Concerns regarding robot operations are somewhat addressed already by FCC
regulation. Stations operating under automatic control are restricted to
very narrow segments of the HF bands. This would prohibit "contest robots"
for the most part.
The workaround for this regulation is to have a human operator authorize or
initiate each contact or CQ - or at least monitor the operation. Repeaters
are supposed to operate this way. This is the reasoning as to why ARQ-mode
digital mode stations may operate outside the segments for automatic
control - the operators are, in theory, listening first and in control of
the station to insure compliance with rules and regulations. Whether they
are or not is a topic for another reflector.
In the case of HF contesting, continuously monitoring the operation of a
robot operator (and I don't mean turning one loose on a second radio to work
mults while the primary operator holds a run frequency elsewhere) sounds
horribly boring. I have been a WRTC referee three times and I can tell you
that siilently listening to someone else (robot or not) operate for 24 hours
straight (or more) is not exactly the most exciting contest experience one
could have.
So first, turning a robot loose at 0000Z on Saturday and coming back after
the football games on Sunday to see the final score at 2359Z - that's
illegal. Second, sitting there and actually monitoring such a robot is as
boring as can be - it's a self-limiting problem. There is still the issue
of cheating and verification, but that's another discussion.
73, Ward N0AX
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