[CQ-Contest] Skimmer in CQ WPX CW

Fri May 23 22:00:41 EDT 2008

I think he made it perfectly clear:

"The current single op rules do not prevent the use of a skimmer located
within your own station." 

Note the 'within your own station' part of the sentence...  is that not
clear enough to mean that using a skimmer located on another continent is
not within the single op rules??

David Robbins K1TTT
e-mail: mailto:k1ttt at arrl.net
web: http://www.k1ttt.net
AR-Cluster node: 145.69MHz or telnet://dxc.k1ttt.net

> -----Original Message-----
> From: cq-contest-bounces at contesting.com [mailto:cq-contest-
> bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of Stan Stockton
> Sent: Friday, May 23, 2008 13:47
> To: Randy Thompson; cq-contest at contesting.com
> Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] Skimmer in CQ WPX CW
> 
> 
> Randy Thompson said:
> 
> >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.
> 
> Randy, sorry this is not hypothetical.  It is reality.  Are
> you saying that it is OK for someone to operate using my
> "hypothetical" scenario?
> 
> With one click of the mouse a stream of callsigns can be fed
> to you from another continent where you are running.  If a
> blanket statement is made that Skimmer is allowed without
> defining what mode it is allowed in, you are allowing a
> remote receiver to be used in conjunction with a code reader
> to feed a list of stations calling you and the reports that
> are sent.
> 
> Assuming you don't want to allow what I will call the
> "remote receiver function" of Skimmer, the question remains
> would the stations using that remote Skimmer Setup via
> internet, who do not have control over what the remote
> Skimmer operator does with it, be automatically disqualified
> if the remote Skimmer operator decided to make that one
> mouse click, providing everyone who was using that network
> with a stream of callsigns calling them on their run
> frequency.
> 
> That is a pretty long sentence, but I think it comes down to
> a simple YES or NO.
> 
> >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.
> 
> Randy, this sounds interesting, but has absolutely nothing
> to do with the subject at hand.
> 
> >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, this is not an Operating Event like Field Day.  It is
> a WRTC qualifying event and a major World Wide CW Contest.
> 
> It is reasonable for competitors to know what is allowed and
> what is not allowed when they put in a full time effort to
> win.  It is reasonable to ask for a clarification of the
> rules and that is what I am doing.
> 
> 73...Stan, K5GO
> 
> > -----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
> >
> >
> 
> 
> 
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