[CQ-Contest] Rule Change Debate on Skimmer

[n6tj at sbcglobal.net]

I just had, pardon the expression, an EPIPHANY.

Let those who love skimmers and so want to (1) market and sell them, or (2) 
advance the technology, because they think they're really contributing to 
the salvation of the human race, or (3) merely have fun with them:

Use the non-contest periods to fill up all the CW bands,  calling and 
spotting each others'  calls until all their little bandmaps are 
super-saturated.  Just think of it, you really don't even have to QSO 
anyone!!  Your skimmer couldn't care less.  In fact, you don't even have to 
use real calls.  Just send and send random calls ad infinitum.  What could 
be more fun?

And when the contests actually start, hopefully the skimmer zealots will be 
so worn out and satiated with their many hours of joy, they won't mind if 
the rest of us contest in peace..............

Vy 73

Jim Neiger   N6TJ


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Pete Smith" <n4zr at contesting.com>
To: <cq-contest at contesting.com>
Sent: Monday, April 28, 2008 4:35 AM
Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] Rule Change Debate on Skimmer


> I've come around to the view that there should be a single-op category in
> which the use of CW Skimmer and similar wide-band, multi-stream CW 
> decoders
> is not permitted.  That way both the crowd that loves new technology and
> the one that wants to maintain the current paradigm for single-opping will
> have places at the table.
>
> What mustn't happen, in my opinion, is the banning of CW Skimmer.  All the
> analogies to other sports fall down because there would be no practical 
> way
> to detect its use, and because the potential advantage conferred is so
> great.  People who want to use it should be able to.
>
> It strikes me that depending on the contest, the "market" may operate in
> different ways.  For example, will CW Sweepstakes this fall be won by a
> Skimmer-equipped station or by one in the traditional category?  I don't
> think any of us remember the drudgery of SS Sundays with particular
> fondness, and the idea of working an extra 100 or so QSOs at that time
> could be persuasive.  Who will be the first single-op to break 1600 QSOs 
> in
> CWSS?
>
> 73, Pete N4ZR
>
> _______________________________________________
> CQ-Contest mailing list
> CQ-Contest at contesting.com
> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/cq-contest