[CQ-Contest] Ban all contest spotting?

[Jukka Klemola]

...
> Those who favor a ban on spotting are typically (but not always) SERIOUS contesters.

Please define SERIOUS.

Seriously, who wants to ban the 95% of potential QSOs in the contest?

DXclusters provide to the fun for all the averageDXjoes.

DXclusters provide to contests.

Serious Old Timers know the details of 1948 CQWW happenings in FRC-PVRC area.


> The problem it at least two-fold.
...
For contesters thers is only one problem.
The guys who use the DXcluster to boost the score outside the
boubdaries of their category.


> And don't get me started on SCP!  :-)

SCP is only 95% or so correct.
In case someone logs contacts based on SCP, they score high on UBN.

...
> Personally, I HATE the DX Cluster and wish it were never created.  Equally, I HATE skimmer
> technology.  But it doesn't matter...I can not do anything about it.

I do not have a love-hate relationship with these tools/toys.
I just do not use them in an unfair way. That is my way to deal with them,

If some get kicks from breaking the contest rules, it is also my
problem if I loose to them due to unfair advantage they get.

...
> Contest sponsors can, to a limited degree, monitor self-spotting (and hidden self-spotting).
> Asking your friends, club members, citizens of your home country to "spot me often" is, to me,
> distasteful and technically, banned in at least some contests.  But a "grass roots" effort?  How
> does a sponsor prevent that?  How does one detect a "pre-contest arrangement" from a DX
> guy falling "vicitm" to well-intentioned "friends."

I reckon asking to be spotted is prohibited these days, eh?
I remember hearing some stations saying that, though.

Some of those are/have been high scoring entries.

...
> So in terms of contesting, SPOTTING is a double-edge sword.  Serious guys can find lot of
> fault with it (on many levels).  But equally, without it, we would likely have less participants
> who get on to work some new ones (whether an all time new one or just a new band-country).

Serious SOHP yous meet spotting at it's best when there is a DX who
never sends his callsign.
They just run the pileup based on spots .. the multiops, avergeDXjoes
and assisted guys run the pileup target, but the poor SOABHP just has
to wait until there is a callsign given so the poor SOHP can hear it
with confidence.


> Nothing above is new.  If I look hard enough, I'll probably find this nearly exact quote from a
> year or 2 or 10 ago....probably even from me!
>
> de Doug KR2Q

There is something new.
Some writings have been suggesting packet will reduce score.
Some of those writings are less than 10 years old.

I guess we all agree today spotting has capablity to increase
participant's score, if properly used.
Thus, assisted category exists.


73,
Jukka OH6LI