[CCF] Skimmer Petition

[Toni Lindén]

QSP from K5GO

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I have no idea what your thoughts are regarding Skimmer and
the full station automation that will follow in the next few
years.

Following is a link to an on line petition that I would like for you to look
at.

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/skimmer

I was reminded by someone of a story Mario, S56A likes
to tell about building a fully automated CW contest station
about 15 years ago. He watched it make a couple of hundred
QSOs without any human intervention, decided it would destroy
his favorite operating activity, and took it apart and never hooked
it up again.

An e-mail was sent to W3LPL.  He signed it  and posted the
following comments:

"Computer automation is a growing part of our contesting sport; however,
operator skill and performance continue as critical success factors in our
sport.  CW Skimmer is such disruptive technology that it will shift the
focus of
CW contesting from human operating to an on-the-air computer game.  I
strongly support the request that CW Skimmer not be allowed for anyone
submitting an entry in a CW contest. "

Please read what the petition says.

I am not against technology but think that RTTY would be a
better place to create automated QSO machines, etc.   I think
if the line is not drawn here, it can never be drawn and CW
Contesting as we know and love it will be over in a few years.

I understand and respect that some want Skimmer to be included
in CW Contesting.  My opinion is that it will soon turn the
"sport" into nothing more than a computer game with the future
being computers working computers at 100 WPM or so.

If you also believe this is true and is detrimental to the CW
Contesting Sport, pass this along to as many others who might
also believe the same way.  If you belong to a club of
contesters, that is a good way to reach the masses and if each
person sends it to several others that have not received it,
it will go worldwide quickly.

If you sign it, please use your name followed by your
callsign.  When you sign it, you do not need to go to the next
step where they try to get you to make a donation.

You can click on Signatures at the top of the page and see who
has signed it in the last few days.

There is also a link on www.k5go.com that will take you to the page.

Thanks and 73 ..Stan, K5GO