[CQ-Contest] The Skimmer Rule Challenge

[Joe Subich, W4TV]

Kelly, 

> It has always been clear, spelled out in many rules, that 
> "assisted" classes refer to those operators receiving spotting 
> information (callsigns and QRGs, not merely spikes on a bandscope). 
> There has never been a mention of automation of the administrivia 
> of contesting being "assistance". 

You do not have the right to define the debate on your own terms. 
"Assistance" has always been a shorthand to define a situation 
where information was provided BY ANOTHER OPERATOR who was not 
actually making the contacts.  The "assisted" entry category was 
created as a way to avoid the need to combine those who used  
packet/internet "alerting networks" into the multi-operator, 
single-transmitter class.  "Assistance" has always been about 
the additional operator and not the presence or absence of 
productivity enhancing technology.  

In order to claim that "assistance" includes product enhancing 
technology, ALL productivity enhancing technologies - including 
electronic keyers, memory keyers, voice keyers, computer logging, 
computer duping, CW decoding, multiple radios/receivers (i.e. SO#R), 
band scopes, propagation predicting software, third party history 
files, third party SCP databases and every other technology that 
eliminates or reduces the user input necessary to operate a contest 
must be considered assistance.  To argue that technologies that have 
been used individually or in limited combinations for many years 
(SO2R/second receiver, CW decoders, bandscopes and a "bandmap") 
suddenly becomes another person when combined into one piece of 
software is not credible. 

Arguing that if one places one technological implementation into 
the "assisted class" the individual components of that technology 
must also be assistance is not a red herring.  It is hubris to 
argue that one implementation of the technology is a suddenly the 
equivalent of a non-licensed second operator.  That technology has 
the ability to do what a human operator can do it not new.  If the 
technology did not have the ability to relive the human operator 
of some portion of the effort necessary to operate the station - 
none of if would be used.  

Again, "assisted" is an artifact of the attempt to avoid the need 
for those who accept "assistance" from other operators from being 
reclassified as multi-single.  Skimmer is not another operator and 
does not belong in the "operator" classification any more than any 
other productivity enhancing technology like, for example, SO#R. 






> -----Original Message-----
> From: cq-contest-bounces at contesting.com 
> [mailto:cq-contest-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of ve4xt at mts.net
> Sent: Tuesday, June 10, 2008 11:21 AM
> To: Joe Subich, W4TV; 'Kerr,Prof. K.M.'; 'Michael Coslo'; 
> 'cq-contesting cq-contest'
> Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] The Skimmer Rule Challenge
> 
> 
> It seems the only people now arguing that computer logging, 
> auto-tune amplifiers or the like should 
> constitute "assistance" are those arguing for the unfettered 
> release of Skimmer into the contesting 
> ethos.
> 
> It has always been clear, spelled out in many rules, that 
> "assisted" classes refer to those operators 
> receiving spotting information (callsigns and QRGs, not 
> merely spikes on a bandscope). There has never 
> been a mention of automation of the administrivia of 
> contesting being "assistance". 
> 
> So to argue that to place Skimmer into "assisted" classes 
> means that you must also place any other 
> automated feature of a station into assisted is simply a red 
> herring. The smart readers of this forum 
> have not bought into that particular bit of seafood.
> 
> I am not anti-Skimmer: but I do not buy the argument that our 
> forefathers intended to restrict the 
> definition of assistance only to that information coming from 
> other people. Spots are spots.
> 
> 73, kelly
> ve4xt
> 
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