[UK-CONTEST] Cheating in contests

[Don Field]

Well Clive, certainly in the IOTA contest, probably the largest event
organised from the UK, we have some quite clever algorithms now to spot
Cluster cheating. Last year several entrants were "invited to review their
category" .. This year, who knows?

Don G3XTT

On 8/21/06, Clive Whelan <clive.whelan at btinternet.com> wrote:
>
> Recent correspondence makes it clear that this is now quite
> a serious problem.
>
> The current focus seems to be on undeclared use of DX
> clusters in the unassisted category, and for the cheat this
> is an "attractive" option, because no third party is
> involved and the mechanism is unseen. However, we now know
> that technology means that, in the words of a once popular
> song, there is "nowhere to run to, nowhere to hide".
>
>
> It seems that there are three broad strategies that sponsors
> might adopt to address this issue:
>
> 1. Make the use of clusters legal in all categories. Both
> DARC and the Russian organisation have already followed this
> option.
>
>
> 2. Institute a stringent cross checking regime, correlating
> QSO times with the appearance of spots on the cluster. This
> clearly works, as we have been told by e.g. G3SXW, but may
> require resources available only to a commercial
> organisation such as CQ magazine. Additionally, I suspect
> the burden of proof required, is so onerous, that only the
> mega cheats are caught.
>
>
> 3. Do nothing: the de facto approach currently for the
> majority of contest sponsors. Sadly the cheats will not go
> away anytime soon, and they will probably migrate to
> contests which adopt this approach. This is a sad but
> inescapable truth.
>
> Naturally you cannot cheat me, because rather like my
> counterparts in Rugby, you cannot beat me, you can only
> score more points than me ;-0. Of course, whether I come
> 23rd or 24th is a matter of little consequence, but I can
> understand why others might be disaffected. One day I might
> become god enough to be in a position to care, who knows?
>
> My best guess is that the only way to tackle the problem is
> via peer pressure. Sadly, but happily, no readers of this
> list will be in a position to assist in this regard.
>
>
> 73
>
>
> Clive
> GW3NJW
>
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