[ARDF] Open Letter & Petition: Region 2 Rules Request

[Charles Scharlau]

Just a short reply to comments by Jay Hennigan...

An email exchange isn't really the appropropriate forum for a detailed
technical discussion. While Jay brings up several good points, his message
misses the mark. I used to believe much the way Jay does about the risks of
misuse of smart devices in ARDF. But after developing apps for the past
seven years, I've come to realize that the concerns expressed in Jay's
writing can be readily addressed with judicious application of policy and
technology.

To avoid a lengthy email exchange, I will post the technical details on a
web site in the coming weeks. For now, I will just submit that smart
devices, of all operating systems, can be utilized in ARDF without undue
risk of abuse. (No greater than the current risk of someone smuggling a
mapping GPS or communication device into a competition.) Smart device
capabilities can be limited to only permissible functionality, and evidence
of their proper use can be logged and submitted without imposing a severe
burden on organizers or officials. This can all be done without relying on
device manufacturers' security measures, so jailbroken phones, and
side-loaded apps will not compromise the security measures taken to prevent
ARDF abuse.

Rules allowing for the use of smart devices will need to be in place before
it makes sense for developers to utilize them in receiver designs. The
rules needn't include all of the technical details, but rather the rules
should simply spell out the limitations that must be placed on *all*
electronic devices carried by competitors. The details of how those
limitations are imposed and enforced, must be devised and implemented
before such time that electronic devices are permitted in sanctioned
competitions. Simply allowing all devices that "do not contain digital map
of the terrain ('nonmapping' devices)" will not prevent the kind of abuse
that Jay describes in his writing.

73,
Charles
NZ0I