{deep breath} I don't normally weigh in
on such things. But, this smoldering thing
has made me think a great deal about contesting
and such... and it has been at least a week
since I've stuck my foot in my mouth. Plus,
I'm guessing there is a small chance it might
come up at Dayton... {grin}
Here goes:
I'm relatively new to the hobby and was bitten
by the contesting bug almost immediately after
being licensed. I've learned a great deal since
that first CQ WW contest and have increased my
skill and my station equipment over these years
by some modest amount. I've been reading the
list and I can't help but notice something of a
pattern as I learn more about what people do,
what people have, and what people believe.
I do not have a big property with towers and
behemoth antennas. Some do. Perhaps they paid
KC1XX to install that tower, or two towers,
and top them with SteppIRs or Force-12 mono-
banders. If they did, it speaks more to the
size of their wallets (and patients of their
wives) than it did their skills. But, little
pistols don't make a fuss or complain that
we're out-classed in the contest. All I've got
is a G5RV hidden in a tree and it has to do.
I have fun. I cannot complain.
Some of these radios are pretty impressive
(and expensive!). Guys are running radios
with dual receivers, IF DSPs, and other
amenities that pull signals out of the mud
that I could only imagine hearing. The radio
takes some skill to work, sure, but those
weak signals pulled out because the DSP, or
that rare multiplier spotted because the
second receiver, are due at least in part to
the heft of the wallet as to the skill of the
operator. I built my contest rigs (Elecraft
K2s) and though I can't say I designed them,
I can say proudly that most every solder joint
in there was mine, the radio was debugged and
aligned by me, and I'm proud to have it on
my desk. It isn't the monster on the air that
the top end Yaesus or Icoms are, but it will
have to do. I cannot complain.
I have seen the kind of sophisticated automation
that K1TTT has in his contesting nerve center.
It is very impressive. The logging software (N1MM)
is excellent, the interface to the phone and CW
keyers is impressive, as is the inter-station chat,
access to packet cluster information, a solid real-time
scoring system to the network, and more. There is some
serious computer skills on display here. Little
pistols don't typically make this kind of investment.
I certainly have not. I don't even use a "contest logging
program', though I get by. I cannot complain.
My little logging program doesn't even create Cabrillo
files! I didn't complain; I wrote the converter:
Cab-converter. I made it freely available. People
seem to like it (which makes me happy). I cannot complain.
Now here comes a little program somebody else wrote
called Skimmer. People complain. People complain
bitterly. Somehow that tower bought and installed by
KC1XX is OK, that $8K worth of radio stuff that you
got from HRO is OK, the N1MM logger -- that you didn't
help code -- is OK, all of the problems you threw
money at, or leveraged off somebody else's skills are
OK. But, Skimmer somehow crosses a line. THAT, some
declare, doesn't take any skill at all! My how people
complain!
I understand many are simply defending the honor
of the contesting institution, or are otherwise
trying to prevent a dilution of what it means to
be a successful contester. And, as long as I'm
temping fate and drawing blood, I must say this
whole discussion seems like a proxy argument for
the code/no-code thing all over again with people
being effective at CW without being able to do it
in their heads. If that's all it is, I'm going to be
sorely disappointed. {sigh}
I love contesting. I do OK in it. I cannot complain.
But, while I deeply respect the amazing talent in
the contesting community--especially on this list--
I can't help but wish that advances such as Skimmer
be considered in a more broad context--one that
encourages innovation rather than scowling at it.
Certainly it is disturbing to see notions of banning it.
My 2-cents. Refunds upon request.
-- Scott (NE1RD)
PS: Mind you, Skimmer runs on Windows and I don't use
Windows for contesting. I use a Mac. I cannot complain.
So, though I make the argument above, it isn't for me
or even about me--this time. What happens when I my
mind conceives of an idea, or my fingers help write a
piece of software that becomes the object of people's
ire next time? What if that idea springs forth from
YOUR mind? How will you feel if that idea is met with
similar emnity? Will you continue to try to press the
envelope for the radio art? Or, will you declare, "It
isn't worth it... it will probably just be banned."?
B. Scott Andersen | "Magic is real, unless declared integer."
bsandersen -atsign- mac.com | -- The collected sayings of Wiz Zumwalt
Acton, MA (NE1RD) | http://www.bsandersen.com
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