[CQ-Contest] self help during contest

[kr2q at optimum.net]

N7DF said,
[snip]
For that matter, why should an activity that involves only yourself not be acceptable?  
In other words, why can't you record the contest operation and use your recording, 
after the contest is over, to check the accuracy of your log?  You are not creating new 
QSOs, only corrrecting ones that have already been made.
[end snip]

Here is my two cents with the usual disclaimer (ie, this is MY opinion and should not be 
construed as anything official from any contest committee with which I may be associated).

The contest period is the defined time frame where your effort as a contester is being judged.
This includes accurately logging QSOs during the heat of the battle.  The heat of the battle
is one of the few areas where the playing field is sort of level.  We are all tired; we all suffer
from QRM and maybe QRN and we all make mistakes for various reasons.  As the contest
progresses, we get more tired and may be prone to make more mistakes.

If you "double check" your work after the contest with the use of a recording, well, then you
are artificially extending the period of competition.  You're giving yourself a 2nd shot at
getting it right, AFTER the contest is OVER.

Analogy:  You are taking an exam at university.  It is a timed exam and you have one hour.
When the exam is over, you decide that you would like to "review" your answers and,  you
discover that, because of STRESS during the exam, one or more is/are wrong because you filled 
in the "wrong" circle on the exam answer sheet. Should you be justified in correcting it?  Does this
sound legit?  Not to me.

History:  Once upon a time, a happy and famous Finn decided that he would record the entire
contest and NOT LOG ANYTHING during the contest; he would simply do that "chore" later.
After all, all he was doing was listening to himself make QSOs.  Additionally, if he discovered
any mistakes he made in responding during the QSO, he could simply NOW log the correct
information.  It really was NOT a correction because there was no original LOG (unless you
consider a recording equal to the log).  For me (yes, this is still all MY opinion), this potentially
gave him a huge advantage...not only in terms of accuracy, but in terms of MUCH LESS STRESS
during the contest period.   Don't think logging accurately DURING the contest is stressful?
Think again.  I remember when "cruise control" first came out.  Gosh...wasn't that silly.  How
hard is it to keep your foot on the accelerator?  Well, on a long trip (analogy = contest period)
one discovers that not having to keep your foot on the pedal is a BIG stress reliever.  It lets
you concentrate much more on other things.  At least it does for me (YMMV).

So...what about listening DURING the contest (in a contest such as 160 where there is so much
dead time).  For me, this is easy.  It is still DURING the contest.  If you choose to use your time
for reviewing (and potentially correcting) your log instead of getting sleep or relaxation, then that
is your choice; perfectly legal.  Try that same thing AFTER the contest?  Nope...the contest is
OVER.  Put down your pencils.

By the way, when you review your log after the contest, you are, in effect, adjudicating your own log.
Adjudication is the role of the contest sponsor, NOT the entrant.  Can you imagine taking a spelling
exam and then after the exam, consulting a dictionary to "correct" the errors? 

Is it in the rules?  Not exactly.  Here is what it says in the CQWW Handbook, 1994 Edition on page 45,
Item #10, sub-item 1.

[snip]
1. Can I change a call sign in my log after the contest is over?
No. All you can do is remove bad calls and duplicates.
[end snip]
Of course today, no contest sponsor wants you to remove duplicates from your log and I would wager
that nobody wants you to remove a BAD call from your log either (as opposed to fixing a typographical
error such as "KP2A08" in CQWW, all entered into the CALLSIGN field of your logging program ).

End of my 2 cents.....Hope this helps.
de Doug KR2Q