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Re: Topband: CQWW160 Remote receiver rule

To: topband@contesting.com
Subject: Re: Topband: CQWW160 Remote receiver rule
From: Herbert Schoenbohm <herbs@vitelcom.net>
Date: Thu, 29 Jan 2015 13:16:48 -0400
List-post: <topband@contesting.com">mailto:topband@contesting.com>
As Tree pointed out that the Stew Perry event was produced by a small group of people and thus bypasses the bureaucratic conflagrations inherent to to committees that lack vision. However Tree forgot to add that the Stew Perry probably the best topband contest existing today and is increasing in vast popularity giving even fine opportunities to low power and QRP stations. My point is since as proven such a setup can produce such an excellent event that it would seem to be relatively easy for a contest be formed with wide latitude of inclusion to those who have used the advance technology of a remote SDR receiver away from the local killer noises and other QRM and QRN could be a real success story and thus would advance certain tecnological aspects of the hobby.


Herb Schoenbohm, KV4FZ
On 1/29/2015 12:30 PM, Tree wrote:
This is certainly a complex issue.  I see two worlds colliding here:
160 meter DXing - and Radiosporting.

I have myself seriously considered using a remote receiving location
to get rid of local noise.  I had a severe QRN issue with 500KV power
lines when I first appeared on the band in Oregon back in 1985.  When
it was wet outside - my S-meter was sitting around S9+40 db when on AM
mode.

However, Tom's point about enabling full duplex operation is a game
changer from a radio sporting perspective.

Some stations have enough real estate to implement full duplex for
contest operation (including mine) and it is a significant competitive
advantage.  Certainly - implementing a remote station for RX purposes
that is not too far away (< 100 miles) can achieve similar results.  I
guess the question is - should having enough acreage to implement full
duplex operation be considered the same as using a remote receiver for
radios porting purposes?   This is obviously one of those gray area
issues - where your perspective will have a lot to do with your
feelings on the subject.  Part of the process of hashing this out is
the discussion in places like this mail list.

The Stew Perry contest enjoys a certain amount of freedom as it is
administered by a small group of people (about two) - and isn't
considered a "serious" contest.  More like a pleasant operating event.
We have voted in this matter by allowing remote receivers as long as
they are within 100 km of your transmit location.  This enabled at
least one Southern Hemisphere station to take part in the event and
felt like the right thing to do.

However, I can see that the answer might be different for the CQ 160
contest - or even in the CQ WW contest.  These are more serious
sporting events.

Tree N6TR



On Thu, Jan 29, 2015 at 8:14 AM, Tom Haavisto <kamham69@gmail.com> wrote:
So one can use their favorite SDR remote to enjoy the contest, and you can
submit the score it to 3830. The downside is that the contest sponsor does
not have a contest class that accepts the remote RX arrangement.

The real issue is to persuade the contest organizers to allow that in some
contest class. Good luck on that. Organizers have always been WAY behind
the technological possibilities, most likely because certain advancements
give such a large advantage to someone who is able to construct them. On
160 meters, the MAJORITY of contest entrants would describe their location
as noisy.

73, Guy.

I would urge caution before we start asking contest sponsors to allow
remote RX sites.  There are some lucky folks where noise is not a huge
issue.  Consider what I could do with a remote RX site - aways from the TX
hash, essentially being able to run full duplex.  To me, this is a pretty
serious game changer.  I do understand the advantages, and how it could
help someone who lives in a noisy location.  But - be careful of granting
an advantage to folks who are blessed without that issue.

Tom - VE3CX
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