[CQ-Contest] Skimmer - a sterile debate?

[w5ov at w5ov.com]

G3XTT's thoughtful analysis is quite good, but I do have one point I
disagree on.

First, what he is absolutely correct on:

" Why hasthis suddenly come to a head when there have been technical
> developments in thepast? Probably  because the advent of SDR technology
> along with affordable, verypowerful PCs has allowed something of a step
> change in just a few years."

Precisely.

The balance of his thoughtful points - I can generally agree with.

The one I totally disagree with is the following:

> - Then there are those who keep entertaining us with extracts from the
current contest rules. Irrelevant! They were written in the past without
any prophetic ability to see into the future.

Really? I think those who wrote the rule the way that they did were quite
prescient by carefully choosing their words.

Here is the rule:

"Those stations at which one person performs all of the operating,
logging, and spotting functions. The use of DX alerting assistance of any
kind places the station in the Single Operator Assisted category."

Where in the rule is there an implied exception for a new kind of alerting
assistance? The intent of the rule was to be coprehensive does not allow
for any kind of assistance. It is quite clear.

73,

Bob W5OV