[CQ-Contest] How to Succeed in Contests Without Really Trying

[Paul O'Kane]

Like all good conjuring tricks, it's obvious once
you know how it's done.

1.  Operate from a reasonably "rare" country.

2.  Make sure a there's a local MO station
     within ground wave range (on all bands)

3.  Get 6 panadaptors, so that you can see
     exactly where the MO is (or was) at all
     times.

4.  Run as fast as you can on whatever band
     gives best rates.

5.  As time permits, follow the traces on the
     panadaptors to identify and work potential
     mults recently worked by the local MO.
     Chances are that you'll need the same mults
     as them.

6.  Enter as SOAB - Unconnected and Unassisted.

There are a few choice words, in English, to
describe this behaviour.

Similar words apply to contest sponsors who,
knowing about this practice, either do nothing
or attempt to deflect attention with spurious
surveys.

I can suggest two ways they might get smarter.

1.  Introduce a rule stating
     "at the absolute discretion of the
      sponsors, and without right of appeal,
      entrants who may be considered not to
      have followed the rules AND the spirit
      of their chosen category will be
      disqualified for a period of 5 years"

      Edit as appropriate :-)

2.   Introduce a rule for SO Unconnected
      limiting band and/or mode changes to
      6 per clock hour - or some lower number.

I don't know what to suggest about in-band
spots - but then it's not my responsibility.

73,
Paul EI5DI