[CQ-Contest] Skimmers etc

[Neal Campbell]

Actually thats the opposite of my impression. I think CW contesting is
a pretty intimidating effort (and sometimes purposely so by the other
high speed ops). On SSB, you just have to speak, on RTTY its type but
CW is a separate category of specialized skills that not everyone can
do.

So those of us who are comfortable at 15-20 wpm and enjoy 6 hours of
contesting durig the afternoon are much more likely to join the fray
with Skimmer. No, I do not think you should be worried of losing to
one of us (at least in the near future) but I think it will open the
door for a lot of shaky CW ops out there. We will see however.

The big issue for me, however, is that there are basically 2 main
reasons we contest: 1. we really enjoy the time we dedicate to
operating the contest, and/or, 2. we enjoy winning and being
recognized.

Reason number 2 is not important for me at all. I love gadgets and new
technology to the extreme that I would tinker with anything to see how
it plays in a contest but could not care less about winning (or even
submitting a log, which I should do).

The people who continually push the "rules"  and technology envelopes
are typically those who enjoy reason 2 equal to or more  than reason 1
in my observation. Each technological edge or rules interpretation
that could offer any advantage of winning is fair game, regardless of
whether they enjoy operating the contest more than before.

Contesting, however, is mostly driven by people who are there for
reason 1, the real enjoyment of it. Especially cw contesting, their
enjoyment of high speed operating with only their brains and fingers
is their joy, especially when its all in sync and the rates are
climbing high.

I worry that Skimmer is going to take away the guys who are there for
the love of it, regardless of whether they come in first or 31st.
Thats the danger. Lose those guys and the contests will slowly (or
even quickly) die.

I will use Skimmer because it will enable me to operate more time
without feeling blown away by 30-40 wpm speeds. If you blow away those
guys who just love the spirit and effort of it though, my effort will
not really matter much.

73
Neal k3nc

On Tue, Jun 3, 2008 at 5:20 PM,  <Jimk8mr at aol.com> wrote:
> I don't think Skimmers will attract any new contesters.
>
> Contesting will remain a test of running.  Skimmers will just make it  easier
> for experienced contesters to do even more running, while waiting for the
> Skimmer to find the occasional multiplier requiring a second radio or second VFO
>  qsy.  So the big guns will be even more monopolizing of their run
> frequencies, making it harder for a newcomer or less well equipped veteran to  find a
> place to run.
>
> Skimmers may attract a few people who are technology fans who want to  test
> the technology, but I doubt they will stick around in  contesting for the long
> run.
>
>
> 73  -  Jim   K8MR
>
>
>
>
> In a message dated 6/3/2008 3:32:30 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
> btippett at alum.mit.edu writes:
>
> Will the number of existing contesters who  become
> disinterested be more or less than the number of new  contesters
> attracted?  In making any estimates, there is a known base  of the
> former and an unknown base of the latter to work
> with.   Ultimatelyfolks will vote with their feet, one way or the  other.
>
>
>
>
>
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-- 
Neal Campbell
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