[CQ-Contest] RULES CLARIFICATION FOR UNIQUE REMOTE CONTESTING OPERATIONS

[Eric Hilding]

Albert, F5VHJ, wrote:

> However, it also opens " Pandora box" as to whether  a "station" is really
> within the country as claimed. Since there is no way to prove a "remote"
> station was on in the country as claimed,

But Albert, even without the "remote control" issue involved, how do we know for sure that you were physically operating your 6W1RY station on land in Senegal vs. being on a fancy yacht in the ocean off the coast, sipping on cool ones while you had sophisticated robotics completely operating the station onboard with phased vertical dipoles all over the boat benefiting from the nice conductivity of the salt water beneath?  We don't.  Just as there has always been speculation as to whether or not certain "DX-Peditions" actually took place from land vs. onboard ship.  For some, we may never know for sure.

Until such future time as all Contest participants are required to be logged into to a Sponsor's contest-specific database and software for the duration of the contest, with Non-spoofable, verifiable satellite QTH tracing/monitoring capabilites and the monitoring of output power RF actually used, it still boils down to the "Honor System".  Sadly, we will always have the cheaters whether remote control is involved or not.

However, the basic Laws of the Universe provide for dealing with cheaters who (probably not understanding this), set themselves up for "Cosmic Payback" at some point down the line.  This may be in the form of a lightning strike which fries all their equipment, or some other "acts of nature" or personal calamity, but there will *always* end up being a Cosmic Payback against wrong deeds or violation of the "Honor System".  So, we really don't need to worry about "Policing" things, 'cuz the "Cosmic Police Force" is always on duty.  That's just the way things work.

For decades many commercial FM & TV stations have operated "remotely" with transmitters & antennae up on big mountaintop somewhere with studios & the "remote control" point being in a city (via an STL - Studio Transmitter Link, etc.). This remote control stuff is really not any big deal when it comes right down to it.

73...

RIck, K6VVA