[CQ-Contest] Spoofed Spots

Sun Dec 5 17:39:59 EST 2021

Isn’t that the way it is supposed to be? Remember, the spotting system was created so that hams could alert other hams as to the availability of DX or other “special”  stations. We contesters discovered that it was an effective way to do the same during contests. It should not be difficult for individuals to spot stations for their fellow club members or others. 

In the years since it was created, we have put it to other uses, and greatly subverted it (or enhanced it depending on your perspective) by sending RBN spots into it and perhaps other information. As contesters, it is not “ours” to change so that it won’t be useable for its original (and majority) use. It might be time for us to create a parallel system with required credentials and heavy authentication in order to post spots, but I suspect that will lead to a lot of complaints about club members not being able to spot the fellow members because they don’t have permission from the contests “gods”.

Or perhaps the real solution is to redefine things so that self-spotting is legal, or find some other solution so that it really is not big issue. Because of RBN I wonder if this is really a major problem on CW. At some point we will have an SSB solution that makes self-spotting just as much a non-issue there as on the digital modes (of which CW is one).

73,
Jack, W6FB

> On Dec 4, 2021, at 12:28 PM, Randy Thompson <k5zd at outlook.com> wrote:
> 
> This problem cannot be “solved” without adding some level of authentication to the spotting system. Right now anyone can spot anything using any call. 
> 
> The WW Committee lacks subpoena power so it may not be able to ever identify the rogue spotter. 
> 
> K5ZD
> 
>> On Dec 4, 2021, at 12:35 PM, Pete Smith N4ZR <pete.n4zr at gmail.com> wrote:
>> 
>> Sorry, Tim, but I think a lot of us have a legitimate interest in seeing this solved, and being patted on the hand and told to sit down and be quiet doesn't go over well with me.  I got a status report from K1AR, which is all I was looking for.
>> 
>> 73, Pete N4ZR
>> Check out the new Reverse Beacon Network
>> web server at<https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fbeta.reversebeacon.net%2F&data=04%7C01%7C%7C342011c994fc4b6ec51e08d9b74c8390%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C637742361523486555%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000&sdata=7lCLI4Og98QlyiE%2BVraPpQsePSwljzRiI6P75%2BYnRSw%3D&reserved=0>.
>> For spots, please use your favorite
>> "retail" DX cluster.
>> 
>>> On 12/3/2021 9:18 PM, Tim Duffy wrote:
>>> Hello Pete
>>> 
>>> What makes you think that nothing is being done? Do not worry.
>>> 
>>> Be assured that the CQWW committee has this and many other issues well in hand
>>> 
>>> 73
>>> Tim K3LR
>>> 
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: CQ-Contest [mailto:cq-contest-bounces+k3lr=k3lr.com at contesting.com] On Behalf Of Pete Smith N4ZR
>>> Sent: Friday, December 3, 2021 10:13 AM
>>> To: reflector cq-contest
>>> Subject: [CQ-Contest] Spoofed Spots
>>> 
>>> I'm really surprised at the apparent disregard for VE7CC's report of
>>> spoofed spots and spoofed self-spots during CQWWCW, all seemingly traced
>>> to a single IP in Italy.  After the first time this happened, a month
>>> earlier (CQWWSSB), we were assured that the committee had it in hand,
>>> with reliable reps in Italy pursuing the answer.  Since then, nothing.
>>> 
>>> How about a status report - if people can pull this sort of thing with
>>> impunity, it will certainly damage efforts to enforce the appropriate
>>> rule against self-spotting.
>>> 
>>> To refresh memories:
>>> 
>>> ">From the VE7CC-1 cluster log.
>>> 
>>> 27 Nov total spoofed spots 599 out of 30018  non skimmer spots.
>>> 28 Nov total spoofed spots 1117 out of  30073 non skimmer spots.
>>> Total 1716 spoofed spots from IP 217.61.58.23 over weekend.
>>>  Includes
>>> 203 self spots 27 Nov 2021
>>> 385 self spots 28 Nov 2021
>>> 
>>> These spoofed spots are only the ones that I identified with IP 217.61.58.23.
>>> These spots were entered on both DX Spider and CC Cluster nodes.  There could
>>> be more from AR Cluster or Spider nodes running software that doesn't include
>>> IP addresses.
>>> 
>>> https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fbcdxc.org%2Fve7cc%2FSelfSpot-Nov-2021.zip&data=04%7C01%7C%7C342011c994fc4b6ec51e08d9b74c8390%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C637742361523486555%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000&sdata=xoqcCu7sSackHgyh1syNhol3nhuS%2BNrP3LMGtxCeDbo%3D&reserved=0
>>> https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fbcdxc.org%2Fve7cc%2F27-Nov-2021.zip&data=04%7C01%7C%7C342011c994fc4b6ec51e08d9b74c8390%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C637742361523486555%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000&sdata=99VqvStINvHlxk2M3puppARkDzzB3ZKMZvZZff6XdlM%3D&reserved=0
>>> https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fbcdxc.org%2Fve7cc%2F28-Nov-2021.zip&data=04%7C01%7C%7C342011c994fc4b6ec51e08d9b74c8390%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C637742361523486555%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000&sdata=MiiuQfN1wUu2nTTJxZYiIeta2OYIhEdx%2FWLJ9LcjbPU%3D&reserved=0
>>> 
>>> Lee VE7CC"
>>> 
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