[VHFcontesting] Sports vs. Radiosports

[Ev Tupis]

>>>> === Radio Contests Today ===
>>>> When it's all over, we are given 30-days to "audit our logs".

>>> Are you trying to imply that people are cheating during this period? 
>>> Could you explain this to us a bit more?

>> Hi George,
>> Nothing that ominous.  

> Well, you did say "audit"...

Hi Alex,
I have to admit, I had to go to the dictionary to make sure I didn't misuse the 
word.  http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?book=Dictionary&va=audit  Given 
this, I think that I chose the right word.  It was placed in quotes because 
people use that time for other things, too -- including the reconstruction of 
logs that got lost -- as you mention.

However, such activity (reconstructing logs and the like) leads to eyebrow raising.

Wouldn't it be interesting to watch a baseball game where a "broken bat hit" was 
a "do over"?   How many times have we golfers attempted to pass off a "whiff" as 
a practice swing?  Would that be tolerated in competition?  Of course not. 
Likewise, shouldn't a computer malfunction (the risk taken by using that as an 
operational strategy) be treated accordingly?  If the risk of data loss is real, 
shouldn't the operator take precautions against it?  Ultimately, a NASCAR driver 
may blow an engine and leave the race.  Bummer, it happens...but it is part of 
the excitement and risk of the event.

Yes, much of this sounds "cold", but it is a fresh way of looking at the topic 
of radiosporting within the context of treating it as a sport.

By the way...I'm not saying that these operating activities that we presently 
lament as having lowering activitiy levels should go away...I'm simply offering 
a perspective for a new breed that may bring excitement and benefit us in ways 
never before imagined by our hobby.

Ev, W2EV

ps... while accepting paper logs for a 21st century event seems necessary to 
some, they are so "5-minutes ago".  An advantage should be given to e-submitted 
and i-logged (what's THAT?!?) entries so as to encourage their use (how's that 
for a troll?) :)