[CQ-Contest] ARRL and Open Logs - Time for the next step?

[Joe Subich, W4TV]

> What would you say to convince someone else that your
> perspective on this is valid? (Aside from you having a right 
> to an opinion - of course).
> 
> Or more simply - why?

The proper question is why any contest sponsor should unilaterally 
take the unprecedented step of releasing all contest logs to public 
mischief? 

> Making logs public is a great tool in deterring the 
> "padding", uncovering goofs of checking process and 
> educational for little pistols to see how masters are doing 
> and get better - mo' points for everybody.

None of that justifies making logs public.  It is up to the contest
sponsor to fairly and accurately adjudicate the contest.  Publication 
of logs does nothing to make adjudication more fair.  It only opens 
the process to second guessing and controversy.  

As far as allowing little pistols to see how the masters do it ... 
it is not the place of the contest sponsor to reveal strategies and 
techniques.  Those strategies and techniques have been developed 
through trial and error.  If a station wants to write an article 
in NCJ or teach a course an Contest University, that's their right 
but if they don't want to tell anyone about a particular opening 
in the middle of the night on a "dead" band or that certain mults 
are only available in specific narrow out of the way band segments 
that should be their right. 

Logs have traditionally been the private property of the operator. 
and have been provided to the contest sponsor because the logs 
are necessary to properly adjudicate the results of the contest 
in the same way as tax return data is provided to the IRS to verify 
"voluntary compliance" with tax laws.  For the contest sponsor to 
release any individually identifiable information - including 
complete logs, UBN reports, etc. is beyond anything necessary to 
adjudicate or report the contest results.  

The only effect of releasing individual logs is to expose those 
logs to intrusive examination by those not involved with the 
adjudication process.  Release of log data is the same as the  
"supermarket tabloids" in printing pictures of <your favorite 
public figure here> engaged in their private life.  




> -----Original Message-----
> From: cq-contest-bounces at contesting.com
> [mailto:cq-contest-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of Robert Naumann
> Sent: Wednesday, July 30, 2008 9:02 AM
> To: 'CQ-Contest'
> Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] ARRL and Open Logs - Time for the next step?
> 
> 
> Hans,
> 
> I would be most interested in what you perceive as being
> negative about the logs being public. I am not aware of 
> anything negative resulting for any of the participants of 
> the last two years of CQWW contests whose logs are public.
> 
> What would you say to convince someone else that your
> perspective on this is valid? (Aside from you having a right 
> to an opinion - of course).
> 
> Or more simply - why?
> 
> 73,
> 
> Bob W5OV
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: cq-contest-bounces at contesting.com
> [mailto:cq-contest-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of K0HB 
> Sent: Tuesday, July 29, 2008 9:44 PM
> To: F5VHJ; CQ-Contest
> Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] ARRL and Open Logs - Time for the next step?
> 
> 
> > Hans,
> > If you do not like the rules and do not want to play by
> them ,  then
> > it
> is
> > your choice to be an excluded from the game.
> > 73, Albert
> 
> You're absolutely correct, Albert, as far as you've stated
> the situation.
> 
> But of course there are more options than "if you don't like
> the rules, then just buzz off, creep". 
> 
> One of those other options is:  "I don't like the rules, and
> I'll attempt to persuade the sponsor(s) to change them."
> 
> In that vein, I believe that participant logs ought to be a
> private transaction between the participant and the sponsor, 
> and that "fair use" of the log should not extend beyond that 
> needed to score the contest.
> 
> 73, de Hans, K0HB
> 
> 
> 
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