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UT5UGR Log Padding in CQ WW

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Radiosport competition is built on a simple foundation – the expectation that all contacts are made over the air and correctly logged. Since operations are performed from the privacy of our stations and without supervision, we all trust that everyone is playing by the same rules.

In CQ WW CW 2014 the top single operator score of TO7A (operated by Dimitry Stashuk UT5UGR) was disqualified for unclaimed use of assistance (e.g., DX Cluster, RBN, or CW Skimmer). During the public discussion around this disqualification a section of the log on 160 meters was pointed out as being suspicious. Further checking revealed a run of 47 QSOs between 0437 UTC Nov 30 and 0608 UTC Nov 30 that were added to the log when TO7A could not be detected on the air by RBN or SDR recordings. In total, as many as 123 QSOs representing 22 additional multipliers were padded into the log.

The added QSOs had a particular pattern that made it very clear they were done deliberately after the contest to fill in rest or break periods.

A look back into older logs revealed this practice has occurred in other entries submitted by UT5UGR. Many of these were competitive entries including one that holds a continental score record.

SSB Final Score Finish Place
Call Year Category Score QSOs/Zn/Cty Cty Con World Rec Log Padding Found
UT5UGR 2007 SO HP ALL 2,806,695 3,196/128/515 1 18 48 No
TO7A (UT5UGR) 2009 SO HP ALL 6,543,120 5,386/138/459 1 4 10 Yes
TO7A (UT5UGR) 2010 SO HP ALL 8,200,120 6,026/152/468 1 3 11 FM Yes
UT5UGR 2011 SO LP 160M 13,338 283/8/49 1 3 3 UR Yes
UT5UGR 2012 SO HP 160M 43,617 653/10/57 1 3 4 No
UT5UGR 2013 SO HP ALL 77,700 269/56/129 late log
UT5UGR 2014 SO HP 160M 53,406 798/11/58 1 3 3 Yes

CW Final Score Finish Place
Call Year Category Score QSOs/Zn/Cty Cty Con World Rec Log Padding Found
UT5UGR 2007 SO HP ALL 2,764,480 2,767/141/511 2 15 61 No
V31WA (UT5UGR) 2008 SO HP ALL 8,387,400 6,107/140/460 1 3 6 V3 Yes
UT5UGR 2009 SO HP 80M 19,200 258/10/54 4 33 59 No
UT5UGR 2010 SO HP ALL 856,041 1320/88/345 6 71 221 No
TO7A (UT5UGR) 2011 SO HP ALL 11,451,375 6,757/162/563 1 2 7 FM Yes
TO7A (UT5UGR) 2012 SO HP ALL 11,807,340 7,165/165/540 1 1 6 FM Yes
TO7A (UT5UGR) 2013 SO HP ALL 13,765,575 7,916/161/564 1 1 2 NA Yes
TO7A (UT5UGR) 2014 SO HP ALL Disqualified Yes

This violation of the trust that underlies radiosport competition cannot be ignored. The CQ WW Contest Committee is announcing the following actions:

  • All of the UT5UGR entries listed above where log padding was detected will be disqualified and removed from the official score database.
  • For the next five (5) years (July 2015 – July 2020), any entry in the CQ WW, WPX, or CQ 160 Contests by Dimitry Stashuk UT5UGR, or where UT5UGR is listed as a participant, will be reclassified as a Checklog.

New log checking processes are being created to improve detection of log padding. We intend to test these methods against all submitted logs from 2011-2014. If other entries are found to have added unverifiable QSOs, we will address them on a case by case basis.

The CQ WW CC is committed to protecting the integrity of the competition as best we can. We look for the contesting community to also do the same.

CQ WW CC 25 June 2015

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