[CQ-Contest] Competing in the Daylight

[N7MAL]

I received 17, yes 17, private emails asking me to name names. Well for obvious reasons I am not going to do that but I wanted to respond publicly to at least this one, because I found it interestingly offensive. As you can see it comes from someone who has gained a certain amount of stature in the contesting community.
John said:"""". 
Over the last few years I've complained often and loudly about being spotted during domestic contests, especially SS. I've watched my run-rate go from something very comfortable to having a big pile-up. Without exception my run-rate jumped up because I was spotted on packet. AND without exception checking the results, against my log during those rapid rate increases, shows none, not one, of the stations worked during those periods reported themselves as a muli-op. They ALL were in the single op category. If it happened once, or maybe even twice, it might be coincidence but over several contests it is no longer coincidence but cheating.
If you need further 'proof' look at CQP. There were hundreds and hundreds of spots on the cluster. Other than the big multi efforts in CA there will be less than a dozen claim they were multi. It's the same during other domestic contests like SS and NAQP except on a larger scale. The ratio of spots/spotters to logs submitted as multi would be laughable if it weren't for the fact that it clearly shows there is a problem of integrity during contests.
John might I suggest rather than taking cheap pot-shots at the messenger why not help find a solution to this problem. Is there not a way to make the multi category more attractive? There must be some incentive, bigger or more trophies, larger or more bold fonts in results, something to move the folks who are using packet, during contests, into the multi category. 
Hopefully a solution can be found that will satisfy everyone.
Best 73's

MAL         N7MAL
BULLHEAD CITY, AZ
http://www.ctaz.com/~suzyq/N7mal.htm
http://geocities.com/n7mal/
Don't worry about the world coming to an end today.
It's already tomorrow in Australia
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: K1AR at aol.com 
  To: N7MAL at CITLINK.NET 
  Sent: Monday, October 10, 2005 12:59
  Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] Competing in the Daylight


  In a message dated 10/9/2005 7:19:21 PM Eastern Daylight Time, N7MAL at CITLINK.NET writes:
    It is easy to see that Packet-Cluster cheating is rampant and is a real threat to honest contesting.

  Mal--

  With all due respect, you're out of your league with this comment. Can you identify a single entrant that fits your cheating assertion above? I doubt it, but I'd like to see your list.

  Be careful with these claims that are not fact based. The reality is that, at least for the CQ WW and ARRL DX contests, packet cheaters are aggressively sought out, discovered and dealt with appropriately.

  Please reply.

  73 John, K1AR