On 27/11/2013 20:21, Pete Smith N4ZR wrote:
> After 5 years of advocating that any use of CW Skimmer should
> constitute "assistance", I have changed my mind about where the
> line should be drawn between Assisted/Unlimited and Unassisted,
> when it comes to technology.
> There are at least two reasons for this:
<snip>
> 2. Developments over the last 5 years have made CW Skimmer much
> less a game-changer than other developments, such as the worldwide
> availability of the Reverse Beacon Network.
N4ZR may have changed his mind, but CW Skimmer is
still a multi-channel CW decoder - and he clearly
expects all CW operators to use it to stay
competitive.
<snip>
> Why is this important? Because no single Skimmer can match
> the RBN for its contribution to a station's score.
That may be true, but CW Skimmer is still a multi-channel
CW decoder. That's the important bit.
> 3. The cost of local CW Skimmer capability is minimal.
The cost is irrelevant, the principle is not.
Inexpensive multi-channel CW decoders are still
multi-channel CW decoders. Just because calculators
are cheap, it doesn't mean they're appropriate in
mental-arithmetic contests.
<snip>
> For these reasons, I agree with Rick that the time has come
> for a definition based on the station's boundary. However,
> I think the general rule should be "No information from beyond
> the station boundary, regardless ofmode of reception."
> Specific exceptions could be added, such as one for "generalized
> propagation information, such as WWV solar indices".
Agreed, so long as there is a specific exception for
multi-channel CW decoders, and for any other technology
contest sponsors may prohibit in individual events - for
example, SCP in WRTC 2014.
> Is it time?
No, it's not time, and I respectfully suggest that
it will never be appropriate for single-ops to use
multi-channel CW decoders in CW contests.
And now a gripe - I expect I'm not the only cq-contest
subscriber getting weary of N4ZR plugging the RBN, 16
times already this month, by adding the following to
his every post -
Check out the Reverse Beacon Network at
http://reversebeacon.net, <http://reversebeacon.net,/>
blog at reversebeacon.blogspot.com.
For spots, please go to your favorite
ARC V6 or VE7CC DX cluster node
73,
Paul EI5DI
_______________________________________________
CQ-Contest mailing list
CQ-Contest@contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/cq-contest
|