OK, we have a problem. Continuous callers.

Back when I got into this thing (and I'm really not that old), a great
tactic for working the DX was to find the guy he's working, set the
transmitter 100Hz or so higher, and then when the DX is ready for callers
again, call there. Used to work pretty well.

This tactic is no longer possible. It's impossible to find the guy the
DX is working! - because every time he comes back to someone, the WHOLE
PILEUP calls. More than a few times, the DX comes back to someone and
gives him a signal report -- and the guy just calls again.

Obviously, a lot of these people **cannot hear the DX they're calling.**
If not for an accurate spot in the network, they'd have no idea there was
a DX station there - nor would they have any idea where to transmit.

=======================

So, here's my proposal.

The spotting software adds a field to each user's record.

This field is a record of how many "confirmed spots" that user has made.
Your spot is "confirmed" if at least two other users have spotted the
same DX callsign within 1KHz of the same frequency within an hour either
side of when you spotted it.

Now, when a new spot comes in from someone else, and you're logged in...

If you have enough "confirmed spots" in your record -- say, five in the
last six months, just to toss out a number -- then the network sends you
the entire spot. Including accurate frequency and any QSX information.

If you *don't* have enough confirmed spots... then you get partial
information. Say, the frequency to the nearest 25KHz and the word
"SPLIT" if a QSX frequency or the word "UP" appeared in the original spot.

You get:
DX de W9WI: 14027.3 E44M QSX UP 3 1807z
- or -
DX de W9WI: 14025+/- E44M SPLIT 1807z

depending on whether you've sent enough accurate spots.

==========================

Presumably if you're capable of making a reasonable number of accurate
spots, you're able to hear and copy DX and can be trusted to participate
in a pileup without screwing everyone else.

If you haven't proven your ability to copy the DX, well, you still know
the DX is there -- but you're going to have to tune your radio and copy
some callsigns if you want to know where they really are and stand some
chance of actually working them.

==========================

No, it's not perfect. Someone will cheat the system. But might it at
least be better than what we have right now?

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