[CQ-Contest] Skimmer ultimate setup?

[Dave Hachadorian]

I'm trying to figure out how CW Skimmer will ultimately 
physically tie in to an so2r contest setup. Let me propose a 
straw man, and then you smart guys can whip it into shape.

1. We use the IF output of the so2r S&P receiver as the 
source of wideband RF.

2. Using an Elecraft K3 as an example, the IF output is at 
8.215 Mhz. I hear you need a buffer amp on that output. 
Somebody makes a "Z10000" that fills the bill.

3. The output of the Z10000 goes to a "Softrock Lite" 
receiver tuned for 8.215 Mhz. Maybe that frequency needs to 
be offset from the 8.215 IF to prevent the softrock Lite 
oscillator from getting into the K3 IF?

4. The stereo audio output of the Softrock Lite goes into a 
good quality soundcard with a high sampling rate, since we 
will be dealing with up to 50(?) KHz audio? This soundcard 
can be the one in the contest computer, since the soundcard 
is not normally used in CW contesting. If you want to do an 
audio recording of the entire contest, maybe you need 
another computer networked to the logging program and do the 
recording there?

5. Whichever computer gets the audio, it needs to be running 
the $70 version of CW Skimmer, and that computer also needs 
to be running the logging program.

6. CW Skimmer outputs spots to the logging program and puts 
them on the bandmap. I'm a little fuzzy on how CW Skimmer 
knows the frequency of these spots. Does it look at the rig 
control frequency of the S&P Radio, or is some other 
connection required for Skimmer to know the frequency?

7. Since Skimmer will be connected to the S&P Radio, that 
radio pretty much has to be dedicated for S&P for the 
duration of the contest, otherwise Skimmer won't get much 
listening time because of all the cq-ing if it's connected 
to the run radio radio?

So, am I even close to getting it right?

Dave Hachadorian, K6LL
Yuma, AZ
























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