[CQ-Contest] Re; Skimmer Ultimate Setup

[W6SX Hank Garretson]

At 05:04 AM 22 03 2008, Jim George, N3BB wrote:

>I contend the capability to pick out (basically) all the signals on a band
>with a wide IF and software and then display these data for either a human
>to click on them and call them, or a robot to do the same, will kill the
>hobby.

I have a different perspective.  I'm CW contester to the 
core.  Although a little pistol, there are few things I enjoy more 
than a CW contest.

Last night, as I played in the BARTG RTTY contest, I realized that I 
had run 35 stations in 30 minutes using only the mouse.  My hands 
never went to the VFO or keyboard.  All I did was click on calls, 
click on exchanges.  It was neat and it was a blast.  If I had been 
assisted or had Skimmer, I could have worked S&P by clicking on the 
band map, again never touching VFO or keyboard.  Yee Haw!  It wasn't 
CW contesting, but it was fun and had its own appeal.  This kind of 
technology and fun can bring new operators to CW contests.

Fast forward six months.  If mature Skimmer technology allows hams 
who can't copy CW or can't copy 30 WPM CW to have the same kind of 
blast I had last night AND to work me in Sweepstakes, Bravo!  I don't 
think it is going to "kill the hobby."  It may change the hobby, but 
I've seen a lot of change in fifty-two years of hamming, and I enjoy 
contests just as much now as I did back then.

I don't know if I'll use Skimmer, and I'll leave it to others to 
decide if Skimmer should place an operator in assisted or some other 
category.  Just don't try to outlaw it.  It could be a very good 
thing for CW contesting: more stations to work and more contacts for everyone.


73,

Hank, W6SX

Mammoth Lakes, California

Elevation 8083 feet in John Muir's Range of Light