[ADXA] FT8 Robots a no-no

Wed Aug 21 19:08:17 EDT 2019

And from what I’ve heard, it’s not a WSJT-X problem, but a case of people writing external scripts to operate autonomously.  A high rate, or even an op seeming to be in the chair for 24 hours wouldn’t really prove anything.  FT8 and FT4 have built-in limitations to how long a QSO takes, and I don’t know how automation could overcome that.  I think CQ WW has a requirement for world leading scorers to record the entire contest.  Maybe now we’ll require a video recording of the operator’s chair!  

This could also be done on CW, and I would be surprised if some were not already doing it.  Voice recognition is uncannily good and fully automated SSB stations seem feasible.  

Where automatic operation is legal, maybe there needs to be a separate class in contests for those stations to compete against each other.  I think the legal issue may be more “unattended operation” than automatic operation.  You can pop open a drink, lean back, and let your station work people without human intervention.  That is probably legal as long as you are present.  I agree that completely automatic operation, attended or unattended, should not be permitted for awards.  

I have to admit that I worked a station I knew was a robot, and I was proud of the contact.  There was a small solar powered unmanned boat roaming around the world with an FT8 robot and I worked them and got the QSL.  It was just an interesting contact - didn’t count for anything anyway. 

Based on remote stations, automated operating, and super high power in some parts of the world, head to head competition is always going to be iffy.  Cheating in contests goes way back to the early days when a well-known contester/DXpeditoner was thought to leave blocks of several contacts blank in his paper log.  He would then fill in callsigns for needed multipliers after the contest.  

I remember that ARRL once rejected the concept of QRP DXCC because it was thought that hams from certain countries would routinely run high power but claim QRP awards. 

In other words, anything on the honor system can be cheated on, and frankly, sometimes cheaters get by even under close scrutiny.  I’ll just set a goal to make a certain number of contacts, or beat last year’s score, or have a friendly competition with a known friend.  Those who want to beat the world and have to cheat to do it, all I can say is that I’m glad I’m me and not them.

73,
Dennis, W5RZ

> On Aug 21, 2019, at 4:58 PM, "w5zn at w5zn.org" <w5zn at w5zn.org> wrote:
> 
> I’m pleased to see this however I’m curious how this will be enforced. 
> 
> Other than having a boatload of Q’s in rapid secession from a log submission what indicators are available that would flag a submitted QSL card or an LOTW record that it was made in via this technique??
> 
> ZN
> 
> Sent from my iPhone
> 
>> On Aug 21, 2019, at 2:44 PM, David Norris via ADXA <adxa at mailman.qth.net> wrote:
>> 
>> This will apply to ALL ARRL awards and contests.
>> 
>> 73 
>> 
>> David A. Norris, K5UZ
>> Director, Delta Division
>> 
>> Sent from my iPhone
>> 
>>> On Aug 21, 2019, at 3:55 PM, Rory Bowers <k6cks01 at gmail.com> wrote:
>>> 
>>> For all of you who have been wondering about all the chatter about FT8 Robots making contacts automatically while the OM is in the other room sipping coffee...  I just skimmed this off of the WSJT reflector:
>>> For those operators who run a Robot Version of WSJTx
>>> 
>>>   35. Ms, Jairam moved, seconded by Mr. Williams: 
>>> 
>>> WHEREAS, there has been a growing concern over fully automated contacts being made and claimed for DXCC credit, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, on the recommendation of the Programs and Services Committee, the Board directs that DXCC rule 6 be amended to add 6a, as the following: 6a. Each contact claimed for DXCC credit must include contemporaneous direct initiation by the operator on both sides of the contact. Initiation of a contact may be locally or by remote. 
>>> 
>>> It is now officially a no-no for ARRL awards.  This rule addition specifically states "DXCC" but I would imagine that it will be applied to all ARRL awards as well.
>>> 73,
>>> Rory, K5CKS
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