[CQ-Contest] The Skimmer Rule Challenge

[Michael Coslo]

On Jun 18, 2008, at 10:07 AM, w5ov at w5ov.com wrote:

> It is neither A nor B.
>
> The point of these rules is simply that a single operator should do
> everything himself.
>
> Why is this such a difficult mystery to unravel?

It isn't  a mystery.  What it is is trying to force a rule to be  
about something that it wasn't addressing.

>
> Such a rule could have been written during spark gap days and it would
> still be valid in 2058.

Because much of what amateur operators take for granted today would  
seem like a miracle to a Ham of yesteryear, I'd have to respectfully  
disagree. I suspect that hams of that era would consider using a  
machine that checks partials and dupes, and automatic antenna tuners  
that tune you up as you switch bands, bandscopes that show you where  
other signals are on the band, and machines that send your CW  
information with the push of a single button as powerful assistance.

We know all the arguments about that. Lots of people from all over  
the spectrum, from outright banning to defining it as assisted, to  
not another person feeding you the info, so its not assisted.

And I'm not arguing that the Op should have to use only their Rig,  
and a pencil and paper and a straight key. I'm saying that the issue  
must be addressed.

My point is that reasonable people can disagree, and both sides have  
valid points. Someone somewhere will make a decision on this. They  
need fed the best opinions in a civil manner to make those decisions.  
Then they have to choose.


> I think a review of the wording of the CQWW rule makes all of this
> perfectly clear.


Yet there are many who don't think so, We could either be obtuse, or  
maybe there is something to be said for addressing the issue  
specifically.

What I would suggest is allowing evaluation of the device to make an  
informed decision about just what the technology is and isn't. I'm  
doing that now.

	I kinda want to give this whole issue a rest too. We know what the  
various players think about it,  best to cogitate about it a while,  
come up with a plan to address it, and see what happens.


-73 de Mike N3LI -