[CQ-Contest] Self spotting

[Mike Fatchett W0MU]

Who is going to check the spots/spotters?  How exactly do you know who I 
am on the cluster? Anyone can use whatever call they want on nearly or 
all spotting networks.  There is no registration and from what I 
understand there never will be.  It would be yet another rule that is 
very difficult to enforce.  Creating complex rules outside the control 
of the sponsor is asking for trouble.  I have no issue with self 
spotting and the rules should be as simple as possible.

I don't think we change the rules because someone figured out how to get 
around a spot filter.  That is pretty smart.  Program filters are well 
outside the rules.  Let the spotting networks deal with this if they 
believe it is an issue or the logging filter programs.

Who has the right to tell cluster/spotting server or users how to use 
those products?  My cluster my computer my internet my money....  I 
suppose the sponsors could create their own spotting networks with their 
own rules but that is not going to happen either.

Many of the spotting networks have dupe timers so that a station can 
only be spotted once every X minutes.

I am trying to figure out who exactly got harmed with this?

W0MU

On 3/10/2024 4:10 PM, kq2m at kq2m.com wrote:
>
> A year ago, I cited and took issue with a well-known contester in New 
> England who was self-spotting in a DX contest
> under a foreign call.  It was disingenuous at best, as well as being 
> unnecessary.
>
> And, on BOTH modes of ARRLDX this year, there were quite a number of 
> contesters all throughout the US
> who were self-spotting under other people's calls.
>
> Self-spotting, whether we like it or not, is LEGAL under ARRLDX 
> rules.  I don't like it and still have
> mixed feelings about doing it, but I do it, and do it honestly.  I 
> self-spot KQ2M ONLY with KQ2M as the spotter.
>
> I feel strongly that if you are going to self-spot, be 
> straight-forward about it and do it ONLY
> under your own call.
>
> I would like to see the ARRL adopt a new rule:  "SELF-SPOTTING" is 
> allowed ONLY by the
> operator and ONLY using the operator's callsign.  Self-spotting with a 
> callsign other than the
> operator is considered to be a violation of the rules and may result 
> in disqualification"
>
> There.  Simple enough.
>
> I would urge the adoption of a similar rule by any contest committees 
> that have decided to allow
> self-spotting.
>
> 73
>
> Bob, KQ2M
>
>
>
> On 2024-03-10 14:16, Chris Tate - N6WM wrote:
>> I have thought about the use of call sign prefixes from other 
>> countries to
>> defeat others filters while self spotting and feel this is a dishonest
>> loophole that should be closed.  Crafty?  No I don’t think so, and 
>> opens up
>> an entire Pandora’s box of what can be manipulated in the cluster
>> networks.  And it’s essentially a false statement and should result in a
>> DQ. This self spotting experiment will get out of hand very quick if 
>> this
>> is allowed to continue.  A simple rule addition stating that you must 
>> use
>> Your operating call to self spot (without false prefix) will solve this
>> micro issue, but there are other nefarious things possible with this 
>> self
>> spotting rule and the existing cluster network.  honestly am a little
>> disappointed with the usually highly respected contesters that chose to
>> exploit this loophole to the detriment of their competitors.
>>
>> Chris
>> N6WM
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