[CQ-Contest] Rule Change Debate on Skimmer

[steve.root at culligan4water.com]

Joe, W4TV wrote:
"Will skimmer change the way some people operate a CW contest? 
Of course. Could it change the "competitive balance" and allow 
operators in areas that are not geographically favored to be 
more competitive by finding more multipliers? Certainly. "
No way. If there are three bands open in 4 land and one band open in Zero land, how is Skimmer going to provide a competitive advantage to the guy in Zero land? You could try and make the same argument about Packet spots, and it wouldn't hold up for the same reasons. Packet spots don't do any good if you can't hear the spotted station. Similarly, Skimmer is pretty worthless if it's listening to a dead band. Any technological improvement that increases operator efficiency, ability to acquire more multipliers, or put more people in the log will always disproportionately help the guy in the geographically favored area. The rich always get richer.
73 Steve K0SR