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[CQ-Contest] Expansion of Skimmer Subject

To: cq-contest@contesting.com
Subject: [CQ-Contest] Expansion of Skimmer Subject
From: Stan Stockton <k5go@cox.net>
Reply-to: stan@aqity.org
Date: Sun, 23 Mar 2008 0:21:14 -0400
List-post: <cq-contest@contesting.com">mailto:cq-contest@contesting.com>
It would be easy for the rules' makers to look at the 
technology available today, incorporate Skimmer,
for example, into the assisted category and go on.  

I think in every class of operation for CW Contests
there must also be consideration of a much 
larger scope of technology - total automation.

I know how I feel about the following scenario and what 
rule I would put in place.   How do you feel about it?

Scenario:

The single operator station has several rigs.  
Mulit-operator has several per band
The station can be set up so one of them is 
transmitting at all times or one per band for 
Multi-Multi.   So far so good.  Many people are 
able to do this now.

How do we feel about an automated system with the computers 
making and logging the contacts with the operator never 
actually never hearing the stations that are logged?
How will you like to hear a pileup of stations calling at 150 WPM 
or more and automated stations working each other at that rate.
How about multiple transceivers scanning  the bands stopping 
on stations found, reading what they are sending with a 
code reader, and then making and logging the contact for you? 
I'm hoping for a logical ruling regarding Skimmer but also 
to address full automation in CW Contesting.

The only way I can think of to prevent full automation in 
CW Contesting is to have a rule against using a computer 
or machine to copy code.  I know this is going to upset 
some people. Sorry but, in my opinion, the day a station 
wins a CW Contest and the operator listed cannot copy 
CW is the day CW Contesting will be ruined.   .

Yes, technology moves forward.  All of it is 
interesting.  The question is where the line is drawn 
so that contesting remains a fun thing to do.  

There are many modes and many contests running in 
each mode over the course of a year.  The RTTY 
mode is one where the only way you can operate is to 
have a machine copy what is being sent.  It would 
seem that full automation in RTTY would be a more 
logical step than full automation in CW.

It is good to see a few additional people who actually work
contests express their views.  

Stan, K5GO


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