Jerry Cahill EI6BT/EI7M