[Dxspider-support] Cluster Abuse and IP Addresses

[Lee Sawkins]

Hi Roland

I didn't mean to imply that you weren't watching your cluster.  These
bogus spotters are very difficult to detect.  What I was proposing was
to automatically check IP addresses and compare them to callsigns.  This
gives you one more tool in the fight.

I agree spotting TX3A on 160 and in the spot asking him to QSY to that
frequency from 80 meters is not helpful at all.  It makes everyone at
first think he is on 160.  Then they are annoyed to find he is on 80
meters.  I too have been a sysop for a long time.  At times I wonder
why!

You make some very good points.

Lee


ON6HH Roland Huysentruyt wrote:
> 
> Hi Lee
> Your msg shows  on0dxk as a bad cluster not watched at all.
> I am  running  ON0DXK-5  for 18 years now  watching for abuse every day for
> hours.
> A lot of calls are in my lockout list,badspot list ,badspotter list etc.
> I do what I can .I am a dxer myself and know what bad spots are.
> Call abuse is a MINOR PROBLEM compared to all the BAD SPOTS !
> - talk via spots
> - non dx spots
> - selfspotting
> - discussions via a spot
> - thanking the dxstation via a spot
> - dupe spots all the time .
> - complaining abt "bad ears" or "no receiver"
> - saying "good ears"
> - asking to qsy via spots
> - saying "no propagation" via spots
> etc...etc...
> How many are good spots  10 % ?? ore less ...?
> Will registration eliminate all this bad spots ? Not at all !
> Registration and passwords can help to avoid call abuse but only  if every
> cluster has it.
> To force this there is a solution: Changing the clustersoftware that way
> clusters
> not using registration can not connect to your cluster.
> And if possible a central database for registration and not on every
> cluster.
> I am waiting for that day  .
> 73 Roland ON6HH ,sysop ON0DXK
> 
> on6hh at uba.be
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> Roland Huysentruyt  Tel 051 303000
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Lee Sawkins" <ve7cc at shaw.ca>
> To: <dxspider-support at dxcluster.org>
> Sent: Tuesday, November 24, 2009 10:49 PM
> Subject: [Dxspider-support] Cluster Abuse and IP Addresses
> 
> > There was a bit of a discussion about sending IP addresses with DX
> > Spots.  I thought I would collect some data and take a look at it.
> >
> > CC Clusters are now sending DX spots between themselves in a new format
> > that includes IP addresses.  This new format is a PC61 that is almost
> > the same as the regular PC11 for DX Spots.  However, in a new field
> > between the node call and the hops count I have inserted the dotted IP
> > address.  These spots are easily converted to PC11 spots when needed.
> > DX Summit spots with the node call of OH8X-xx are coming from a spot
> > sucker which I am running.  These spots are also going out in the PC61
> > format to CC Clusters and PC11 format to everyone else.
> >
> > I have been analyzing the data.  There are some very interesting groups
> > of spots.  For instance, I saw two spots from IP 217.20.189.247.  One
> > spotter was RW3DQC and the other JA1CLW.  I checked the spots.  JA1CLW
> > made one spot for UR5AS on 160 meters.  RW3DQC made one for another call
> > on 20 using PSK31. A sh/dx UR5AS gives many spots, most of which come
> > from the ON5DXK-5 node and most for 160 again.  There were a group of 5
> > spots for UR5AS in a row, all from the ON0DXK-5 node, from 4 different
> > callsigns.   Then I did a sh/dx by UR5AS and found a long list of them
> > only from node ON0DXK-5, mostly for 160.  I am not accusing UR5AS of
> > anything.  It could be anyone doing this.  The pattern of spots is
> > certainly interesting.  There are also spots by TX3A from various IPs.
> > Many of these IPs match other calls as well.  There are 3 spots from an
> > ISPs proxy server in England.  These are all for a certain G call.  The
> > spots come from ZS4, UA9 and W1 calls.
> >
> > What would be nice is if DX Spider would also send out DX Spots with
> > IPs, so we could all take a closer look at what is happening, and try to
> > cut down abuse of the system.  Then we can start locking out IPs.
> >
> > How does registration work with DX Spider nodes?  Can I just log into a
> > cluster with any call I want and request registration and it will be
> > given, or is there some checking to verify that I really am who I say I
> > am?
> >
> > Lee