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After several months of public controversy over the judging of the 2008 CQ WW DX Contests, the 2009 CQ WW SSB test arrives with some re-formulated rules from the CQ WW Contest Committee, one of which could lead to an in-person, on site visit from an official observer during the 48 hour contest period to check for cheating.
The possibility of contest checks by CQ WW observers has certainly proved to be controversial since it was announced earlier this year.
"As you can imagine from a practical point of view, the new rules only engages the top contenders," said CQ WW Contest Director Bob Cox K3EST.
"We are no way in implying there has been illicit behavior by that entrant," Cox told a special webinar last week on CQ WW 2009, "rather we are suggesting he is a world class contender and want to lay aside any questions which might arise from other contenders."
But instead of easing concerns, the rule has met with skepticism in many quarters.
"I think the new rule (III.8) is a joke for remote DXpeditions," said Eric Hall K9GY.
"Heck if someone wants to travel and watch me operate then go ahead but I don't anticipate that happening," Hall told radio-sport.net. He will be in Nicaragua for CQ WW CW.
"I know the old mantra, "if you've done nothing wrong you have nothing to worry about", said Ron Notarius W3WN. "But a visitation implies that someone at least thinks you HAVE done something wrong."
"The concept of the "contest police" going to visit a station to determine if they are operating in accordance with the rules is ludicrous," said Tom Gregory N4NW.
"Who are these "contest police" going to be? Who is going to pay for them to travel to some of these places to observe operations? How long will a station be observed?" Gregory asked in an email to radio-sport.net.
While those kinds of details have not been fleshed out in public by the CQ WW Committee, Cox defended the rules for on site inspections, saying it is not a new idea by any means.
"The WRTC has been using them since 1990."
In a webinar sponsored by the Potomac Valley Radio Club, Cox did not reveal if stations had been notified about site visits for this year's CQ WW SSB or CW contests, or if any were actually planned.
Another major rule change was announced just last week, as CQ WW has set up penalties for misconduct that mirror those used in international football, as "Yellow Cards" and "Red Cards" may be issued to entrants who bend the contest rules.
"A yellow card essentially is for a transgression such as using packet and not declaring it," Cox said, while "a red card is for a major violation for which your log is rejected."
"We hope this new rule will help to clarify some actions which we've undertaken over the years."
The changes were made after a somewhat stormy end to the judging of the 2008 CQ WW Contests, which featured disputes between Cox and others on the CQ WW Contest Committee over the treatment of two top Single Operator entries from 3V8BB (YT1AD) and EF8M (RD3AF).
While the 3V8BB entry of Hrane Milosevic survived close log check reviews, the EF8M entry of Valery Komarov did not, as the Russian contester was disqualified.
One CQ WW Contest Committee member told radio-sport.net that the pressure on K3EST for DQ's and new rules had wide support.
"We decided to make sure - at minimum - that action would be taken on the EF8M case and the new rules for 2009," the member said.
In fact, 2008 featured the most serious round of DQ's issued by a CQ WW Contest Committee in years, as five Multi-Singles were knocked out in last year's SSB test, and three single ops were DQ'd in the CW leg.
Those eight equaled the number of DQ's issued in the previous eight years combined.
"We uncovered the use of two operators working contacts, multiple support operators filling a band map on the non-run band, and the use of a DX spotting system, all while claiming single operator unassisted," Cox wrote in a posting on the CQ-Contest reflector earlier this year.
Of the five Multi-Single teams DQ'd in the 2008 CQ WW SSB test, several of the team leaders acknowledged to radio-sport.net that they had altered their logs after the contest in an effort to erase violations of the 10 minute band change rule.
"We were accused of rubberclocking, which is partially true," said Davor Kucelin 9A1UN, who led the 9A1P multi-op.
The CQ WW SSB Contest runs 48 hours from 0000z October 24 to 2400z October 25.
P40A (KK9A) - SOAB LP
LA8O - SOAB QRP
LX7I (LX2A) - SO Assisted
CN3A - Multi-Single
AO8A - Multi-Two
K3LR - Multi-Multi
YELLOW card = Not eligible for an award in the entered contest. An entrant or operator issued a yellow card will be listed in the published results with a number symbol (#) before their call.
Two yellow cards: An entrant or operator receiving two yellow cards in three consecutive CQ WW DX contests will be ineligible for any CQ –sponsored contest award for a period of two years beginning with the publication of the second violation in CQ magazine. If the entrant is in a multi-operator category, all listed operators are so affected.
RED card = Full Disqualification (DQ). Submitted log is rejected. Entrants receiving a red card will be listed at the end of the published results. An entrant or operator receiving a red card will be ineligible for any CQ-sponsored contest award for a period of one year beginning with the publication of the violation in CQ magazine.
Two red cards: An entry or operator receiving two red cards within five consecutive CQ WW DX contests will be ineligible for any CQ –sponsored contest award for a period of three years beginning with the month of publication of the second violation in CQ magazine. If the entrant is in a multi-operator category, all listed operators are so affected.
1. The CQ WW Contest Committee reserves the right to accept or reject any entry.
2. Violation of the rules of the contest or country of operation makes the entrant subject to either a red or yellow card at the discretion of the CQ WW Contest Committee. Reclassification to a category other than that submitted will result in an automatic yellow card.
3. Unsportsmanlike conduct can be grounds for either a red or yellow card at the discretion of the CQ WW Contest Committee. Unsportsmanlike conduct includes but is not limited to ANY use by an entrant of any non-amateur means in the contest including, but not limited to, telephones, Internet, instant messaging, chat rooms, VoIP, or the use of any DX cluster/reflector to SOLICIT, ARRANGE, or CONFIRM any contacts during the contest (exception see Xtreme category rules).
4. Taking credit for excessive unverifiable QSOs or unverifiable multipliers may result in a yellow card.
5. An entrant is free to withdraw his/her submitted log for any reason prior to receiving an official letter from the CQ WW Contest Committee. The log will then be handled per the entrant’s request. If after receiving an official letter from the CQ WW Contest Committee, an entrant chooses to withdraw their log, the entrant’s call will be listed at end of the results showing their log as having been withdrawn.
6. By submitting a CQ WW DX contest log, an entrant agrees that the use of red cards, yellow cards, log withdrawal and other decisions of the CQ WW Contest Committee are official and final.
Can "Yellow Cards" and "Red Cards" hold down cheating in ham radio contests?
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