[CQ-Contest] To Skim Or Not To Skim...

[Paul J. Piercey]

I gotta ask...

How would using something that can read the data from a wide bandwidth
constitute "assistance"? How does it work in the digital world of the
waterfall?

I can't do it (I can barely do one at a time) but I assume that there are
guys out there who can hear and decypher multiple CW signals simultaneously
in their heads. If they don't use a narrow filter, they can persumably
determine the various stations calling around where they are listening, make
a note and pick them off as they go. What's the difference? No one is
feeding them the info. They are picking it up on their own. Anyone who is
sliding around picking up contacts with anything the Skimmer found is either
in S&P mode and would have found them anyway or has a second radio and would
have found them anyway.

Just because the technology of the Skimmer is allowing them to
electronically track the data, not using a narrow CW filter has also allowed
those skilled CW ops mentioned above to scan a wider bandwidth. Would 'not'
using the CW filter in that case constitute cheating?


73 -- Paul VO1HE  



> -----Original Message-----
> From: cq-contest-bounces at contesting.com 
> [mailto:cq-contest-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of Eric Hilding
> Sent: February 9, 2008 13:45
> To: cq-contest at contesting.com
> Subject: [CQ-Contest] To Skim Or Not To Skim...
> 
> To Skim Or Not To Skim.that is the question.
> 
>  
> 
> There are technological solutions for technologically induced 
> (Contesting) problems.
> 
>  
> 
> Assuming the major Contest sponsors determine that Skimmer 
> use will constitute Assisted Operating, here is one possible 
> solution to help curtail Skimmer Cheating.
> 
>  
> 
> Contest Sponsors collectively negotiate with Skimmer 
> author(s) and contest logging software authors to incorporate 
> proprietary code which disables Skimmer functionality UNLESS 
> both the Skimmer & logging software are connected/interfaced 
> realtime to a computer hosted by the sponsor.  Observed 
> Skimmer use flags a field in the sponsor's log processing 
> database so that post-contest submitted logs are 
> auto-designated as "Skimmer" category entries.  Think 
> realtime scoreboard type stuff.
> 
>  
> 
> I know - good luck with that one, but it COULD work.
> 
>  
> 
> FWIW & 73.
> 
>  
> 
> Rick, K6VVA
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
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