[CQ-Contest] Skimmer in CQ WPX CW

[Randy Thompson]

 We can create hypothetical situations all day and try to define what the
ruling would or would not be.  The contest sponsors can only work within the
boundaries of the published rules and the evidence they have as to what
happened during the contest period.

With the coming of software defined radios that can copy AND record an
entire band for the whole contest, we begin to have some serious tools for
analyzing what actually happened.

For now, I suggest everyone get on the air, enjoy the contest, and then
submit your log.  Contests exist to provide a competitive challenge and fun.
Better to enjoy the actual experience than to worry about hypotheticals.

Randy, K5ZD

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Stan Stockton [mailto:k5go at cox.net] 
> Sent: Friday, May 23, 2008 4:30 AM
> To: Randy Thompson; cq-contest at contesting.com
> Cc: 'Michael Höding'
> Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] Skimmer in CQ WPX CW
> 
> 
> >Thanks for sharing Michael.  Will be interesting to see how it goes 
> >during the contest.
> 
> >Dear Contesters: Just to be clear, my original email said
> > >that a single op could use a skimmer WITHIN THEIR >OWN
> >STATION.  Using one connected via the Internet requires entry in the 
> >assisted or multi-op categories.
> 
> Just curious Randy.  Someone in Europe has a CW Skimmer set 
> up and a multi-operator or assisted entrant in the USA is 
> using it.  The guy in Europe happens to click on the option 
> that provides all callsigns instead of verified callsigns 
> (ones that are calling CQ) or "happens" 
> to tune the receiver to a particular frequency and click that 
> option.  The USA entrant immediately sees a stream of 
> European callsigns appear on his screen on his frequency 
> calling him - same thing as a remote receiver in Europe only 
> with a code reader involved..  Is this grounds for immediate 
> and automatic disqualification or is there a grace period 
> where it is OK for everyone to use a remote receiver while 
> clearing the screen of callsigns that are calling?
> 
> Is it OK if I am in the multi-multi category and someone 
> (with or without my knowledge) decides to feed me a stream of 
> callsigns calling on a run frequency from a 
> Skimmer set up?   If someone is feeding a packet cluster
> and feeds in callsigns that are not calling CQ, are all the 
> entrants who are logged into that cluster automatically disqualified?
> 
> All I have seen is that it is OK to use a local Skimmer if 
> you are Single Operator unassisted and a not-so-local Skimmer 
> set up if you are in any other category.  If these and many 
> other questions that are more esoteric than these have not 
> been thought through and dealt with in the rules making, it 
> would appear that we are just flying by the seat of our 
> pants, using a major World Wide Contest to see what happens. 
> God help us, if this is the case....
> 
> 73...Stan, K5GO
> 
>