[CQ-Contest] Throwing the Baby Out With the Bathwater

[Pete Smith]

I'm afraid that the Russian DX Contest organizers are doing something 
else, Hans. Instead of focusing too heavily on "top contesters", they 
seem obsessed with trying to prevent all cheating in their contest, no 
matter how improbable.  They seemingly think that by rule-making they 
can achieve cheater-proofing, a dubious concept all in itself.

The same motivation seems to be behind their badly-worded language on 
remote operation, which was a topic of some contention here a couple of 
weeks ago.  I've read it in two languages (English and French), and had 
a Russian-speaking friend translate the Russian text.  It and the 
English are both somewhat ambiguous, while the French goes on for 
several additional sentences and does, indeed, seem to preclude any 
remote-controlled operation, however legitimate.

I wrote to the organizers right after this issue first came up, 
suggesting some language that seemed, to me, perfectly unambiguous.  So 
far, their only response is that my language looks fine, but they are 
worried that allowing *any* remote operation risks cheating.

Strikes me as a perfect case of "throwing the baby out with the bathwater."

73, Pete N4ZR

The World Contest Station Database, updated daily at www.conteststations.com
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On 3/16/2011 1:21 AM, kzerohb at gmail.com wrote:
> Mike,
>
> Guys like you and I probably aren't ever going to be "top 3" players in a
> Russian contest, but it's you and I and thousands of others who make "top 3"
> possible.  I'm sick to death of sponsors who tune their rules to "the top
> 3".
>
> 73, de Hans, K0HB/K7
> "Just a boy and his radio"
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: w7dra at juno.com
>
>
> i would think there are a lot of DLs living in three story walk up
> apartments with a TS820 and a dipole, with his internet connection down
> at the local library..............
>
> there are a lot of amateurs who dont make much noise but contribute
>
> mike w7dra
>
>
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