[CQ-Contest] Attention CQWW SO2R Competitors

[Matt NQ6N]

I would think that broadband SDR recordings from multiple places around the
world ought to provide enough data to enforce many of the harder-to-enforce
rules.

It would seem an operator-provided recording of TX and RX audio would allow
the operator to defend him/herself from allegations of certain types of
cheating, including some that one could easily be framed for if the only
source of data was SDR recordings.

Some other rule-enforcement approaches that could be added, and a "black
box" device could even be created to make collecting such data easy:

- a continuous audio/video recording of the operating position
- a continuous screen recording of the computer screen(s) in use.
- logs of all TX and RX VFO adjustments and the duration on each frequency
- on-site broadband SDR recording
- logs of all computer keystrokes
- logs of all IP traffic during the contest

But even if all of those were instituted, it's easy to imagine ways someone
could cheat in spite of such extreme measures.

I'm happy that amateur radiosport has been able to exist largely based on
the honor system and the integrity of competitors.  But I think that having
the technology to enforce rules violations can also enhance the sport by
making victory that much more irrefutable.  It's far better to have a top
finisher be accused and vindicated than to have doubt in the community
about the authenticity of a win.

Some of the performances we've seen in the SO2R category border on
super-human, which is a wonderful thing, and (I think) the motivation for
increased scrutiny.

73,
Matt NQ6N




On Wed, Jun 28, 2017 at 12:38 PM, Ken K6MR <k6mr at outlook.com> wrote:

> Maybe I’m missing something here.
>
> “If the CQWW committee needed to hear my transmitted signal, they had
> access to full-band, SDR recordings made by independent, third parties.”
>
> So they can hear half of the QSO but not the other half?  I don’t get it.
>
> If they have access to “full-band, SDR recordings”, why should I need to
> record anything?  Thank goodness we little pistols don’t have to bother
> with this silliness.
>
> Ken K6MR
>
>
> From: Steve London<mailto:n2icarrl at gmail.com>
> Sent: Wednesday, June 28, 2017 09:55
> To: cq Contest<mailto:cq-contest at contesting.com>; kr2q at optimum.net<mailto:
> kr2q at optimum.net>; w4pa >> Scott Robbins<mailto:w4pa at yahoo.com>
> Subject: [CQ-Contest] Attention CQWW SO2R Competitors
>
> If you are not a single-op, SO2R competitor, you can probably delete
> this message...
>
> The current CQWW rules regarding recording of the contest by top
> competitors states:
>
> "Any single operator entrant (see V.A.1) competing for a top three
> finish at the (a) World, (b) Continent, or (c) USA levels, must record
> the transmitted and received audio as heard by the operator for the
> duration of the contest operation."
>
> Note the phrase "received audio as heard by the operator".
>
> I have always followed this rule, splitting my headphone audio between
> my headphones and my recording device. When doing SO2R, this means that
> my transmitted signal is often not present in the recording - the
> recording contains exactly the audio I am hearing. According to the
> former CQWW director, who wrote the rule, I have been following both the
> wording and intent of the rule. If the CQWW committee needed to hear my
> transmitted signal, they had access to full-band, SDR recordings made by
> independent, third parties.
>
> I have it on good authority that the current CQWW triumvirate may be
> planning a change to this rule to require that the transmitted signal be
> present on the recording, regardless of whether the operator was
> listening to the transmitted signal. If you feel as I do, that the
> current rule should not be changed, I urge you to make your opinions
> known to the current CQWW triumvirate - KR2Q, W4PA, W5OV.
>
> Please feel free to forward this e-mail to others who may be affected.
>
> 73,
> Steve, N2IC
>
>
>
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