[SECC] The morals of "Contesting For A New Season"

[MARK LUHRMAN]

As contest season is just around the corner, I hope all contestors will play fair. There is a lot of talk being done behind the scenes about some of us using packet and other spotting tools to help boast(Boost) our scores. We use these spotting tools to see new callsigns,ones that we have not work, new multipliers, on bands that we do not have them. This helps to give us a better score. The only thing is that there are a some people using these tools, but when we see in the 3830 listing they are claiming single-op status? I know when I have operated muti-op and spotted stations. I have seen some of these stations come right on that freq. within minutes of that spot and work that station! Only to see later in the final results, that they are single-op! We wonder why? Is it to boost your ego? Is it to make others think that you are a great op? Is it because you can't stand losing? Why you are doing this does not matter. What matters is that you are a cheater! I know when I was in school, I would see kids cheating on tests. I never told on them. For I knew eventually they would be caught, and indeed most of them were! I hope that the Honest Contestors, who enter these contests for the fun, experience, and satisfaction of doing well, will let the "Cheaters" know that what you are doing should come to an end. That what you are doing, does not send a very good message to others, and especially the new contestors. Some of us will never win a contest, but when we do, I hope we did it fairly ! Let us have a good contest season! Mark W4SVO