On 02/12/2010 22:27, K1TTT wrote:
>>> Who is self spotting? Skimmer automatically filters out the home call
>>
>> I was referring to the RBN, not Skimmer. Anyone who calls CQ
>> on-air is self-spotting on the RBN - that's partly my point.
>
> and that is all you have to do to get spotted on the regular cluster network
> also... so what is the difference?
The difference is simple!
You call CQ on-air and you get spotted by the RBN - no
exceptions (assuming you are heard by at least one RBN
receiver). In this context, calling CQ and self-spotting
are one and the same thing.
Contesters are encouraged to call CQ on-air. It's a
good way to get more QSOs.
With the cluster, self-spotting is a good way to get
more QSOs. It is the direct equivalent or calling CQ
on air (and just as easy), but you are not permitted
to do it.
With the cluster, whether you get spotted is entirely
is fundamentally undemocratic because it is at the
whim of others.
You are more likely to get spotted if
1. you have spotted others
2. you have a big signal
3. you are DX
My point is that the RBN is new technology (and all
technology is good, right?) which will soon sweep away
the old technology (cluster). All that's needed is a
bit of refinement, a few filters, and integration with
contest loggers.
At that stage, everyone who calls CQ will know they
will be spotted worldwide. There will be no benefit
in self-spotting in the current sense. The main
choice for contesters will be whether to use RBN spots
(the hybrid communications operators), or not (the
amateur radio contesters).
Because of the RBN, the cluster, together with its
self-spotting issues, will soon be history.
73,
Paul EI5DI
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