[CQ-Contest] Where did it all start?

[David Robbins K1TTT]

It started right here... its been written up somewhere on this reflector
recently and I don't have time to search it out right now.  But it was arrl
dx 1985 or 86 I believe when the yccc first tried it with unproto packet
broadcasts digipeated from k2tr though my station and 2 or 3 more ending up
in NH.  Kind of crude but interesting.  Then AK1A created the program that
became the PacketCluster, and I wrote the first spot sucker, and the rest is
history.


David Robbins K1TTT
e-mail: mailto:k1ttt at arrl.net
web: http://www.k1ttt.net
AR-Cluster node: 145.69MHz or telnet://dxc.k1ttt.net
 

> -----Original Message-----
> From: cq-contest-bounces at contesting.com [mailto:cq-contest-
> bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of John Unger
> Sent: Thursday, December 13, 2007 00:34
> To: cq-contest at contesting.com
> Subject: [CQ-Contest] Where did it all start?
> 
> I've been trying to remember where and why the whole packet/internet
> spotting started during contests. I seem to recall that it originated with
> the large contest clubs that had big MM stations. The basic idea was that
> during big contests all the club members would feed spots to "their" MM
> station to keep the ops on the multiplier rigs from getting bored (?) and
> thereby increase the MM station's score. Of course, this was all done
> locally with VHF/UHF packet systems that had probably originated just for
> DX spotting.
> 
> Then, I guess, contesting software (CT?) became available that could
> download and display the VHF spots in the logging program, and it became
> possible for SO stations to directly take advantage of this information
> being fed from other stations.
> 
> Maybe someone who remembers better than I can give us a more detailed and
> accurate history; specifically, when was the first "assisted" category
> created for SO stations using packet spots?
> 
> tnx es 73 - John, W4AU
> 
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