[CQ-Contest] The Meaning of Assisted

[Doug Smith]

Paul O'Kane wrote:
> One significant omission to the definition, as it
> stands, is skimmer which is an internal CW decoder.
> There is general agreement that the use of skimmer
> puts us in the Unlimited category.  For consistency,
> I suggest this should apply to all CW decoders.

I'm not so sure this is true..

I think most of us would agree that use of Skimmer *does* put us in the Unlimited category -- it's fairly well spelled out in the rules.

If I'm reading Hans' post of yesterday properly, there are at least two of us on this list who don't believe use of a local Skimmer *should* put us in 
the Unlimited category.  ("local Skimmer" = one that's compliant with the 500m radius/similar rule)

> Another significant omission is remote control. When
> using a remote rig it is hard to deny that you receive
> information outside the contest bands/modes - simply
> because you are receiving it by internet or other fixed
> circuits from beyond the limits of the 500-metre radius
> generally permitted in contesting.

I don't think it's at all obvious that remote control violates the spirit of the 500m radius rule, if all radio equipment used on contest bands is 
within a 500m radius *somewhere*.

(depending on the contest, it may violate the *letter* of the rule)

-- 

Doug Smith W9WI
Pleasant View, TN  EM66