[VHFcontesting] Using Assistance to make fake contacts...

[Marshall Williams]

Hello everyone....It is possible that in the remote past when WSJT first 
got started, there were some people that passed contact information over 
the Internet and then claimed that they had made a contact.  I have been 
pretty active on EME for that past two years and I have never seen this 
happen.  However, always, the very first thing that the Anti-Assistance 
guys always throw in your face is that people are making "contacts" over 
the Internet.  It may have happened long ago, but it does not happen 
now.  If you wanted to do that, you could just use the telephone, ICQ or 
email where nobody could see it.  Remember, the N0UK EME reflector is 
visible to everyone.  So are the EME reflectors operated in Europe.

ASIDE:  Even if some "shady characters" made such "contacts" how does it 
affect you and your contacts??  Answer: NOT AT ALL.  If all your 
contacts are valid, then you know in your heart that you are on the up 
and up and that is what really matters.

In the early days of WSJT, there were hordes of very vocal guys that 
claimed that JT65 was not a valid contact, CW Forever, etc. etc. etc.  
Some of them are still around today.  It would not surprise me if the 
ones that were so against JT65 made the "fake" contacts on the Internet 
just to show how ridiculous WSJT was.  Today, however, it is clear that 
WSJT does result in a valid contact, if it is used properly.  Anyone can 
misuse something on purpose--that does not prove anything.

FULL DISCLOSURE:  When I returned to serious VHF activity, I hated what 
WSJT had done to "real" CW EME....the EME that I had enjoyed in the 
70's.  I know that even though CW EME was basically destroyed by JT, the 
old was replaced by a ton of new activity by stations all over the 
globe.  I believe that "Activity is King"...anything that promotes 
activity is good, anything that discourages activity is bad.  It is 
clear the WSJT has been VERY good for activity.  I have eaten my crow on 
this issue. 

So, it is now time for the Antis to "Put up or Shut Up" on this issue.  
Show us, the EME community, extracts from the EME reflectors where 
stations are making "fake" contacts over the Internet.  According to the 
Antis, this must happen all the time, so it should be easy to find 
examples.  Anyone that wants to see for themselves may look at the N0UK 
reflector with their own eyes.  That URL is 
http://www.chris.org/cgi-bin/jt65emeA.

ASIDE:  It is true that guys that have worked each other dozens of times 
are "chatty" on the EME pages.  That does not mean that their contacts 
are bogus.

INFORMATION:  I have placed the first three major posts that I made on 
my web site, www.k5qe.com.  Just click on EME Assistance.  This will 
give you some background.  The first post was when I was just 
discovering about the Anti-Assistance people...it was sort of me trying 
to get all my thoughts in order.  The second post was my proposal to the 
VUAC.  The third was my Open Letter to the EME community.  The fourth is 
a neat idea for Assistance that will maintain the purity of the 
contact.  Please read these so that you will know where I am coming from.

I ask again that you PLEASE send a letter to Sean (skutzo at arrl.org) if 
you are upset about the removal of the Assisted Classes from the EME 
contest.  This is important....FIND THE TIME TO DO THIS!!!  It is the 
small stations that are being hurt by all this, so if you are a small 
station op or if you just like to operate with Assistance(I do), send in 
your email to Sean.  Be sure to ask him to forward it to all the VUAC 
members.  Thank you....

73 Marshall K5QE

Zack Widup wrote:

> Part of the reason given for dumping the Assisted category was the use 
> of the assisting method to actually assist with the QSO. This would be 
> wrong, obviously; once you start to make the QSO you shouldn't use any 
> other means of trying to enhance it.
>
> Not being an EME op, I wonder just how prevalent this practice is, 
> though?  How many people have done it?
>
> 73, Zack W9SZ