[CQ-Contest] Spoofed Self spots

[Mike VE9AA ve9aa@nbnet.nb.ca]

Peter,

I take a small exception to one of your comments. "everybody uses it"
  Since bold font is not permitted in this email group, I will type in 
all caps for emphasis,
however I am not shouting.(or maybe I am?)
NOT EVERYONE USES THE SPOTTING NETWORK !
I wish you, and many many of the Carib and SA ops would realize this. 
(Some of these guys are not the best at ID'ng) and more than once myself 
or someone else would shout at them 'what's your call?" after hearing 
them work 4 or 5 guys in a thunderous pileup.

...there should be a rule./.....geez

hi Steve
This is the internet we're talking about.  Security hasn't been optional 
for at
least 20 years.  Somehow ham radio has managed to avoid a significant 
lack of
security impact, but this weekend's fraudulent self-spotting issues 
will, IMHO,
be viewed as the shot across the bow, even if it was unintentional.
You are right... spotting is like email or DNS... it's everywhere, and
everybody uses it.  There are a huge number of stakeholders.  But if 
everyone
who spots has internet access, then something like SQRL will work.  And 
as I
imagine it, you only need to authenticate in order to send spots, not 
receive
them.
-peter K3IB