CQ WW DX CW Contest 2009 is the first contest where the CQ WW observer program will start.
As far as I know, inspected persons are:
1. EF8M op RD3AF (disqualified in 2008)
2. CR3E op CT1BOH (3rd place in 2008)
3. 8P5A op W2SC
2008 winner YT1BB/3V8BB will not take part in the contest claiming contest operation from the USA in K1LZ team. After CT1BOH's appeal this Hrane's decision has forced discussions among the contest community and strengthened suspisions of those blaiming Hrane for cheating.
It is not yet clear if V47NT (N2NT, another victory contender) will be inspected.
It looks like only a limited number of contenders will be inspected.
The Observer program has already affected the contest community, I do not mean 3V8BB's withdrawal but some other facts like many operators do not announce their operations trying to avoid possible inspection.
So the question is what exactly the observers will check? One of the most widely discussed topics is the power. The topic is pretty complicated because of many reasons. First, not too many countries allow 1500 watts but the CQ WW contest rules are based on american regulations.
How fair is that for an international contest? If power restrictions are a subject to check then the power limitation should be set to 100 watts as 100 watts limitation is a rule in many countries. As I suspect the output power will be checked by the inspectors. So will they follow the local power limitation requirement or will they follow the contest rules?
Will the local bandplan limitations be inspected as well?
Will the legitimity of the operation be checked?
Why are all these question being raised?
Initially the Observer program was aimed at 2nd operator assistance, packet cluster and other types of cheating but now it is clear that if CQWWCC wants to check the power too then it should check if a contender follows the local regulations as well.
Another question raised if an inspecor is eligible to check the power. Usually this is the privilage of the local administration so will the CQWWCC make itself responsible without executive privilages?
Of course the stations not being inspected will have an advantage, the power for example. It is not a secret that many contest stations use few 20 KW amplifiers for transmitting to different directions simoultaneously.
It would be good to know what exactly the CQWWCC is going to check.
Clear and strict rules would withdraw many unanswered questions and would make the contender/inspector relationships polite.
73 Al 4L5A
