[CQ-Contest] ARRL DX CW Results - Did Anyone Else Notice?

[Drew Vonada-Smith]

I've got to agree with John, Randy, and Mark here.  Bob, your response seems very strong, and your immediate mention of My ARRL Voice suggests an axe to grind rather than an open discussion of topic.  I hope that is not true, and I don't think John made any claim except that on the surface the operation seems to violate CEPT.  He's right about it "seeming so", so unless someone has information about citizenship, a violation is a fairly reasonable conclusion.  Under these conditions any information to the contrary would a worthy of note.

Whether there was any advantage or not is immaterial.  The law is the law and as hams we'd best be known for respecting it.  As for it being perhaps accidental, I cannot say, but please consider the following:

I did not recognize the call KO1A.  But I immediately recognized the call IY3EYZ.  This call was associated with several US contest operations using calls that when checked on Google Earth, seemed to show no notable antennas.  This station would have qualified for W0 area WRTC 2022 based on score alone but was not considered by the WRTC committee, presumably due to the CEPT issues.  IY3EYZ was well aware of this and complained rather strongly about it to someone I know.  This sounds like more of the same flavor, doesn't it?

This is enough information that some modest explanation to the contest community seems appropriate if a ruling change is not warranted.  Two EXTREMELY​ well respected Hall of Fame members of the contest community and the results author raised reasonable points.

73,
Drew K3PA

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Message: 7
Date: Sat, 19 Aug 2023 22:17:36 -0500
From: r-emails at n5ot.com
To: cq-contest at contesting.com
Subject: [CQ-Contest] 2:21 PM Re: ARRL DX CW Results - Did Anyone Else
        Notice?
Message-ID: <d3a0cb95c8ac260872a03a6080592df1 at n5ot.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed

I am the author of the ARRL's extended results write-up.  In preparation
to write the article, I noticed the IZ3EYZ entry seemed odd (since it
seemed like he rightly should have used the call FS/IZ3EYZ), so I
contacted HQ and ran it up the flagpole.  I had thought it was pretty
obvious IZ3EYZ had violated the rules.  According to the ARRL web site:
Unless IZ3EYZ is a US citizen, his operation was not in compliance with
CEPT.

HQ reviewed all the information and made multiple inquiries to IZ3EYZ,
then ultimately chose to let the "FS/KO1A (IZ3EYZ, op)" entry stand.  HQ
did not ever inform me they had confirmed IZ3EYZ is a US citizen.  I had
hoped maybe HQ would give IZ3EYZ the benefit of the doubt for ignoring
CEPT, allow him to plead "ignorance," then re-characterize his log as a
checklog (I think DQ is unnecessarily strong for a first offense in this
case).  I think AA7V deserves the win for Single Operator Low Power
World unless IZ3EYZ is a US citizen.

I agree that not enforcing the rules looks a lot like there actually are
no rules.

Bob, I think your response to John is a little strong, since the only
way John is making a false accusation is if IZ3EYZ is a US citizen.  I
know you asked him to demonstrate his US citizenship more than once, but
as Randy pointed out, you haven't told us what he said.  If he did not
demonstrate his US citizenship I urge you to reconsider the decision,
re-characterize IZ3EYZ's entry to a check-log, and award the top spot in
World Single Op Low Power to Steve AA7V.

73 - Mark N5OT


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End of CQ-Contest Digest, Vol 248, Issue 17
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