[CQ-Contest] Determining ASSISTED vs NON-ASSISTED

[Radio K0HB]

Bob,

You have captured exactly the crux of the issue.  Haven't seen are more 
clear description of the reason that skimmer-like technology constitutes 
assistance in the classic radiosport sense of the term.

73, de Hans, K0HH

> You have to have both locating AND identifying components performed by the
> operator.
>
> Of course, with digital modes, a decoder (a machine of some sort) is
> required as very few operators can decode RTTY or PSK (as just two
> examples) just with their ears.
>
> I think that for digital signals, if you are single op - without
> assistance, that the decoder should be single-channel (decoding just one
> signal at a time) and require that the operator select (tune in) a signal
> to begin the decoding process.
>
> IMO, a device like skimmer for CW (or something similar that does Digital
> modes), that simultaneously decodes all signals within a passband is
> clearly different and its use should be considered assisted operating for
> those modes as well.