[CQ-Contest] Internet Assisted

[Paul O'Kane]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Pete Smith" <n4zr at contesting.com>
Subject Was : Speed Change Prevents Skimmer Spot


<snip>
 
> Sailboats and powerboats (I'm a sailboat guy) - there
> is room for both in our ocean.

That's an inappropriate analogy for "unassisted" and
"assisted"

Our ocean is communications and we are the sailboaters
of this ocean - using othing other than the natural
elements of amateur-band RF to communicate.

Once you use an alternative communications technology
to find or facilitate contest QSOs, you may be still
in the communications business, but you're not a radio
amateur - not even "assisted".  You're an internet
amateur.

In the same way, anyone who uses a mechanical form
of propulsion on water is not a sailboater, even when
he is sharing the ocean with sailboaters (and even 
when, from a distance, his boat looks like a sailboat).

Time to drop the term "assisted", and call it what it
is - the internet or, if you must "internet assisted".

73,
Paul EI5DI