[CQ-Contest] Topband: Rule Six in the Stew Perry

[Pete Smith]

The rule now says, in part, "Remote receiving sites within the 100 kM 
are okay. If a networked connected skimmer is within 100 kM of you, go 
ahead and use it (perhaps that is what is known as a Reverse Beacon 
Network, but we get very concerned when we see "Network").

I am having a hard time understanding why anyone is confused. The 
Reverse Beacon Network (please note the capital letters) is a network of 
over 40 receivers (Reverse Beacons) currently, which, using CW Skimmer, 
are forwarding information on what they they hear to 
<http://reversebeacon.net>.  This information includes call-sign, 
frequency, a time-stamp, signal-to-noise ratio at the time of reporting, 
and CW speed.   All of this information, from all of these stations. is 
archived and available for analysis on the web site, as well as being 
displayed in near real time.

The RBN also operates a Telnet node at <telnet.reversebeacon.net port 
7000> which provides the full spot feed from all currently active 
Reverse Beacons, through a DXSpider node, to any individual or node who 
wants to connect.  We have left the duplicate spots in - many stations 
will be spotted near-simultaneously - but fortunately VE7CC's CC User 
and K1TTT's WintelnetX are already available and do an excellent job of 
filtering duplicate spots if placed between the RBN Telnet node and the 
logging program.  This helps to reduce the fire-hose of spots to 
something reasonable, particularly if combined with other spot filtering 
by origin.

The point is, if the Stew Perry sponsors are concerned about traditional 
DX spotting, they should be roughly ten times as concerned about the use 
of the RBN in their contest, because the RBN spots conservatively 10 
times as many stations as the conventional, human-intermediated spotting 
process. The simplest thing, then is simply to lump the RBN with 
traditional spotting as prohibited, and move on.  There's a lot more 
information on the RBN at our blog, <http:// 
reversebeacon.blogspot.com>, and on the website.

When you're done with the contest, go to the RBN web site. The signal 
analysis tool offers graphical display of comparative signal strengths 
over time, and you'll be able to see how your signal on 160 compared 
with others on the band at RBN receivers across the United States, 
Europe, and other continents.

73, Pete N4ZR

The World Contest Station Database, updated daily at www.conteststations.com
The Reverse Beacon Network at http://reversebeacon.net, blog at reversebeacon.blogspot.com,
spots at telnet.reversebeacon.net, port 7000



On 12/17/2010 1:40 PM, Tree wrote:
> The Boring Amateur Radio Club has noted the chatter on the interweb about
> Rule Six.  We are sorry that the recent rule changes has created confusion.
>
> We have attempted to update the rule to take new technology into account,
> and also provide some information about the "intent" of the rules which
> might help.
>
> Hopefully, this will clear up the current confusion.  You can read it here:
>
> http://jzap.com/k7rat/stew.rules.txt
>
> Hope to work you in the contest this weekend.
>
> 73 Tree N6TR
> _______________________________________________
> UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
>
>