[CQ-Contest] wideband receivers and contesting

[w5ov at w5ov.com]

> Ok, this is not about skimmer. But some things you can do with a wideband
> receiver without directly copying calls ala skimmer. You guys are thinking
> way too narrowly :)
>
> 1) program it to beep (or whatever) if it picks up a significant signal.
> No need then to check on 10m manually as often.
> 2) program it to count the number of signals on a band. Can plot these in
> real time to see how propagation/activity is.
> 3) program it to pick out cq'ing stations and put markers on your bandmap.
> How? Way easier to program than skimmer, just look for signals that keep a
> fixed frequency over a certain time (>1 minute say). Could pick up really
> weak signals that way. Then you could S&P through a band (copying in your
> head of course) without touching the "knob", but being zero beat to nearly
> every station.
>
> Any of those "assisted"?

I would say that none of the examples you give would be considered
assisted. None of them copy the callsigns for the operator. They all
require the operator to actively decode the callsign of the signals these
methods would identify or locate.

The difference between these examples and skimmer - the operator does
nothing aside from starting the program. Once it is running he has no part
in any of the process(es) that deliver the callsign to him.

73,

Bob W5OV