[CQ-Contest] Rampant cheating ?

[Bob Naumann - W5OV]

N7MAL said:
> 
> Hi Bob: The obvious reason for not naming names or calls is simply 
because it would start an ugly name-calling mess. It would completely 
move the focus from the problem to individuals. My goal was/is to hi-
lite the problem and hopefully find an equitable solution not to get 
into a name calling contest.
> 73
> 
> MAL         N7MAL

I believe that what you started could already be described as a "mess".

You earlier said:  "It is easy to see that Packet-Cluster cheating is 
rampant and is a real threat to honest contesting."

"Cheating is rampant".  Hmmm.

"Rampant" from www.dictionary.com:
1) Extending unchecked; unrestrained
2) Occurring without restraint and frequently, widely, or menacingly

OK.  Prove it.  If you *know* that cheating is so widespread, then tell 
us all of these numerous operations that you *know* are cheating.  How 
about just one?  If they are cheating, then they deserve to be caught.  
Let the chips fall where they may.  

I don't believe that there is a rampant cheating problem in contesting 
today at all.  There are, from time to time, a few cheaters who seek to 
win a contest by cheating and twisting the rules.  They get caught.

In the case of the CQWW, such cheating is closely looked at and many, 
many hours of volunteer time is put into some very sophisticated 
analysis of all data available in order to find cheaters and confront 
them with the evidence.  They get caught.  I *know* this occurs.  I've 
been part of it.

Admittedly, there also may be some "little pistol" type guys who enter 
as single op and are operatiung as assisted and don't win anything.  So 
what!  Such activity is not a threat to contesting at all.  It's just 
some guy who is not serious having fun as he defines it.  No problem.

Rather than voicing a specious accusation, let's focus on some real 
threats to contesting like, restrictions on frequencies for contests to 
use, BPL, Restrictive Land Use Covenants, homeowner association rules, 
antenna restrctions, cheap consumer electronics, wireless modem devices 
that still transmit on 3.5xx MHz, commercial threats to our 
frequencies, etc., etc.

73,

Bob Naumann - W5OV