[CQ-Contest] Skimmer reverse beacon experiment - update

[Clive Whelan]

Pete

Sure, fantastic software indeed, and you are demonstrating what it is 
capable of. Perhaps the most profound implication is that it can render 
the use of DX clusters irrelevant, and therefore - at a stroke- deprive 
the cheats of their ( currently enjoyed) edge. However , what I don't 
quite see is how the average Joe, or even the well equipped contest 
station can integrate the functionality into his favourite logging 
programme so that the "spots" populate the band map, until or unless 
add-on hardware becomes available, or manufacturers make a ca. 100kHz 
slice of the IF available to Skimmer. My 756PROIII clearly has that 
potential as it can already display a bandscope over such a range, but I 
don't see ICOM making that externally available any time soon, as it is 
simply not for the mass market.


Am I lacking in vision, or do you share my reservations?


73



Clive
GW3NJW


Pete Smith wrote:
> Today I replaced the Skimmer software with a new version that permits you 
> to select whether to forward all spots to Telnet, or just the ones that the 
> software identifies as calling CQ.  Depending on circumstances, you might 
> want either.  Thanks to Alex for being so accommodating to this experiment
>
> For the last several hours it has only been spotting stations that it has 
> identified as CQ-ing or otherwise being ready to receive calls.  It has a 
> series of key phrases it looks for, including some that are specifically 
> relevant to contesting, like [callsign] TEST or [callsign]SS.  In "spot 
> everything mode, it reports every station it hears - you can imagine how 
> useful this would be for a DXpedition station managing a big pileup.
>
> As you can tell, I'm sold - but please note, I have no business connection 
> with VE3NEA other than as an admiring user of his products.
>
> 73, Pete N4ZR
>
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