[CQ-Contest] Skimmer: innovation or bane

[VE5ZX Hotmail]

Scott

Thank you for the eloquent, insightful and timely posting. I hope all 
members of this reflector take the time to read it carefully.

Hopefully someday the contest community will again praise and embrace 
innovations instead of posting petitions to ban them.

tnx

... Sylvan

Sylvan Katz, VE5ZX
Saskatoon, SK



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From: "B. Scott Andersen" <bsandersen at mac.com>
Sent: Tuesday, May 06, 2008 4:29 PM
To: <cq-contest at contesting.com>
Subject: [CQ-Contest] Skimmer: innovation or bane

> {deep breath} I don't normally weigh in
> on such things. But, this smoldering thing
> has made me think a great deal about contesting
> and such... and it has been at least a week
> since I've stuck my foot in my mouth. Plus,
> I'm guessing there is a small chance it might
> come up at Dayton... {grin}
>
> Here goes:
>
> I'm relatively new to the hobby and was bitten
> by the contesting bug almost immediately after
> being licensed. I've learned a great deal since
> that first CQ WW contest and have increased my
> skill and my station equipment over these years
> by some modest amount. I've been reading the
> list and I can't help but notice something of a
> pattern as I learn more about what people do,
> what people have, and what people believe.
>
> I do not have a big property with towers and
> behemoth antennas. Some do. Perhaps they paid
> KC1XX to install that tower, or two towers,
> and top them with SteppIRs or Force-12 mono-
> banders. If they did, it speaks more to the
> size of their wallets (and patients of their
> wives) than it did their skills. But, little
> pistols don't make a fuss or complain that
> we're out-classed in the contest. All I've got
> is a G5RV hidden in a tree and it has to do.
> I have fun. I cannot complain.
>
> Some of these radios are pretty impressive
> (and expensive!). Guys are running radios
> with dual receivers, IF DSPs, and other
> amenities that pull signals out of the mud
> that I could only imagine hearing. The radio
> takes some skill to work, sure, but those
> weak signals pulled out because the DSP, or
> that rare multiplier spotted because the
> second receiver, are due at least in part to
> the heft of the wallet as to the skill of the
> operator. I built my contest rigs (Elecraft
> K2s) and though I can't say I designed them,
> I can say proudly that most every solder joint
> in there was mine, the radio was debugged and
> aligned by me, and I'm proud to have it on
> my desk. It isn't the monster on the air that
> the top end Yaesus or Icoms are, but it will
> have to do. I cannot complain.
>
> I have seen the kind of sophisticated automation
> that K1TTT has in his contesting nerve center.
> It is very impressive. The logging software (N1MM)
> is excellent, the interface to the phone and CW
> keyers is impressive, as is the inter-station chat,
> access to packet cluster information, a solid real-time
> scoring system to the network, and more. There is some
> serious computer skills on display here. Little
> pistols don't typically make this kind of investment.
> I certainly have not. I don't even use a "contest logging
> program', though I get by. I cannot complain.
>
> My little logging program doesn't even create Cabrillo
> files! I didn't complain; I wrote the converter:
> Cab-converter. I made it freely available. People
> seem to like it (which makes me happy). I cannot complain.
>
> Now here comes a little program somebody else wrote
> called Skimmer. People complain. People complain
> bitterly. Somehow that tower bought and installed by
> KC1XX is OK, that $8K worth of radio stuff that you
> got from HRO is OK, the N1MM logger -- that you didn't
> help code -- is OK, all of the problems you threw
> money at, or leveraged off somebody else's skills are
> OK. But, Skimmer somehow crosses a line. THAT, some
> declare, doesn't take any skill at all! My how people
> complain!
>
> I understand many are simply defending the honor
> of the contesting institution, or are otherwise
> trying to prevent a dilution of what it means to
> be a successful contester. And, as long as I'm
> temping fate and drawing blood, I must say this
> whole discussion seems like a proxy argument for
> the code/no-code thing all over again with people
> being effective at CW without being able to do it
> in their heads. If that's all it is, I'm going to be
> sorely disappointed. {sigh}
>
> I love contesting. I do OK in it. I cannot complain.
> But, while I deeply respect the amazing talent in
> the contesting community--especially on this list--
> I can't help but wish that advances such as Skimmer
> be considered in a more broad context--one that
> encourages innovation rather than scowling at it.
> Certainly it is disturbing to see notions of banning it.
>
> My 2-cents. Refunds upon request.
>
> -- Scott (NE1RD)
>
> PS: Mind you, Skimmer runs on Windows and I don't use
> Windows for contesting. I use a Mac. I cannot complain.
> So, though I make the argument above, it isn't for me
> or even about me--this time. What happens when I my
> mind conceives of an idea, or my fingers help write a
> piece of software that becomes the object of people's
> ire next time? What if that idea springs forth from
> YOUR mind? How will you feel if that idea is met with
> similar emnity? Will you continue to try to press the
> envelope for the radio art? Or, will you declare, "It
> isn't worth it... it will probably just be banned."?
>
> B. Scott Andersen           | "Magic is real, unless declared integer."
> bsandersen -atsign- mac.com | -- The collected sayings of Wiz Zumwalt
> Acton, MA (NE1RD)           | http://www.bsandersen.com
>
>
>
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