Tod,
I generally agree with your suggestions. I do, however, think that VE3EJ's
suggestion is completely valid once we recognize and agree what we're
talking about and stop "splitting hairs".
Your description of the bandmap as a potential issue misses the point as the
bandmap capability does not provide the callsigns and frequencies to the
unassisted operator unless he has decoded the callsigns himself and placed
them in the bandmap for future reference. The key to understanding this is
that the operator must receive and decode all callsigns himself - no other
assistance in this whether biological or silicon-based should be permitted.
So, the technology is merely an organized "notepad" of who's where that the
operator has collected himself - there's nothing wrong with this whatsoever.
Of course, if he is connected to a packet system or a skimmer-like device
(local or remote) that is decoding callsigns and reporting callsigns and or
frequencies to the bandmap, then we have an issue and the operator would
clearly be assisted.
If you look at what the result is, and recognize that there is no tangible
difference between being connected to packet or by using a (remote or local)
skimmer-like device - both should be considered equivalent (and now are by
all the major contest sponsors) as clearly being assistance to a single
operator.
73,
Bob W5OV
P.S. Please note that I use the terms "packet" and "skimmer" in the generic
sense which is not to specify a specific brand name of any particular
product, system, or application. We all know what these refer to.
Sorta like calling any facial tissue a "Kleenex". We all know what that
means even though it is a brand name.
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